Gmail has grown significantly since its launch in 2004, with users now occupying over 100 times more storage than the initial 1 GB offered. To free up space, Google offers various tools and services, including Google Takeout for backing up data, Storage manager to identify and delete large files, and quotas management tools for Google Photos. Users can also clear storage in Gmail by searching for attachments and deleting unwanted emails, and in Google Drive by reviewing and deleting large files. By automating tasks with Zapier or using other productivity tools, users can optimize their use of Google apps and free up space as needed.