Best Practice to Organize Your Computer Files

Learn how to organize your computer files for maximum cleanliness and organization.
💡 THE DIGITAL ARCHITECT - My guide to reclaim your time, energy, and headspace by simply building order in your digital world.
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In this video I will show how you should organize your computer files for maximum cleanliness and organization. You will learn how to organize your files on your computer in no time, such that you will always find what your are looking for without spending hours of searching.
With this streamlined and minimalist file management system, you will be able to find all of your documents just within a few clicks because all files and folders will be in a logical structure and neatly organized.
If you want to undergo digital declutter and if you want to know how to organize your files effectively, try this structure and experience the increase in productivity from today onwards.
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[@LeaDavid]

💡Do you want to get more practical guidance to organize your digital life? Then get THE DIGITAL ARCHITECT - My guide to reclaim your time, energy, and headspace by simply building order in your digital world ▶️ leadavid.com/the-digital-architect/?um_id=6

[@phandongexcel]

I like this video and comment. I’m from Vietnam and you? www.youtube.com/@phandongexcel❤❤❤

[@CYTHRAUL]

Ja ne, ne ja, is ja klar, oder? Typische Deutsche Ordnung, so wie sich das gehört. :) I use standardized Hierarchical Index structures tailored to given applications. Typically, six levels deep per each type / flavor (Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music...). My Engineerinng Projects, follow a standardized Indexed Directory Structure which flows with execution phasing from design development phasing SD, DD, CD, PC, JOB BID to execution, commissioning, acceptance, turn over, record docs or RD, and Closeout. Takes me no more than 5, typically 2 minutes to produce any given project reference data. Always N plus 2 backups in real time. And I'm only half German... 😂 😂

[@BWoods5787]

But for how long is this payment valid, per year repeated or just a one time payment for life?

[@kerningandleading]

Another pro tip - Create a template folder with the tree structure under it. When you create a new project, just duplicate the project template folder and you don't have to go and set up the structure every time. Saves time and means that your folders are consistent.

[@LeaDavid]

Yes, can only second what you suggested! I am also doing that and especially at work, this comes in quite handy...

[@HashebAnzar]

Yes, thats what I do for my work.

[@jeanmont]

I can't believe I didn't think of this before

[@jesus_built_my_hotrod]

i work in architecture, we would be lost without a template folder structure.

[@madwilliamflint]

Yep. Learned the need for this one the hard way.

[@aroncells3120]

Just started a university course and found this video extremely helpful. Your accent, manner and smile and professional approach is perfect a new subscriber, thanks

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you sou much - glad it was helpful!

[@td7678]

How do we reorganise the files ? Any short way to club all pics together and delete duplicate files ?

[@moonpie21012]

I’m only just finding this video as my degree is finishing and I wish I could go back to the start and be organised right from then!

[@GrantSweatshirt]

I have two folders , downloads and documents 😂

[@IssaKhlief]

It's better than having downloads and desktop 😂

[@escapefact]

Move them trash 😂

[@russel2352]

Nearly 70 years old and have used a similar system from about 10 years ago. I can find a file so quickly it amazes others. Still use it for any payments and invoices in my retirement days here in S Africa. I like your explanation.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Russel, that's great to hear. Thanks for sharing!

[@dartagnandebatz3304]

I use to create an alphabetical list of main folders (AB,CD,EF...etc) where each folder has sub-folders with their labels for the main topics (personal, work, projects,personal info etc) .It may look quite simple to you, however is so practical when arrives a moment to search any file, moreover the back-up disk has the same structure, so when an updated is needed, all the repeated files are no copied (unless the "weight" is different) ....Your tutorial gives me a new perspective and fresh ideas....Thank you so much Miss David.

[@LeaDavid]

You are very welcome! Also thank you so much for sharing your approach. All the best, Lea

[@PatrickAntonik]

Use 00, 10, 20, etc as prefixes for folders as this allows you to number keys to navigate and you can add temporary/special root level folders like 11, 21, etc.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Patrick, thanks for sharing. Indeed, that's also how I did it for some time - works very well! Best, Lea

[@bfapple]

We’ve started doing this at work, let’s see how long the structure lasts.

[@boromaushelms281]

Definitely an old BASIC programmer comment🙂 great suggestion!

[@PatrickAntonik]

@@boromaushelms281 I‘m 39… what exactly do you mean with „old“? 😂

[@boromaushelms281]

@@PatrickAntonik ...experienced, valuable, precious, classy and so on. No hard feelings mate.

[@BobGowens]

This is a very good simple instruction on how to organize data files in a PC. I would add one thing I have done is structure my accounting files along the lines of a balance sheet. 01 - Accounting files (then subfiles)01 Cash, 02 Accounts receivable, 03 other current assets, Property and equipment etc. In an accounting department this is a very useful way to organize files.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Bob, that certainly makes sense for everyone that's knowledgeable about accounting. Thanks for sharing!

[@mstwelvedeadlycyns]

Agreed

[@Simon-sw4ov]

Amazing video! Thank you for making our file world a better place ❤

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks, Simon! Glad you liked the video 😁

[@jimgrant1776]

