Organize Your File Folders
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Don’t think, Just do!
Pick one or do both!
- Print out this PDF handout Favorite File Folders and write down your 6 most important folders.
- Look at your desktop (or pick a folder in your system) and do a bit of organizing
GUIDE VIDEO: Join me as we Work on this Game Challenge Together.
Simple Setup for this Game Challenge
Evaluate your file folders and identify the ones that are truly important.
- Download and print this handout: Folder Favorites
- Make a list of your most used folders (you can add them as you use them)
Look for folders to add and merge
A folder is usually needed once you have 3 or more files that need to be grouped together.
- Use high-level general terms for your folders so you know immediately where the file goes.
- Use folders for files that NEED to be grouped together to make them easier to find.
- Promote folders you need frequently (move them out of a folder so you need fewer clicks to access them).
- Create an Archive or Vault folder to move old stuff out of your way.
Join the Lux Lab and we can work on this together with friends.
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- Get feedback on that crazy thing your computer is doing.
- Conquer your email inbox
- Organize your digital files
- Untangle your passwords.
- And more Rescue your Digital Office challenges.
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Deeper work and Strategy for this Game Challenge
You need to know where your important files live. Ideally, they should be arranged so you can find things and put things away easily.
STEP 1: Practice Sorting your Digital Data
When you know how your digital data behaves in your computer, you can make strategic decisions about how to organize it.
Finder (MAC)
Windows Explorer (PC)
The files you see in your File Manager, Finder for the MAC or File Explorer for the PC) are generally arranged by “Name” or by “Date Modified”. They can also be sorted by “Size” and “Kind” as well. Click the column headers to sort your files according to that header data.
If your files are sorted by “Name”, click on “Name” and your computer will organize them according to:
- Special Character (Ex. !, _, – )
- Then by number
- Then alphabetically
You can use this organization to your advantage when you name your files and folders. (Caps and lowercase do not matter in sorting or searching files.)
You can also change the visual representation of your files and folders. From the File View Options, you can toggle between views to better identify the file you need.
Common View Options
- Icon Views: These are the image representation of files. This view is usually best for viewing pictures and images. Icon views often allow mini previews of your files, so you can quickly tell what is in them.
- Detail Views: These views give you tiny, less informational, icon representation but it arranges other data like file name, size, kind, and date modified in columns so you can easily sort between these data points.
Choose the view that works best for you at the moment. You can easily toggle between the views as you interact with your files.
MAC View
PC View
STEP 2: Think About and Document your Folder Structure
To prepare for this adventure create a document called:
_Digital Folder Protocol_[Folder Name]
Or use the template: _Digital Folder Protocol
This document is also used in the Game Challenge: Naming Protocols so if you already have it, just open it up and let’s get to work.
Save this file in the folder or drive it will pertain to. This is the only file allowed among your Top-Level folders as described in the instructions below.
NOTE: Information within brackets [ ] are used as a stand-in for more specific information you will use in a file name. Do not use the brackets [ ] in your final file name.
Example
_Digital Folder Protocol_[Folder Name] =
- _Digital Folder Protocol_Documents
- _Digital Folder Protocol_Google Drive
- _Digital Folder Protocol_Finance
These documents will be your guides and resources as you determine what folders you need, where they should go, and how you should name them.
Here is a template of the document to get you started. You can copy it to your Google Drive or download it as a Word Document.
TEMPLATE: Digital Folder Protocol
Let’s get organized!
Your computer’s organizational structure has 3 storage types:
- Drives
- Top-Level folders
- Subfolders.
Drives
For the purpose of organizing files, a Drive is the big digital storage bucket that holds everything. It may, or may not be connected to the cloud. See Game Challenge: Connect to the cloud
On the Mac and PC, you automatically have a Documents Folder that can act as your main Drive to organize all your content and things you create on your computer. Your Documents Folder is often synchronized online with the cloud through either iCloud (MAC) or OneDrive-personal (PC). You can add other Drives to your organizational system for more space, order, and easier collaboration. These might include Google Drive, OneDrive-professional, and Dropbox. The first thing you see when you open these drives are your Top-Level folders.
Top-Level folders and subfolders both behave the same way as far as your computer is concerned, but you will have 2 different guidelines to follow depending upon the type of folder with which you are dealing.
Top-Level Folders
These are the first folders you see when you go to Documents on your computer or to a cloud drive like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox. They are the primary feature of your digital file organization system.
Guidelines for Top-Level Folders
- Keep your top-level folders to a minimum (no more than 12)
You will almost certainly need more folders in your system. For deeper organization, you will add sub-folders within these Top-Level folders. More than 12 folders in the top-level position will make it difficult for you to see at-a-glance where your information is located and where to put new content.
- Use a Sort Element (ex. 00, 01, 02) in front of the name of YOUR Top-Level folders so they stay together at the top of your folder list.
Sometimes your computer will create random top-level folders depending on the programs you have on your computer. (Scan, fax, Zoom, Adobe, and Custom Office Templates are common ones) This is fine, but you want those folders to hang out at the bottom of the list and out of your way. Remember, your computer will sort numbers at the top.
- Give your Top-Level folders very general names. (Feel free to use the recommendations in this post)
When you look at your top-level folders it should be obvious what goes in them. These folders are visual triggers to help you find stuff. They should be created for big categories that cannot be easily confused with your other Top-Level folders.
If you find yourself forgetting where to put things it is likely your folder names are too specific or you have too many folders.
- Do not allow single files to live in the Top-Level position, this position is only for folders. All files need to be in a folder.
