How to Organize Your Files and Folders (in 3 Steps)

Digital information organization, despite the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, continues to rely on traditional folder structures. While new technologies often make older solutions seem outdated, classic methods frequently offer greater security and reliability. This principle applies to digital folders, which, much like physical stairs in buildings with elevators or brooms in homes with vacuum cleaners, retain their fundamental value. However, organizing digital folders is less intuitive than these physical analogies, leading to common disorganization and information loss. The ease of creating and accumulating digital data today often lacks accompanying guidance on effective organization, resulting in scattered files and wasted time searching. This video aims to provide a simple, effective, two-level folder structure, enabling users to locate information with minimal clicks and establishing a lifelong organization system.

The criteria for this system were developed from extensive personal experience in work practices, academic research, and personal life management, addressing the challenge of navigating over 8,000 notes. The approach presented here diverges from typical rigid or schematic explanations found in other videos, proposing a "morfogenic" method. This concept describes anything that takes shape as it develops, specifically in this context, adopting and combining heterogeneous logics for superior results. Each method discussed will include a proposed action, culminating in an integrated set of criteria that can be adapted to individual needs. The Obsidian application will be suggested later for enhanced features, though its use is not mandatory.

This video addresses three core problems inherent in folder usage, aiming to provide comprehensive solutions. The first issue is **amplitude**, which occurs when too many folders exist at the same level, forcing users to sift through an extensive list of options when saving a file. This broad array of choices can overwhelm and slow down the organization process, diminishing efficiency and increasing cognitive load when managing digital assets.

The second problem revolves around **deep structures**, characterized by folders with numerous sub-levels and highly divergent branches. Such complex hierarchies make it difficult to form a clear mental map of where information is stored, leading to confusion and increasing the time required to retrieve files. Without a clear mental model, navigating these structures becomes a cumbersome task, hindering productivity and effective data management across various digital platforms.

The third challenge is **redundancy**, where users face uncertainty about where to place information that logically fits into two or more different locations. This ambiguity often results in duplicated files or hesitation during the saving process, undermining the integrity and efficiency of the organization system. Each of the three methods presented in this video is effective in resolving one of these specific problems, ensuring that by the end, all challenges are adequately addressed and balanced within a cohesive framework, promoting a more streamlined workflow.

The first method explored is the PARA method, developed by Tiago Forte, a prominent figure in productivity and knowledge organization. The PARA method is based on a functional criterion, meaning that the categorization of a file is determined by what action is performed with it, rather than its subject matter or life area. This approach simplifies initial decision-making for file placement by prioritizing utility and immediate action, making the organization process more intuitive and goal-oriented.

Tiago Forte initially recommends an aggressive starting point for personal file organization: consolidating all existing folders and files into a single "archives" folder, dated today. Subsequently, any actively managed projects with ongoing deadlines are extracted and moved into a "projects" folder. Users are encouraged to list and prioritize all projects planned for the coming weeks, creating dedicated subfolders for each project and populating them with relevant files. The "Areas" and "Resources" categories are considered more optional and adaptable to individual needs, providing flexibility within the core framework and allowing for personalized adjustments.

When you organize these folders better, you also gain more mental clarity about what is happening in your personal and professional life.

This functional classification attempt, focusing solely on how files are used, typically results in only four top-level folders. Tiago Forte deliberately leaves the organization of subfolders open, relying on search mechanisms and the development of artificial intelligence to locate information within these four broad categories. However, a more structured approach to subfolders can provide enhanced mental clarity regarding personal and professional endeavors. Therefore, a preference is expressed for a slightly larger number of first-level folders to mitigate the excessive number of subfolders that might accumulate within each of the original four main categories, fostering a more intuitive hierarchy.

A second criterion, the Johnny Decimal system, is introduced, named playfully after its main author, Johnny Noble, and his wife Lucy Butcher, both respected figures in knowledge organization. This system draws inspiration from the 19th-century Dewey Decimal system, which organizes most of the world's libraries. Unlike the PARA method's focus on utility, the Johnny Decimal system classifies files by theme or area of knowledge, offering an excellent way to elaborate on the "Resources" and "Archives" categories from the PARA system, which many find somewhat ambiguous, enhancing specificity.

Recalling the previous discussion, one can maintain a dedicated "Projects" folder for all ongoing projects and an "Areas" folder for recurring, deadline-free activities. The "Resources" and "Archives" folders can then be expanded into a greater number of thematically classified folders, rather than utility-based ones. This strategy effectively prevents the creation of the deep, nested subfolder structures that the PARA system might encourage, by increasing the breadth of the first organizational level. The Johnny Decimal system recommends limiting first-level folders to a maximum of 10, ideally seven, as these numbers are easier to remember. Within each of these main folders, an additional five, six, or up to 10 subfolders are suggested, ensuring a manageable cognitive load and establishing a clear two-level organization system, with actual files residing at the third level.

