Organization: Computer Files Edition

The other morning I had this feeling that my computer files needed some work, and oh boy was I right. You cannot even begin to imagine the mess that my downloads folder was in… As always, this post will be geared towards Mac users, but this can certainly be customized for PCs.

The first thing I decided to do was open up Finder and go down the list of different types of files.

Luckily, I don’t have too many Applications, so that did not really need a lot of work. I would recommend that if you haven’t used an application in the last year/year and a half that it’s time to let it go so you can free that space for something you’ll really use.

Since the first thing you see when you open your computer is your Desktop, I think it is really important for it to be neat and organized. The only thing I have on my Desktop is a folder for blog pictures and ideas.

My largest collection of files are my Documents. I have a folder for senior year and within that folder I have another folder for individual classes. I also have a folder for all of my college applications, my mock trial notes, and the articles that I write for my school’s newspaper. Lastly, I keep a “Random” folder for any miscellaneous documents.

As I mentioned before, my Downloads can get crazy in a very short amount of time. I assessed what I was downloading and categorized it so I could create folders. I have a folder for my blog, attachments, background pictures (I love to constantly change my desktop background!), photos, and programs. It’s a really good idea to take the time to figure out what you download and customize your folders.

Next are Movies. I find it helpful to organize by event. I am not one who takes a lot of video, but when I do it is usually for a special occasion.

Lastly are Pictures. Refer to my post about Photograph Organization for detailed advice.

Hopefully this will inspire you to spend some time getting your computer in order! Just remember to