Having a variety of files and folders in the Top-Level position creates visual digital clutter. When you open your computer and see a jumble of files and folders you will subconsciously feel like things are disorganized and need more attention than you have time for.
EXCEPTION: Keep your _Digital Folder Protocol.doc document in the drive it pertains to, even at the Top-Level.
Subfolders
These are folders nested within other folders (Top-Level folders or other Subfolders) to help you better organize your files.
Guidelines for Subfolders
- It is OK to have files and folders mixed together inside a Top Level folder or a Subfolder.
- Create subfolders only as you need them.
- Let numbers and the alphabet do the work of sorting your folders and files inside the Top-Level folders.
STEP 3: Create your Top-Level Folders
There are dozens of ideas on what Top Level folders you might need. One way is likely as good as the next. Start with a way and adjust it to YOUR way. The Luxcentric way of setting up Top-Level folders is an adequate way to start.
Create the following Folders using the numbers before the name of the folder to take advantage of how your computer wants to arrange things. If you already have folders for these general categories, you can simply add the numerical Sort Element. The goal is to have these important folders (with the exception of zz VAULT) at the top of your folder list when sorting by Name.
A Personal Drive you might need these folders:
- 00 IN-PROCESS
- 01 FINANCE
- 02 PROFESSIONAL
- 03 HOUSEHOLD
- 04 PERSONAL
- 05 FOR OTHERS
- 06 REFERENCE
- zz VAULT
A Business Drive might need these folders: (you may even put these folders within your 02 PROFESSIONAL folder.)
- 00 IN PROCESS
- 01 ACCOUNTING
- 02 CLIENTS
- 03 OPERATIONS
- 04 PERSONAL
- 05 STAFF
- 07 REFERENCE
- zz VAULT
NOTE: The numbers in front of the file name are used to keep the folders in order and at the top of your folder list.
List your Top-Level folders in your _Digital Folder Protocol document.
STEP 4: Move your Files and Folders into the Appropriate Top-Level Folders.
Do this as quickly as you can and do not let yourself overthink this. This process is like moving into a new home. First you get all the stuff into the appropriate room (Top-Level folder), then you go into each room and put stuff where it goes within the room.
As you work, add the Guidelines section to the _Digital Folder Protocol document so you can make useful notes about the types of files and folders you are organizing. There is a GUIDELINES section in the template with the following guidelines I recommend. Your _Digital Folder Protocol document is a living document that will adjust and grow as you refine your system. Referring to the document and updating it regularly will keep you on track.
00 Folders: (00 IN-PROCESS)
The main purpose of this folder is for stuff you are working on but are not sure where it should live. In the beginning stages or file organization, it can be used as your staging area for things that need to be organized.
- Files and folders that need deeper evaluation and thought
- Files and folders you think you need to go through.
- Files and folders that you are unsure about where they should go.
- Files and folders used in temporary projects
01 Folders: (01 FINANCE), (01 ACCOUNTING):
For all your financial information. Even if your personal and professional finances are properly separated, they are both still your finances.
- Tax documents
- Receipts
- Valuation documents
- Investments
- Financial Reports
- Anything you should share with a bookkeeper or accountant
02 Folders: (02 PROFESSIONAL), (02 CLIENTS)
Anything that pertains to your professional self. You may have 1 business or several businesses or perhaps you work for a company or represent a company. A 02 Folder works well within a business set of folders to hold all client information.
03 Folders: (03 HOUSEHOLD), (03 OPERATIONS)
This is for all the data that makes your home or business run well but is not financial. Instruction manuals, documentation, important contact information, warranties.
04 Folders: (04 PERSONAL)
This folder is all about you. Your hobbies, your memoirs, or just things you want to save for yourself.
05 Folders: (05 FOR OTHERS), (05 STAFF)
The For Others folder is for things other people need from you, like collaborations and volunteer work. In a business folder system, the 05 folder is related to things for your staff and the people who help you get stuff done.
06 Folders: (06 REFERENCE):
You may or may not need this folder. It is for the stuff that just doesn’t fit easily into one of the other categories. If, after a year or so you look at it and find it empty you can delete it.
zz Folders: (zz VAULT):
Folders and files that you know you don’t really use or need, but you don’t want to delete. The fun thing about computers is that you can be an organized minimalist and still be a happy hoarder. Terabytes of digital space do not take up much space (if any) in your real world. The zz Sort Element pulls this folder to the bottom of your list and out of your way.
Use this system as it is and pay attention to which folders you use and how you may want to adjust them to fit your own style.
STEP 5: Pick a Top-Level Folder and Sort at a Deeper Level
One of the most inspiring things about organizing your files is seeing a tidy Top-Level. Once your Top-Level is tidy it is much easier to pick a folder to organize more thoroughly.
Your Top-Level folders can hold hundreds or thousands of files and folders within them. The folders you create within a Top-Level folder will be Subfolders. If you are diligent about saving things into the appropriate folder, you will be able to keep them organized and useful.
WARNING! It is super tempting to try to think of all the folders you will ever need in the future and create them.
Resist this temptation!
Start simple and gradually allow complexity to build. When you start to find yourself scanning endlessly for a file within a full folder then it may be time to create a subfolder. Look at the files carefully and notice the category trends, the more general the category you can identify the easier it will be for you to know what files belong within.
Always remember to document your decisions.
Give yourself the freedom to change your mind when it makes sense.
Resources Associated with this Game Challenge:
- BLOG POST: Evaluating Your Favorite Folders
- CHALLENGE: Naming Protocols
- CHALLENGE: Delete Dregs
- CHALLENGE: Wrangle Clutter