Lea - Good video. Comprehensive. Good tips. Here are 5 ideas for consideration. 1 - MECE - Every hierarchical system should attempt to conform to the MECE principle. It is a method of grouping information (like into folders), so that the groups (folders) are mutually exclusive (ME) and collectively exhaustive (CE). In other words, the content of the groups (folders) do not overlap and nothing falls through the cracks. - - - The MECE methodology is commonly used by consulting firms. When most people (including me) start out developing groups (folders) in a hierarchical system, they aren’t likely going to conform to the MECE method. As weeks and months roll by, a person typically will add more groups (folders). At some point in time, the person has so many groups (folders and subfolders), it becomes more and more of a challenge for a person to remember the structure of his/her groups (folders) and to find the group (folder) where he/she previously put a specific item (file, in this case). Also, it is common when adding a new item (file) that it is realized that it could logically be added to more than one group (folder). This will make it even harder to remember in the future which group (folder) it was it put in. - - - The MECE method helps to minimize, if not completely eliminate, those problems. 2 - Tags - In some examples in the video, information was added to a file’s label/title that I call “metadata”. That is, it is information “about’ the file, not information “in” the file. “Status” (like notstarted, in process, completed) is an example. “Metadata” is more effectively implemented in a file’s “Tags”. Up until 3 years ago, I used Windows computers. Using tags was very cumbersome. It is very easy with Apple devices (Macs, iPhone, iPads). 3 - Modifying the Hierarchy - I’ve been working with hierarchical filing systems for over 15 years. In that time, there were probably 4 different times that I made a major restructuring of my hierarchy. At the beginning, I didn’t have the insight to anticipate what I would need 2-4 years down the road. I suspect most people are the same. So, it must be relatively simple to move folders, sub-folders, and files into a new structure. Incorporating a hierarchy’s structure (like L1, L2, L3) into the labels/title makes restructuring at a later time very time-consuming. 4 - Numbers (like L1, L2, L3) in Labels/Titles - The file management system of Windows (File Explorer) and Macs (Finder) are now very advanced. The list of folders and subfolders can be presented graphically and it is easy to expand and collapse the list to portray the hierarchical structure. This makes putting numbers in folder labels/titles redundant. - - - In addition, there are a couple problems if you put numbers in a folder’s label/title. First, the folders can’t be sorted by topic. So, with lots of folders/subfolders, a user may have to scan lists to find the desired one. Second, numbers, like L1, L2, L3, are abstractions, with meanings that are eventually forgotten over time, whereas “topics” live out in the world. If a person places a file into folder “L3-XXXXXXX”, 6 months down the road, they may not remember where they put it. 5 - Dates in Labels/Titles - Again, the Windows and Mac file management systems do an excellent job managing file creation and file update dates. - - - Granted, if a file contains information that was created in an event before the file was created, then putting that date in the file’s label/title can be helpful.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Jim, appreciate your feedback! A few words to your points: 1. I know the MECE principle but believe that when using a hierarchical structure, it's not always possible to stay 100% MECE except you are very disciplined. Regardless, I believe with cross-links that's still manageable. 2. I know that some OS allow better use of tags (such as iOS) than others (windows). So here I believe it goes down to which OS you are using and how easy it is using tags. 3. Fully agree. 4. I believe there are pros and cons to using numbers or letters in folder names, for example. I think it eventually goes down to your purpose and way of working, i.e. which structure or labelling strategy you use (by projects, in alphabetical order or by topics etc.). Also, I would never recommend putting a "Lx" in front of a foler but rather just numbres or letters. 5. Dates in file names can be helpful if you want to indicate the date the file is being used (e.g. for a speech or presentation on that day), which might be different to the date created or last modified. All the best, Lea

[@jimgrant1776]

@@LeaDavidThanks for the thoughtful reply.

[@InverseTachyonPulse]

The yyyymmdd date format is useful to keep things organized because it's sorted alphabetically. I used to do it a lot back in the day when filenames were restricted to 8.3 characters. However, I now use the yyyy-mm-dd format, because I can use also yyyy and yyyy-mm formats when something doesn't have a specific day or month. In Windows, filenames containing numbers are sorted *numerically* (which is great, because it avoids situations like 1, 10, 11, ... 2, 20, 21, ...) but places all yyyy and yyyymm before the yyyymmdd files 😕 So, adding the dashes would sort properly the "incomplete" dates: 2021-03-17 2021-05 2021-08-29 2022 2023-01-01 2023-05 2023-05-27 and so on 💁🏻‍♂️

[@LeaDavid]

Hi there, thanks - like your approach and comment! Best, Lea

[@beeldbuijs1003]

Not a windows user, but I like to start names with yymmdd, even the ‘dayless’. I simply give them yymm00. This way all items stay in place, always.

[@dominicauten324]

It's not very practical to put so many numbers in the beginning of a file. Especially since when going through file explorer you lose the name of the file you're looking for. While a couple numbers would be effective, with the date at the end makes browsing the files a lot simpler and easier to read.

[@Wanderer2086]

I've been using the Hierarchy Structures since the very first time I worked in an office, and I am very happy to see how my method of naming folders and files is similar to yours. While I don't use sequential numbers for the folders, I also try to apply some level of hierarchy to the files, like: Project_File Type_Date_Version I also wrote a script in VBA to mass read and rename the files, so I don't have to change one by one. Thank you for your content!

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Douglas, glad to hear you have been very organized already! Thanks for sharing and all the best, Lea

[@alofano]

QUESTION : Why underscore instead of a dash ???

[@Applecompuser]

@@alofanoGood point. Its like 20 years since that was the only option on PC.

[@BerserkPublishing]

I realize this is an older video. First, excellent video. I've been in the computer industry since 1990 in roles ranging from customer support all the way up to development manager and tech project manager, with a bit of architect thrown in. I've used all three methods over the decades in my personal data that I rarely had time to worry about. Today, that has resulted in a fourth storage method. I call it the Where The Heck did I put that method. Now that I'm retired I am trying to get my own life and data back in order. I really appreciate your videos. it's great to go back and review. The hard part is now converting my WTH to the hierarchy method, which I believe is still the best method for storage.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much! Glad you liked the video and good luck converting to hierarchy :)

[@kongr889]

Thanks for showing practical advice on this very important topics in life! I'm sure people will have to further modify to fit individual life. But, the message of "there are better ways" is critical. ******** For those who are concerning not able to find the wanted file buried inside the directory tree, Window's File Explorer has a very robust "search" function that can search entire directory tree. So, as long as you name the filename and directory name with needed keywords about files, searching is easy!

