Finder uses too much memory

To trouble shoot further you can:

Try a SafeBoot https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Takes noticeable longer to get to the login screen, does a 5 minute disk repair before it loads up, and certain system caches, dynamic loader cache, etc. get cleared and rebuilt. —maybe this will be enough right there to sort your problem.

This will also tell you if third party interference; extensions etc are not loaded in safe boot mode.

Test issue in another user (or guest user) account https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204443

This will tell you if it a universal issue or isolated to your user/admin account.

The way memory is used changed dramatically in 10.9 Mavericks. The amount of RAM used by anything is not particularly meaningful. What IS meaningful is the memory pressure graph in Activity Monitor:

It is now perfectly normal for Mac memory to appear full, but the memory pressure graph to be green. Memory can be released or uncompressed in less than a heartbeat if an Applications requests it.

The new Mantra is "Unused RAM is wasted RAM -- that could be used for speedups!"

Memory Cleaner Apps are now working at cross-purposes to the way MacOS manages RAM. MacOS tries to keep stuff in memory that may be needed again soon, while Memory Cleaner Apps throw it all away and ruin performance.

lunatic_on_the_grass wrote:

However, when I have so few memory available, my mac starts heating up, I can hear the fan working, etc.

the only way I can get my mac to being silent again, is be freeing up memory and the only way I have found to do so is by using a memory cleaner app.

Obviously you have an issue if you are having to use your "memory cleaner.app." to regain normalcy.

Did you try the basics at resolving the issue as opposed to managing the problem?

Try resetting the SMC http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964

Try resetting NVRAM/PRAM http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

To trouble shoot further you can:

Try a SafeBoot https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Takes noticeable longer to get to the login screen, does a 5 minute disk repair before it loads up, and certain system caches, dynamic loader cache, etc. get cleared and rebuilt.

This test will tell you if third party interference; extensions etc are not loaded in safe boot mode.

Test issue in another user (or guest user) account https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204443

This will tell you if it a universal issue or isolated to your user/admin account.

Try this: EtreCheck, and paste the output here.

lunatic_on_the_grass wrote:

cleaning up my memory with memory cleaner etc, but the problem persists.

Any suggestions?

I am in full agreement with Grant Bennet-Alder insightful take on this issue.

You can read more here: OS X 10.9 Mavericks: The Ars Technica Review | Ars Technica

However, I have never seen Finder take up 5GB of memory.

My bigger concern what "memory cleaner etc," (?) you used —this typically leads to problems.

Looking at your system config. by running the http://etrecheck.com might well be insightful. You can post your results here if you need help interpreting the output.