A strategic trick in this system involves balancing form and content. Even if numerous important items seem to warrant a first-level folder, it is strategically beneficial to consolidate less frequently accessed or secondary items into a "Miscellaneous" folder. This maintains a manageable number of categories at each folder level, aiding in cognitive assimilation and preventing the primary level from becoming too large. Furthermore, each main folder is assigned a number, which serves as an identifier that can be utilized in various other situations within a personal knowledge system, such as specifying tasks, projects, or other related organizational elements.

Following the Johnny Decimal system's suggestions, subfolders are numbered with two digits. This approach accommodates potentially more than 10 subfolders and clearly distinguishes first-level folders (single digit) from second-level subfolders (two digits). This numbering scheme offers additional utilities not fully detailed here. A good starting point for subfolders includes categories like "00 Documents" for administrative information (e.g., ID, birth certificate, bank accounts within a "Personal" folder), "10 Information" for finances, internet research, or peer consultations, and "20 Contacts" for relevant personal or professional connections. Categories "30" through "80" can be allocated for different events (e.g., birthday parties, work meetings), while "90" serves as a general "Miscellaneous" for unclassified items, and "99" acts as an archive for disused files, including past projects.

At this juncture, the issue of redundancy resurfaces – specifically, how to manage information that logically fits into multiple locations. This is a classic dilemma in folder-based organization; historically, a physical paper could only exist in one folder. Computers initially mimicked this constraint, treating digital files as singular entities. For instance, a contact might be both personal and professional. When this problem becomes significant, one solution is to create a single, dedicated "Contacts" subfolder within the "Areas" folder. Alternatively, and more flexibly, the use of **tags** (also known as labels) can effectively address this challenge by providing non-hierarchical categorization.

In recent years, tags have become a hallmark of emerging note-taking applications. Many users of software like Obsidian, Rome, Tel Notion, and Everne argue that traditional folders are unnecessary, advocating for the exclusive use of tags. Tags function as labels that can be associated with files located anywhere within a folder structure, providing a flexible way to cross-reference and categorize information without physical duplication. This method offers a powerful alternative to hierarchical folder systems, allowing for a more fluid and interconnected organization of digital content.

This demonstration within Obsidian illustrates how tags operate. After installing the free Obsidian program, users define a "vault" on their computer where all folders and files are stored. Obsidian essentially mirrors the existing folder structure, allowing users to import their current files. For example, within a "Personal" folder, subfolders like "Documents," "Information," and "Contacts" might exist. An individual "Fulana" file, in the primary Markdown format used by Obsidian, could contain details such as her introduction at a party, her profession as an architect specializing in carpentry, and her ability to advise on aquariums. For each of these subjects, a specific tag, such as #aquarium, can be created and associated with the note.

A significant advantage of using Obsidian notes is the ability to embed and comment on various file types, including PDFs, images, and videos, a feature not typically offered by simple folder structures. The primary benefit, however, lies in attributing tags to address redundancy. If "Fulana" is both a personal and professional contact, tags enable filtering this information. Even if her note resides in the "Personal" folder, searching for "contact" and "professional" within Obsidian will retrieve her note. This demonstrates how tags construct a network of relationships that overlays and complements the hierarchical folder structure, offering a powerful way to manage complex data interconnections.

There is a common misconception among the new wave of note-taking app users who exhibit significant enthusiasm for tags, often asserting that folders are no longer necessary. Their main justification stems from the issue of redundancy – the dilemma of placing a file that logically fits into two or more distinct folders. However, many files possess a single, clear, and specific location where they unequivocally belong. Therefore, abandoning the use of folders entirely is not advisable. Folders are crucial for establishing a hierarchical mental map of information, which aids in organizing one's life comprehensively and intuitively.

The "morfogenic" system, as conceptualized, combines three distinct logical approaches, demonstrating that effective organization does not need to adhere to a single criterion. Firstly, it advocates for one or two primary folders dedicated to functional files that are in active daily use. Secondly, it breaks down generic "archive" folders into various thematic areas corresponding to different aspects of one's life. Thirdly, it incorporates the assignment of tags to proficiently manage the challenge of files that logically belong to multiple folders, thereby resolving the redundancy dilemma and creating a more robust system.

This system is fully adaptable, allowing for exceptions which can often prove beneficial. It is possible, and sometimes necessary, to introduce a third level of folders at certain points. When these remain true exceptions, they contribute to creating a clear mental map of the folder structure rather than hindering it. The objective is not rigid adherence to a two-level folder system, but rather to allow for specific sub-subfolders as exceptions. These exceptions serve as reminders of the inherent complexity of particular themes or subjects, fostering a more nuanced understanding of information architecture.

While systems like PARA, Johnny Decimal, and tag-based classification each propose flexibility, they often start from a single underlying premise. The more "morfogenic" approach, however, articulates heterogeneous principles, recognizing the unique limitations and advantages of each system. The secret lies in combining these systems in a compatible manner, leveraging their strengths collectively. For those interested in a basic Obsidian tutorial, a video link is available. Additionally, a downloadable folder structure, ready for use as a new Obsidian vault, is provided in the description.