How to delete items from my (Mac) Desktop?

[jlg84]

I have set up the three key folders on my Mac (Documents, Desktop and Downloads) to be backed up through Dropbox. I keep getting messages from Dropbox saying that my hard drive is nearly full (which it does not actually appear to be) so I thought I'd cull files from those folders, but when I click on "Move to Bin" my Mac  it downloads the files first, and then I can delete them. If I try to do this on Dropbox's website, it just gives me the option to stop backing up my folders altogether. Surely there has to be a better way?

[Megan]

Hey @jlg84, let's jump right into this! 

Just to clarify here: do you wish to delete the files entirely, or just to stop backing them up to Dropbox? 

When you say that it downloads the files first, do you mean that the files are currently syncing as online-only on the device? 

Let me know more, and we'll take it from there!