[@christopherknee5756]

@kongr889 I find the File Explorer search function to be riddled with bugs. Sometimes I am doing a search and I DON'T want to search below the current folder level - how can I do that. I once lost important files that I deleted thinking they were from the current folder, when they were lower down in the folder structure. Often, I want to search INSIDE a file - not just the filename. Sometimes the File Contents button/icon doesn't come up. Also, I want to search inside files that have OTHER extensions besides just .txt

[@LeaDavid]

Hi there! Thanks and I couldn't agree more with you saying that my examples would still need to be fit to individual needs! I agree, Windows search function works quite well (in particular for basic usage if you - as you correctly said, have named your files properly -, although I must admit there are better, third party tools out there. All the best, Lea

[@pokeba3299]

I just started implementing this. The number prefix makes folder ordering really flexible and very easy to adjust. Thank very much for sharing this great approach.

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks for letting me know. Glad it works so well for you :)

[@borisvaiser]

Excellent presentation. I have been using the similar system for ages. I would add 2 things to your system. 1. If you have millions of files a program like Everything would be extremely helpful for a fast file search. 2. I use an external hard drive for all my personal files and another hard drive for a back-up I also use FreeFileSync application to keep them in sync. In case your computer goes south It would save all your files.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much, Boris! Really like your two additions and couldn't agree more :) Best, Lea

[@RedMambaYard]

Thanks a lot for sharing this. I've always used a hierarchy in my file system to store and find files afterwards, and I've been doing it for more 25 years now. Nonetheless, this video can still ispire me better solutions and an even 'cleaner' approach. Managing and organizing files in a very healthy way has always been a very neglected issue, leaving it all to the personal approach, which sometimes is simply not as efficient as it should be. Keep it up Lea, great work!

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you for watching ans sharing your experiences with the community! Very glad I could inspire you even though have been following this approach for such a long time already. All the best, Lea

[@BrendanIgoe-u1f]

Wow this video just made my pc so user friendly THANK YOU LEA ! Finding stuff was so frustrating, sitting here since waking up organising files, its so satisfying

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks for your feedback and my pleasure! Glad I could help you get more organized :)

[@Danger_us86]

Idk who you are or what you do but you just changed my life for the better. Thank you and please keep creating productivity content.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Dante, thank you so much! Glad it was helpful and I could make a positive impact on your life :)

[@deecorley423]

Ditto!

[@neilvanrooyen7196]

I use a variation of those structures depending on the requirement or situation. If I am busy working on a specific topic or folder for a few days or more, then I will put a + or - in front of the Folder name. this will then push them to the top of the folder structure and makes it much quicker and easier to find.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Neil, thanks for sharing! That's a nice hybrid way of working. All the best, Lea

[@sshree]

My active folders also start with _. That way I can also use the "name:" search parameter to search all folders starting with an underscore. And voila, that becomes kind of a to-do list.

[@sidney9662]

@@sshree This. No need to add weird symbols like + 😂

[@theodorealenas3171]

bro, if you send me a file that starts with a minus, I will find where you live. Don't do that! It's allowed because disallowing it would make the code more complicated, but if you get into shell scripting in the future you'll have a reeeally bad time

[@neilvanrooyen7196]

@@theodorealenas3171 with over 30 years of coding there is no issue if you know what you're doing and besides, this is about temporary folder organisation and nothing to do with sending files. Nowhere were files mentioned, only folders.

[@kavk3874]

the fact she says it in a german voice just adds to how good this info was. very well done it has helped alot

[@LeaDavid]

Haha, thanks!

[@stephaneenglish4661]

Good advice. I’ve been using a hierarchy for tasks and for filing : 1) Area of life (personal, home/family/friends, work, community) 2) Role (eg father, husband, engineer, line manager, functional safety specialist) 3) Client (for work-related stuff), person, organisation or group 4) Project My projects are sorted into: 0-actions and minutes 0-management (separate subfolders as needed for budget, resources, programme, safety, ) 1-inputs (site info, requirements, guidance, usually then in subfolders by yy-mm-dd date received) 2-WIP (work in progress) 3-issued outputs I have a separate set of folders for reference materials, sub-divided into topics (David Allen’s GTD methodology suggests keeping the reference library separate from project files). There is a fourth file organisation method you’ve missed, which is used by MS Sharepoint and other document management software: using metadata instead of a rigid folder structure. With a few metadata fields to cover the questions who, what, where and when, you can then organise your files in multiple filtered and sorted views, making it much easier to find documents by whatever criteria are important to you.

[@ss4717]

what is action and minutes? but area of life and role dont they often overlap...?

[@stephaneenglish4661]

@@ss4717 area of life is broader than role. The four areas of my life that I break my information down into are the ones I’ve written in brackets: 1) My personal information - things like health records, money matters (income, bank accounts, tax), hobbies and interests. 2) Family and friends - anything which I do jointly with my spouse, house, car, children’s information and files, etc. 3) Work - all my work project files and my library reference information and notes. Obviously, this information sits on work computers and servers, so I’m not saying that everything to do with all four areas of my life are in different folders in the same place. 4) Community - any information to do with volunteering, charity or anything else I get involved in with the communities I live in or am involved with. (I like to think of the above as quarters, but sadly work takes over more than a quarter of my life and community stuff tends to be a lot less than a quarter). “Roles” are my roles within an area of life. For example, my distinct work roles include electrical engineer, functional safety engineer, HazOp facilitator and line manager. My home roles include husband, father, house maintenance, car owner and maintainer, etc. As far as actions and minutes are concerned, In my work project folders I start with a folder for all the meeting minutes and the actions arising from them. All the meeting notes/minutes are stored in files or folders with the date at the start of the name (in yyyy-mm-dd format, so that they are kept in chronological order). I actually use OneNote to write my meeting notes and the sections in my OneNote notebooks are organised in the same way as my folders, so each project notebook has a section for all my meeting notes, in chronological order. I hope some of that sparks useful ideas for your own system of organisation, along with this very helpful video.

[@moschides]

@@stephaneenglish4661 thx for sharing... couple of points... date syntax as YYMMDD can save characters and I am wondering about tagging convention and management to make things more relational, say when you have multiple projects for the same client... searching for the right solution 🙂

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks, Stephan, for sharing and the others for contributing :)

[@romanokoyomov]

5:43 for dates in the filename you better put in the end of the rest part of it. this will differentiate your files with dates. and the sorting algorythm will put identical files with diff dates and/or versions in one place rather than sort them by dates

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Roman, thanks for sharing. Indeed, if you have several different documents with similar or same dates in the same folder this approach can make sense. Best, Lea

[@VoiceOfAsh]

I agree hierarchical folder structure is a good strategy. I will add the following to the narrative. 1. My Documents is the worst place to store documents. Keep them in a separate folder which is not in Users/ path. You will have a better control over, copying data to a different machine and backup strategy. 2. There is no need to use folders for emails. Google did not have a real concept of folders in gmail for a long time. I was frustrated. But now I understand. Apply tags to your emails. That’s it. Let the computer do the work. Teach yourself how to search effectively more than organizing.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi, thanks for adding your points. Fully agree, being able to use search in a proper way is one of the most powerful ways of "organizing", although that's not always possible... Best, Lea

[@tesfayebalcha2729]

Hierarchy file management structure is more advanced & easy to get our files simply. Thank you!

[@rodneyblanchard7135]

I really liked this post. I use the hierarchical method with the same numbering system: 00, 01, 02, etc. I personally find it best not to go beyond three deep. You have a delightful and clear presentation!

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you, Rodney! Great to hear you've already implemented this best practice :)

[@ss4717]

sometimes you have no choice. Specially if you do business. But I agree 3 should be the max,,,, but very hard to achieve.

[@Ab-zb6rh]

I created an index in Excel to show the connections and subdivisions, by colour. Helps me to visualize fast the organization and remember where goes each thing and If I have already got it.

[@LeaDavid]

Nice idea, thanks for sharing!

[@geishagurrrl]

I am trying to organise my life , decluttered and deep cleaned my flat, now going through all paperwork and digital organisation is my next goal - this video just randomly popped up - serendipity :) Great video.

[@LeaDavid]

Love your journey and glad I could help! Good luck with the rest :)

[@mackstewart4203]

Great video. I think it’s important for people to set a reminder to just take like 15 minutes every month to clean up their files and keep it nice and tidy. Usually all my mess comes from just dumping everything in a folder chaotically like you mentioned, and then I have to clean up so much later. Doing it on a more consistent basis prevents more headaches down the road.

[@LeaDavid]

Absolutely, Mack! Thanks for sharing :)

[@hotjanuary]

Ha. I do the same thing with browser tabs when I need to restart the browser. Bookmark all tabs. Folder name is the date. Master folder name “bookmarks to sort.”

[@rkalle66]

I would consider at L0 or L1 a "year" folder. And I never change files of completed years. Instead I copy (not move) 'running' documents into the actual year. This is making backups easy and saves the status of completed years. In the end there are multiple copies of some files. But this redundancy is useful.

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks for sharing - like your additions!

[@rickbarrington]

Girl after my own heart- organization discipline 👍

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks, Rick!

[@rickbarrington]

Bist du Deutscher? :)

[@Evandroelm]

Thank you for sharing these tips. I organised my files that way and it looks much better now!

[@LeaDavid]

Glad it helped!

[@leashgang1]

In the 70’s, one of my first jobs was working with filing systems for different companies. The lessons I learned stay with me today when organizing my computer files. It’s close to your hierarchy system but labeling is based on time or place or client name or project name. I am a Realtor now so beyond client files, there are rule or legal changes, advertising or graphics. It’s a lot to track.

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks for sharing! As often, the basics are key and way better, simpler and more sustainable than fancy things 😊

[@RodMartinJr]

Good one! I've long used hierarchical, frequently using 3-digit numerical prefix (e.g. Book Writing projects. Having written over a hundred books, 3 digits required). Also, love the suggestion of yearMonthDay sequence. Helps to keep things properly organized by date, where optimum. And good advice on file path limitations. If folder identity becomes too cryptic, I will add a 0_filename.txt file which sorts to the top with further description of contents. Sometimes this can be in the filename itself, and other times I will add a longer description in the file contents, e.g. 0_Contents.txt -- "Research on local dinosaur species for Pangaea Sister Sites."

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Rod, thanks for your feedback and for sharing your view. Fully agree that adding a txt file helps to provide additional information if you encounter space limitations. I also store passwords for any locked documents in a txt file so you always have them at hand in case you want to open the document. All the best, Lea

[@paulkroon4931]

​@P. Wingert Looks like a good idea until the spreadsheet goes bad. Happened to me once. Yes, it was on OneDrive. The restore option did not work for me. I prefer a simple text file with meta information. That file should be stored together with the content it applies to.

[@zineddine]

@@LeaDavid from security point of view, you should never store passwords in a txt file, and instead use password management tools such as LastPass, 1Password or better open source ones such as Bitwarden

[@zineddine]

@@LeaDavid from security point of view, you should never store passwords in a txt file, and instead use password management tools such as LastPass, 1Password or better open source ones such as Bitwarden

[@bobcastro9386]

@@PWingert1966 By concentrating that much critical information in one single spreadsheet (and now telling us that you do) you have also given bad actors the greatest hacking prize to search for in your file system server or online storage. I hope to heaven that you protect that Alpha Document since the most valuable component (passwords) in your digital life are now stored there.

[@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp]

Top professional way to present a topic. Thank you.

[@LeaDavid]

Glad you liked it!

[@davidstevenson9363]

Suggestion, use mass dump system for all files. Then use hierarchy system for shortcuts. I've had many files that could be stored in multiple folders. You can also use properties to name files in your mass dump location .

[@uminchu59]

Are you suggesting to have one directory for a chaotic mass dump and then link to these files from within the organized directory (folder) hierarchy she recommends? Do you have an idea for a naming scheme within the mass dump?

[@lucasgroves137]

_Everything was great, I was winning. WINNING. Then out of nowhere, they had a massive DUMP. There were_ maaassive dumps, _that's how they CHEETED._

[@WildRover1964]

hmmm I never thought of that. that's a good idea worth looking into for the very reason you give - files can often belong in many places.

