43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

What is the best way to organize folders on my computer?

I think this counts as a "productivity" question, because I find myself getting bogged down rummaging through my files trying to find what I need.

In the past I have set a directory structure under My Documents like so:

My Documents
    ~Docs
    ~Downloads
    ~ftp
    ~Images
    ~Media
        ~Audio
        ~Video
    ~Misc
    ~Software
    ~Work

This has changed over the years and I've added to it and have so much stuff in certain places that I can't combine similar items. I don't know what I am really trying to ask. What do you think is the proper, most efficient, way to organize your personal files on a computer? Keep in mind that I don't care about where things are installed. This is strictly about data. So in the example above, my software folder keeps backup disc images of software, games, etc. It also contains downloaded software such as drivers, install files, etc. The audio and video keep mp3s, movies, tv shows and various clips.

If you know of a better way, I'm all ears. How do you organize your files?

Thanks.

AmberSat's picture

I tend to throw all...

I tend to throw all my pictures, audio and video files into my Pictures, Music, and Movie folders (these are all more easily catalogued in iPhoto or iTunes), and then organize my Documents subfolders by file type (Apps & Disc Images, Excel Files, HTML Files, Word Files, Outliner Files, etc.). The latter isn't really necessary, it just keeps my Documents folder from becoming such an unnavigable mess, so that if I do have to go looking for something there, I can still find it reasonably quickly. The only topical folder I maintain under Documents at this point is "Case Files," since I still find it useful in my legal work to save all the various files associated with a particular case in one place. Otherwise, I use Smart Folders or Spotlight or Quicksilver's functionality to filter and go fetch what I need.

 
EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

Popular
Today

Popular
Classics

An Oblique Strategy:
Honor thy error as a hidden intention


STAY IN THE LOOP:

Subscribe with Google Reader

Subscribe on Netvibes

Add to Technorati Favorites

Subscribe on Pageflakes

Add RSS feed

The Podcast Feed

Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »