As a digital trainer, one of the most frequent complaints I hear is, “I can’t find anything on my computer.” Considering everything we keep on our computers, that’s not a surprise. Organization is a challenge in any arena, and even more so when the items you are trying to organize are intangible and may fall into several categories. Cloud storage, like Dropbox or Google Drive, further complicates matters. Is the file saved on my computer, in the cloud, or both? Do changes sync to all copies? These are important things to know.
Isn’t There Only One Right Way to File Things?
In general, the method of organizing your computer files depends on both how you are using the files you are organizing and how your brain in particular would think to search for them once they are filed. For example, most people would put an mp3 music file in a music folder – likely under the artist or album. But what if you are an ethnomusicologist studying the music of a remote region? A sample music file would more likely go into a folder where the rest of your research is saved, rather than in the same folder with the music you listen to for fun.
The good news is, with a little planning you can create a system that makes managing your files a breeze. The folks at Tech-Talk.com have created all sorts of resources to help you get your digital clutter under control. (New to Tech-Talk? Check out our Tech-Talk intro post.)
Tech-Talk Resources
- This webinar, Simplify Your Computer Desktop is a great place to start
- This list of all of their webinars about organization includes some that focus on parts of the organization process like folder naming conventions and organizing email
- A short article and video about organizing email
- Bonus: This article about organizing photos on your phone