[@davidstevenson9363]

@@uminchu59 I'm not an expert and I haven't been using for awhile but I found that using the windows properties already did a great job of naming the file properties. Try to keep it as simple as possible. Pictures of you dogs might say our dogs oatmeal and Coco. It should be the years taken and alot of other info. Google pictures keeps track of when and where you took the pictures and recognize faces and I'm sure other things. Another common thing would be document for taxes 2022 John Doe. I hope this helps.

[@madwilliamflint]

You run into serious problems doing that when it comes to individual OS file systems. 10,000 files in a windows directory really drags performance straight to hell, much less 20-30 million. You could use a huffman tree type architecture (26 directories for files starting with each letter, then go down from there) to keep things discrete. But that gets a different kind of messy.

[@trajonduclos7931]

I love your enthusiasm. The key here is association, or " keys". One must associate the item or file with a key or trigger that makes sense. The method that you promote is generally effective, and is a great " worst case, fall back" way to get there. However, while being very effective, it is not the most efficient. I use a trainwreck of a hybrid, hardly a method at all. But it goes like this. My mind associates times and dates with the contents of my files, and some other contextual elements, that may or may not have anything at all to do with the actual contents of the file. So I do a chaotic, mass dump, time based hierarchy. For example all files live on the desktop, and they are all labeled prominently with the date and time, as well as with their intended use, and maybe the weather conditions or what room I was in at the time. These triggers all work for me. Crazy brain😂

[@LeaDavid]

Hi, thanks for sharing. I fully agree with you that you should use whatever works best for you and your way of working. Best, Lea

[@spocksvulcanbrain]

Nice summary, but my main and really only problem is where to put files that cross multiple topics/projects/issues. I label them fine but months later are the database files, meeting, personal, etc. What happens when I want, for example, to see all my database files. But that means I need to put all my personal, professional, etc, in one place. So now I have work and personal stuff in the same place. If I separate them out, then I have to "hunt" for all the files across my computer. Sometimes I never find them again. Lastly, the most incredibly annoying thing is Window's using the same name but not the same location for folders. I put something (during a 'save as' operation) in the "my documents" folder. Later when I want to look at it, it's not there, nor on the desktop version or cloud, etc.. It's usually buried somewhere else. It's frustrating. I wish MS would stop trying to help me and I could just do everything manually so I know where I put the files and then where to find them.

[@ericcrippen8634]

I re-map out the Windows default folders to a common location on family computers so the stuff doesn't end up in multiple personal directories and is on a separate drive from the OS. I still use sub folders for pictures, videos, music, documents, downloads, and other categories. They're also located in a main folder at the root of a common drive. Makes it easier to back up that data also. Some software allows you to set the default save directory in the preferences menu... not all software, but most do. That way you don't have to remember to always do a 'save as' and click through the directory structure to where you want it since you'd have already set it up to do that automatically.

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks for your feedback and sharing your challenge. I agree, using a hierarchical system filing documents, which might be relevant for several folders, is a challenge. Either work with crosslinks/shortcuts to have them in several folders or label them properly to use the search functionality more often. Also, you could create a completely separate folder for all of your databases and store them there. Hope you could get inspired a bit and you find a solution. Best, Lea

[@douglubzinski571]

As a CPA this is a great video. I organize all my files according to your method. Going to forward this video to my clients. I

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much, Doug! Appreciate your feedback :)

[@parswarr]

Pro-tip: it doesn't matter which one you use as long as it is quickly searchable. This is why "mass-dumping" is preferred by some companies/individuals. You spend less time trying to figure out where to put it, and it doesn't tempt people to look for it manually (as much).

[@cowboybob7093]

Over time using a hierarchical system in browser shortcuts becomes impractical. These days it's better to use the bookmarks search. Depending on the browser it may have a "tags" field for the purpose I'm about to suggest. In the bookmark name or tag field throw in a few arbitrary related words. Like this page could have "tip method filesystem optimize" and when you search for the bookmark it's easier to get lucky since they're your notions.

[@ss4717]

@@cowboybob7093 for email in particular it took me too long to switch... now i mass dump emails. but I do miss my folders!!!:(

[@cowboybob7093]

@@ss4717 Ain't it so. I have a folder or two but computers are so good at sorting and searching let them do the work.

[@LeaDavid]

Fully agree. It really depends on so many different factors (personal/professional use, operating system, way of working/use cases, personal preferences etc.) what's the best approach. But with all, the ultimate goal should be to get what you want in the least amount of time :)

[@terryhunsaker8317]

Thank you for an excellent presentation. I have used the hierarchal system for years. However, I still learn more by watching videos like yours. Thank you.

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks, Terry! Glad you liked the video.

[@gummansgubbe6225]

Someone once talked about a perfect language. They concluded that it would require prefect knowledge from the beginning. The hierarchy system reminds me of that. Finding any file based on content and avoiding duplicates are important. And don't rely on storing something in the cloud, it is nothing but a disk owned by someone else.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

It's also worth noting that there are options for searching through files these days. It's most useful for text documents, so other types of files do need to be organized more specifically, but for text documents, you can mostly get away with organizing them based on retention policy or source.

[@EE_fun]

So true! Get your own NAS with multiple drives in RAID to not loose any files.

[@WH0oo...]

