Organize My Files

[Axel PC]

So I'm on the very long digital organization project, scanning documents, photos etc. We I've been looking up articles on how to organize and name folders when you have all kinds of types of files. I found a couple good articles.
How To Declutter & Organize Your Digital Files
https://lifehacker.com/156196/geek-to-live--organizing-my-documents
But I'd really like to know what other types of folder names and organization structure you all have. I'm at that overwhelmed point looking at all the digital stuff that I have. I'm sure some of you can related. So if you don't mind let me know how to organize your files? Do you have a process you go through? Like using a "temp" folder on your desktop or My Documents as holding area before you find it's home? Are you very particular in naming folders and have a ton of different folder names? Thanks!

 

[Neemobeer]

I don't usually have a ton of files to organize. If I do have other file types in a project, I leave respective file types in their directories. Pictures in the pictures directory etc. Pictures associated with a given project will be in a sub directory and I will create junctions to them in the project directory.

 

[Axel PC]

Good for you on not having a lot of digital clutter! I've a big family so lots of paperwork know what I mean.

 

[MikeyChris]

So I'm on the very long digital organization project, scanning documents, photos etc. We I've been looking up articles on how to organize and name folders when you have all kinds of types of files. I found a couple good articles.
How To Declutter & Organize Your Digital Files
https://lifehacker.com/156196/geek-to-live--organizing-my-documents
But I'd really like to know what other types of folder names and organization structure you all have. I'm at that overwhelmed point looking at all the digital stuff that I have. I'm sure some of you can related. So if you don't mind let me know how to organize your files? Do you have a process you go through? Like using a "temp" folder on your desktop or My Documents as holding area before you find it's home? Are you very particular in naming folders and have a ton of different folder names? Thanks!

Hi! I am retired now, but when I worked I designed and built TV studios. The design work often included every thing from Jpegs to CAD drawings, spreadsheets, databases, word processing docs, mpeg videos, etc. We usually grouped all files under a project folder, then (if required by the sheer number of files) broke that directory down by sub-projects (maybe audio, video, data, ancillary), and even further if needed. On a personal level, we are going through the same thing you are. We bought a personal cloud system, and also have a couple 2TB local USB drives. The objective is to have the cloud contain all important data (photos, videos, documents, etc.) so if we need to evacuate (it has happened three times thus far, we live in a hurricane prone area) we can grab the cloud drives and go. I have a 4 TB cloud using Raid 1 (mirror), so it should be safe. The other USB drives are for incremental backups, so everything will be backed up at least twice. We are still pondering the best file strategy, but for now I have enough to keep me bust just scanning slide, photos and docs, and storing them by (approximate) dates. It is very difficult for us to decide whether to store stuff as topical (e.g. grandson's 3rd birthday), by year, or some other designation. I would be interested in seeing how others tackle this. Good luck!

 

[Axel PC]

Yeah I struggled with going with topical or date for file naming conventions as well. I've finally settle on date because it's easier and faster for me during this entire digitizing project. But there will be time when I'm scanning or taking a picture of one of our kids projects and we don't know when it was made, really have no clue what month or year, or naming it under a topic might be better. So I still have those bumps in the road too.

But I've also experimented with tags on photos. I think you can also assign tags to none photo files as well. So we'll see how that goes.

So here's the naming conventions I've been running with.

20171111_Child's name_Artwork and if more than one on that day I'll add a letter i.e. 20171111_Child's name_Artwork_A 20171111_Child's name_Artwork_B. I also do this if there's more than one side to an art project scan or me taking multiple photos of an artwork.

And the added positive side effect is getting rid of all this stuff, not having to worry or think about it all, having more space, and not worrying that something will happen to it all because I've got it all backed up digitally. Plus lets be honest. Out of all this stuff once your kids grown up and have families of their own they maybe will take a couple things for keepsakes and don't want the rest. So this way I can put all these things on a thumb drive and give it to them and they can share it with their kids and on and on etc.

But yeah I like you and eager to see how other manage the files on their computer, scan important documents or children's artwork etc.