@@EE_fun LOL, That's beyond what most people would want to do or could do. It's similar to the blinking 12:00 syndrome.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you for reminding everyone about avoiding duplicates and making sure your data is always backed up (in whatever form or shape) properly. Best, Lea

[@StarfishPrime7]

Great video. I'm so glad the algorithm put this in my feed. I am definitely recommending your channel to my high school daughter. You have been working hard on your channel and I bet it starts scaling up soon. Keep it up.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much for your feedback - much appreciated :)

[@thebritishindian1]

This was excellent. I tried to use Tiago Forte's PARA system and I just couldn't deal with mixing all of my personal and work life in just 4 folders. This makes so much more sense to me. I can still use elements of PARA in the Work area, but it frees me from having to use it in my Personal and Education areas. Not surprising that it took a German to organise Tiago's organisation system properly 🙂

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much for such a huge compliment - your feedback also made me laugh quite a bit :) But I very much like your approach as well, just to combine different ideas and practices to find your own personal best. Since everyone has different requirements and preferences, I am glad that I could add something to your way of working. All the best, Lea

[@shannonbenzing9361]

There is no reason you couldn't have kept them separate with 2 PARA's. :/

[@arrianranger5800]

This absolutely mind boggling! I'm sticking with the OLD Fashioned ABC's

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks :)

[@CalligraphyArts]

Definitely #3 hierarchy system. But there's room for improvement. Thanks so much for your helpful content!

[@LeaDavid]

You're very welcome! Cheers

[@GamegtxRJ]

Good video, good edition, organized information e value information, keep going, congratulations!

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much! 🙏

[@barryfeatheringill6472]

Great presentation for simple computer file organizing. Can see there is going to be an abundance of screen time organizing my where-ever file system from past years. Thanks for guidance to put some semblance of order to my files or at least those going forward file.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Barry, glad you found the video helpful and could take something away for yourself!

[@luisfranciscolozanosantoro8687]

Thanks Lea. Your charisma is very beautiful. What you explain draws a smile on the listener.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much!

[@JBrye-xd8bw]

👏🏾 Great information. I'm starting a new career and being extremely organized with filling is mandatory. New subscriber.😊

[@LeaDavid]

That's wonderful to hear. Congrats and glad I could help you out! All the best

[@Zilole111]

OMG! Where have you been all my life? I'm 60+ and only just got organized!

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Charles, thank you so much :) Glad it was helpful and all the best, Lea

[@MichaelKellyonline]

2:44 I try to use a hierarchy structure but it oftentimes ends up being a chaotic or mass dumping structure. Before watching the rest I think I can make a folder for mass dumping as files come in and process them to the right place when I can schedule a time to put the files where they need to be.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Michael! Thanks for sharing this idea. Happy for you if you are using this system and it works for you. Best, Lea

[@rextrinidad6646]

Almost like my filing system at home. And yes, back up is the key. Make sure to regularly back up to the cloud.

[@cowboybob7093]

Using current file names as a template for subsequent file names is handy. Parts of the name may be shared by several files with unique parts like date or version. I use my keyboard most of the time and moving through the name with ctrl+arrow keys can get tedious. In those cases use the underscore "_" instead of spaces in the repetitious part. Linking multiple words with underscores will cause them to become a single block of letters without spaces. Try this - Move your cursor to the next lines and use ctrl+arrow keys to jump right and left: 20230504 client demands and specifications r1 20230504 client_demands_and_specifications r1

[@smashICE1]

That's a so damn bad practice. You lose more time by pressing arrow keys to the part you want to change instead of jumping large sections of the file name.

[@cowboybob7093]

@@smashICE1 I'll try again: An underscore instead of a space between words. A file name of a_b_c-d_e_f_g_z in Windows file explorer will behave like it's 2 lumps of characters with a space between the c and the hyphen. It's faster than using a mouse or touchpad.

[@smashICE1]

@@cowboybob7093 I'll try again: Underscores are stupid and make filename part jumping useless so you have to use many arrow key presses or pointing of the cursor with the mouse necessary.

[@cowboybob7093]

​@@smashICE1 We disagree, you're disagreeable, I bet you get a lot of that.

[@smashICE1]

@@cowboybob7093 No. Just from morons who have no clue about stuff and think they found some ridiculous holy grail. Have fun with your ancient underscore bs. Windows users are always so funny (stupid).

[@CesarALara]

I started watching your videos a couple of days ago. I cant stop , your teaching methodology is excellent, very practical . Thanks, I need A LOT of organization skills , my mind goes to fast that I'm missing organization.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much - your feedback is much appreciated!

[@Robert8455]

A good data strategy should include purge and archive as well as the use of meta data. Meta tags are powerful way to add info but you must have the discipline to use it or use customizations to prompt for populating them during a save. A pro tip is not to use cloud or O365 rental software.

[@bitrudder3792]

The Freedom Filer paper system has concepts applicable to a digital system. They have categories for action, supplies, permanent, remove/replace updating items like Insurance policies, leases, contact lists, for example. They have financial, tax related financial, special interest information, archive. It makes it a lot faster to purge things when they can be grouped or found like that. A designator can be used to mark files that belong in one category for a period of time, but you want to know where it goes next (archive, permanent etc.). And obviously, it works great for papers.

[@AVAM..]

​@@engin.m can you suggest any tools or software to do this in linux or windows?

[@engin.m]

@@AVAM.. I searched but not found one solution. I developing application for my file problems. If can stably run app i publish. But not gurantied one solutions because some files manage other application or operation systems. For example nuget packages stored many each project.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Robert! Indeed, using metadata and tags is super powerful as long as it's done across all files and folders (and across a team or organization) and as long as the OS supports this and a good search functionality :) Best, Lea

[@kylekimber]

This was on my front page. Heard the German Accent and knew this was gonna be a very efficient file management system. Thanks!

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks, Kyle! Appreciate your feedback.

[@zineddine]

Thanks. I would use hyphen (-) instead of underscore (_) in the naming so that that the file path can be read properly when they are converted to hyperlink as you would most likely be using cloud storage

[@Birch37]

And don't use #

[@LeaDavid]

Yes, you might want to use a hyphen or space, also because it let's you move in between the file name a lot quicker with CTRL + ARROW LEFT / RIGHT as well.

[@johnborron1059]

Wow, that's a great tip

[@noahbannister3333]

Oh, thank goodness this works now. The search feature in Windows used to treat (-) as "minus" and would use it as a boolean operator. So searching exact names containing hyphens would result in no hits. I just tested on Windows 11 and it looks like that is no longer the case.

[@RedShirtGuitar-el8sd]

very good advice and thanks for getting to the point quickly!!

[@LeaDavid]

Glad you liked it! 😊

[@solarwinds-]

This is great for working/school folks but I'm happily retired so all of my files are personal. Could you make a video on how to organize your personal files but not just for retired or old people. Thanks a million.

[@hammadalvi894]

I have been doing this since 8th grade. It is usually very good to organize the data. I suggest to also include a master file for the different version you create for each project and also similarly you can do for the backup you make for each of your file. Otherwise you will mess up and wouldn't know about the backups and even how to navigate since data will be huge amount. I hope there are apps that can help us manage our data at work, home etc. The cloud solution sucks, not a reliable one. Sky drive (now One Drive), yahoo, hotmail deleted all of my files and there is no update on them yet.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi there, many thanks for commenting! Love your suggestion about including a master file as well always taking care of back-ups. All the best, Lea

[@Openlinks-fr3mr]

You are the Best !!. Highly appreciated.

[@LeaDavid]

You are very welcome!

[@stephenlee5929]

I find Leading zeroes on a folder name to be an issue. I would tend to start at 10 or 11 rather than 01, so either 10 then 20 then 30 0r 11 then 12 then 13. If you hold 01 in a database or some other software it may strip the leading zero. I would also tend to use the number from the previous level to start the number at the next.

[@WH0oo...]

I think prefix digits are a bad practice without a very specific association. If merely using as alternative ordering filter, it removes the ease of jumping to the starting letter with the keyboard, unless you have memorized the numbering. However, if someone else has to look for something, that possibly become tedious if the folder count is large.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Stephen. Indeed, your concerns might be relevant if you are dealing with specific software as well as you might have more flexibility labeling folders. All the best, Lea

[@potawatomi100]

Really well done, Lea. You presented your organization method very clearly and your narration is excellent. And,....... you're beautiful to look at. 😊

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much for your feedback - much appreciated!

[@rcbue1959]

I LOVE IT! I try to avoid folders as it makes file metadata more linear and doesn't levarage sorting/the search engine or allow a document to exist in to locations. I incorporate folders structure into my file name with a period as the delimiter. It flattens the structure.and leverages some of the MS365 and One Drive features. :)

[@LeaDavid]

Hi, thanks for your feedback and sharing your way of working. Sounds like a solid alternative. All the best, Lea

[@JabsMajozi]

Example please. I find myself having multiple sub folders. Too many

[@Noosphere26]

Yeah can you elaborate on this?

[@rcbue1959]

Yes Nesting it in the name with some form delimiters works best for me. Document your standards, naming convention, and syntax in a readme.txt file. You are also limited to 255 characters. For example: Department > topic > company > article name or "IT.Security.Microsoft.Impeding doom of your personal Info.docx"

[@lodragan]

I use a hybrid approach depending on the type of files. For images I generally dump them in the 'pictures' directory; but if a given picture or group of pictures has a special use, I will grab those, and place them in a folder below the pictures directory. For text documents that I create, I place in various project folders inside the document folder. For documents I find that are for ongoing historical or reference use, I place in a 'reference' folder in the main document folder, that has subfolders for different topics (e.g. history, military, technical manuals, tools, business & finance, etc). For things like tax documents, reciepts, and other personal things over a given year, I have 'year' folders.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi, thanks for sharing. Great to hear that this mix of methods works for you. Best, Lea

[@lifelongproducts5039]

Thank you so very much for your video on file organization. I have struggled with this for a very long time. I am sure your video would put me on the right path :) A quick question: What is the function and need of Adim folder? Thanks in advance.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi there, this was just one example (of many) I gave in the video. But you might want to store budgets, business plans, any contractual documents, etc. in an overarching admin folder. If you don't have anything like that, you don't need such a folder.

[@mu0569]

Thanks for sharing the information. Currently I am using the hierarchy method.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Mohammed, you are welcome. Glad you are already using the hierarchy method that hopefully works well for you. Best, Lea

[@tayet6875]

Clear and to the point. Thank you very much!

[@LeaDavid]

Glad you liked it!

[@EdmundAlynJones]

I like the way your brain works.

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks, Edmund!

[@gnanavelrathinamnatesan6996]

The structure we already follow in our workspace. I appreciate your tips idea.

[@LeaDavid]

That's great to hear and thanks for your feedback!

[@euandykes]

Useful information. It gets tricky when working on things with large file sizes and or backup requirements. Most office workers don’t have super large files, so their systems never get broken.

[@LeaDavid]

Agree, and thanks for your feedback!

[@jozjonlin3170]

This is great for the type of files you're talking about, and even for some personal files. I organize files by type of files. For example, I have a folder for documents, as most people do. One type of document I organize are manuals. So I have a subfolder for manuals. Then, I have subfolders for the type of products, like tools, kitchen appliances, or automotive. Any time I purchase a product where a manual might be required, I intentionally seek out that manual in PDF format and place it in the appropriate subfolder, with the name of the file clearly indicating the name of the product. The next step, which is just as important, is storing those computer files. Storing them on a floppy drive was standard, years ago, but they were limited in storage and lifespan. Then came hard drives and CD's and then DVD's, for storage. They all have smaller size limitations and indeterminate lifespans. You can store your files in the cloud, and many do. Then you have to reply on someone else to maintain your access to the files you own. I have computer files going back to the mid-80's any current choice for long term storage is a Network Attached Storage device, or NAS. Currently, I'm using a Synology NAS to host and archive my own computer files. My current configuration with RAID 6 gives me 60 terabytes of storage. RAID 6 allows me to have 2 of my 8 hard drives to fail simultaneously without losing any data. Having 2 hard drives fail at the same time is extremely rare so it maximizes my data redundancy and decreases my chances of loss.

[@Gamezopher]

I use a program called Stagsi, I have three HDD worth of 12 TO stored in my Stagsi database and I never search for files like crazy again. Also Stagsi make sure I have no duplicate files.

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks for sharing. Indeed, sounds like you have developed your own best practices over time, which is great :)

[@skaffatar7664]

Thanks Greta Tunberg's sister!

[@LeaDavid]

Haha thanks!

[@Pervaiz-qy7gd]

Your teaching style and personality is brilliant!

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much!

[@sewingepiphanies]

i love these kinds of videos! "stuff you never learned, but will improve your life drastically"

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much for your feedback - fully agree, this is something that falls in the category you mentioned :)

[@mitisep443]

Enjoyed your presentation, Lea!

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks :)

[@meeleegy]

Lea David You are literally amazing, thanks for your information, time, efforts, and your angel smile which made my day!✔✔

[@LeaDavid]

You are very welcome 😊

[@aaronanthonymoat]

Thank you for all the effort put into your video. By far the best video I have seen. Thanks

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Aaron, thank you so much for your kind words! Cheers, Lea

[@richardpayne9623]

Thank you young lady. Problem was solved

[@LeaDavid]

Glad I could help!

[@endahsoelistio8627]

Thank You very much for the learning. This information very important for me..... Thanks alot Miss Lea David, Best Regard from me, I'm a Teacher from Indonesia

[@LeaDavid]

Hi, thank you so much for your feedback! Glad you liked the content of my video. All the best, Lea

[@mawlodhawrami2773]

Thank you very much for be teacher ‏‪today thank you❤

[@LeaDavid]

You are welcome 😊

[@ShoaibChaudary]

Finally found a perfect guide after watching many videos. Thanks mam

[@LeaDavid]

You are welcome!

[@megabaneen8057]

EXCELLENT TIPS thanks Lea. Man a person like you would get my life in shape.. I need a person like you in my life. lol

[@LeaDavid]

Megan, thank you so much for your kind words! Best, Lea

[@SandyBlack64]

I think I tend to use the hierarchical system, but I have not planned enough the categories or top branches. I love order! It's the key to survive in this frenetic life!

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks, Sandy! Fully agree.

[@brenthair1228]

with the greatly improved search capabilities available to us , I've been going to mass dumping - for me it saves so much time

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks for sharing! Great this works for you.

[@chuckszkalak1535]

Nice job young lady!

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you!

[@RandomizedRambler]

I have a thing going where I use 2 different systems. One is the hierarchical system, where at the top level I have 3 categories (business & finance, leisure, useful files & info). For the other system, it's a series of files and folders containing file/folder shortcuts to the above, but the purpose of this system is as a daily "to do" list. Some folders in this system are empty, but their names act as reminders to do things, other folders contain shortcuts to relevant files. This is also hierarchical. I make a copy of this onto the desktop, then as I go through each folder I drag it to the recycle bin when a daily task is done. It's important though not to delete important files by mistake doing this and to always keep a daily backup if that happens. I also have what I call a "set off file" which is one file of reminders of things to take with me if I'm heading out somewhere. I use Google Docs on the phone for any work or organising reminders, shopping list, general notes. I use Google Sheets for contact lists and other useful data while out working.

[@LeaDavid]

Hi there, thank you so much for sharing. Sounds like a solid system that perfectly works for you. I am sure one or the other from the community might find that helpful as well. All the best, Lea

[@stephenphan2761]

Exactly what I am looking for to improve my filing tasks... you are real tallent Lea. I love your way of making a tree of hirachy. Thank you.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you, Stephen!

[@yvonnetucker1416]

such an amazingly awesome filing system

[@LeaDavid]

Glad you like it, Yvonne!

[@donal6830]

Thank you so much. This is the way I should organize my digital file system from now on . 😊

[@LeaDavid]

You are welcome! Good luck when implementing it 👍

[@Codger2015]

Hierarchy structure. Even this sometimes seems a mess. This dog is willing to learn new tricks.

[@LeaDavid]

Great to hear, Dwight :)

[@texstylestudios5302]

Excellent presentation

[@LeaDavid]

Thanks, you are welcome!

[@CYON4D]

Good to see that we are using a very similar system including putting order numbers and dates on sub-folders to organize data.

[@LeaDavid]

That's indeed great to hear :)

[@jimknight8931]

I think you are fantastic, love watching our videos.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much, Jim!

[@MiamiHeat872]

Thank you for helping me with starting the organization of my files. From you I've had a long journey going to Zsolt's Visual PKM guide for organization and Tiago's PARA system. Nowadays, it is so easy to save something rather than throw it away. This leads to a massive amount of files and folders saved. I've come to the conclusion to organize around actionability, and name folders for the purpose they serve (i.e. "Work on #house" or "Speak another #language"). This makes sure that I am always asking why I am saving something and what purpose will I use it for. I've found it has greatly helped with concentration where to put my files while also making it easier to delete files.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much for sharing. Indeed, it's not an easy one to solve but as long as you have started to actively think about and manage your files, it's already a great start. All the best, Lea

[@sophia-luciakwon2792]

Thank you, thank you! I’m starting from 0 computer knowledge and the structures you teach automatically give me the chance to think like an advanced/professional !! Amazing :0

[@LeaDavid]

Sounds great, Sophia! Glad I could give you a headstart 😊 Best, Lea

[@runintomist4835]

It’s refreshing to watch a video with clear ideas and presentation. I just searched many (bad) videos and this was frische Luft.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much for your feedback. Much appreciated!

[@reginar8181]

Hi Lea are you doing private lessons?

[@LeaDavid]

@@reginar8181 Hi Regina, thanks for asking! Certainly something we can jointly discuss. Feel free to reach out via email: [e-mail] All the best, Lea

[@gtgt8603]

Practical video, we all do that but never think to address it, appriciated. Hirarchy is the coomon and best way to save.

[@LeaDavid]

Thank you so much for your feedback!

[@alextorresphoto]

Enter gen alpha: "I feed my entire hard drive into AI, and then ask AI, where my homework is, and AI will open word and then I tell it what topic I have to write about, the tone of voice and then it writes it for me, then I use another AI to rewrite it to avoid the bots, and then I go to starbucks"

[@LeaDavid]

Hi Alex, let me know once we are there and which tools you are using for this ;)