Comments on: The 4 Proven Simple Tips to Organize Your Files on Windows http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/ Cool Websites, Software and Internet Tips Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:26:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andrea D'Intino http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-424091 Andrea D'Intino Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:43:16 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-424091 Hello everybody, I'm one of the guys behind Tabbles (http://tabbles.net), a desktop app meant to organize files using tags and virtual folders. It's not free but it solves the problem in an innovative way. Hello everybody,

I’m one of the guys behind Tabbles (http://tabbles.net), a desktop app meant to organize files using tags and virtual folders.

It’s not free but it solves the problem in an innovative way.

]]> By: Lisa Bogart http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-421887 Lisa Bogart Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:36:07 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-421887 I've moved all my working files to an external hard drive that has a shortcut on my desktop. I got tired of files getting corrupted when a virus or something else happened to the computer's main hard drive. It also saved me a lot of time and heartache recently when my desktop's hard drive began to go into its final death phases. I didn't have to be concerned about getting the files off of the hard drive and backed up, although I already do that too. I try to keep my file structure as linear as possible, but there are some files that just by their nature have quite a few subfolders. For instance, I am attending grad school right now. So under the main file folder, which has the name of the school, I then have each class labeled by their catalog number. Under that, I have each week of the term set out in folders (Week 1, etc), along with a folder for general course info and for midterm and final projects. For clients, my folder organization is close to the same. The main folder has the name of the organization. Once we're into that file, I divide it up into projects, billing, correspondence, work orders, etc. I can get my hands on documents very quickly with this type of structure. I set the file structure up by thinking about how I would organize a real file drawer and what would go into a larger file system for a client with multiple projects. I’ve moved all my working files to an external hard drive that has a shortcut on my desktop. I got tired of files getting corrupted when a virus or something else happened to the computer’s main hard drive. It also saved me a lot of time and heartache recently when my desktop’s hard drive began to go into its final death phases. I didn’t have to be concerned about getting the files off of the hard drive and backed up, although I already do that too.

I try to keep my file structure as linear as possible, but there are some files that just by their nature have quite a few subfolders. For instance, I am attending grad school right now. So under the main file folder, which has the name of the school, I then have each class labeled by their catalog number. Under that, I have each week of the term set out in folders (Week 1, etc), along with a folder for general course info and for midterm and final projects.

For clients, my folder organization is close to the same. The main folder has the name of the organization. Once we’re into that file, I divide it up into projects, billing, correspondence, work orders, etc.

I can get my hands on documents very quickly with this type of structure. I set the file structure up by thinking about how I would organize a real file drawer and what would go into a larger file system for a client with multiple projects.

]]> By: DigitalAdrenaline http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-419932 DigitalAdrenaline Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:23:19 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-419932 One terrific free program I use is Menu Inventor which allows you to group anything you like: files, programs, folders etc into any category you choose, all in the form of a start menmu. This really is the best I've seen. Their werb site is http://micron.me.uk/menuinventor One terrific free program I use is Menu Inventor which allows you to group anything you like: files, programs, folders etc into any category you choose, all in the form of a start menmu. This really is the best I’ve seen. Their werb site is

http://micron.me.uk/menuinventor

]]> By: amy http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-407801 amy Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:02:07 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-407801 @thenonhacker -- absolutely, flat file structure makes so much more sense, and not just for music or pictures. I would be horrified to wade through those deep sub-folder structures and then click my way back out again. In my opinion, the answer is NOT folder structure, it's intelligent naming conventions. @thenonhacker — absolutely, flat file structure makes so much more sense, and not just for music or pictures. I would be horrified to wade through those deep sub-folder structures and then click my way back out again. In my opinion, the answer is NOT folder structure, it’s intelligent naming conventions.

]]> By: Altzan http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-407689 Altzan Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:19:46 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-407689 Yeah, Fences is best with a lot of icons - you could put 50 icons in a small box on the desktop and the box would let you scroll through with a scrollbar. Fences doesn't really help much with just a small set of icons, though. Yeah, Fences is best with a lot of icons – you could put 50 icons in a small box on the desktop and the box would let you scroll through with a scrollbar.
Fences doesn’t really help much with just a small set of icons, though.

]]> By: Alyssa Myers http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-407598 Alyssa Myers Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:30:12 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-407598 Not to mention, keeping a lot of things on the desktop can make for slower startup times. Not to mention, keeping a lot of things on the desktop can make for slower startup times.

]]> By: Paul http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-407418 Paul Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:13:42 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-407418 I may give Fences a try, but I already group my scant desktop icons in a similar fashion. Of course, I don't have the designated and named areas like Fences provides. I may give Fences a try, but I already group my scant desktop icons in a similar fashion. Of course, I don’t have the designated and named areas like Fences provides.

]]> By: Paul http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-407416 Paul Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:08:45 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-407416 You made some good points. However, I am careful not to organize too many things by date because of my memory. I have trouble recalling time frames and dates that things happen, so I use alternative methods. A few things I do organize by date, like time sheets for work (I group them in a set of folders by quarter -- i.e. "Q1 2009", Q2 2009") and I usually label backup folders based on the date of the backup. You made some good points. However, I am careful not to organize too many things by date because of my memory. I have trouble recalling time frames and dates that things happen, so I use alternative methods. A few things I do organize by date, like time sheets for work (I group them in a set of folders by quarter — i.e. “Q1 2009″, Q2 2009″) and I usually label backup folders based on the date of the backup.

]]> By: Paul http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-407414 Paul Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:01:56 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-407414 That's a very good point about genres. Most music I listen to is pretty cut and dry, so it's not a problem for me to include a folder layer of genres, but if the genre gets tricky with your music you can have trouble figuring out whether you classified it as "Alternative" or "Rock". So just skipping the genre altogether like you suggest might be best. That’s a very good point about genres. Most music I listen to is pretty cut and dry, so it’s not a problem for me to include a folder layer of genres, but if the genre gets tricky with your music you can have trouble figuring out whether you classified it as “Alternative” or “Rock”. So just skipping the genre altogether like you suggest might be best.

]]> By: Altzan http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/four-simple-and-free-tips-to-organize-your-windows-experience/#comment-407402 Altzan Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:59:21 +0000 http://www.makeuseof.com/?p=25597#comment-407402 I organize like this as well! My music folder is organized by letter ("A" "B" etc) because I use the music on my phone. I have a games folder where the games are sorted by genre. I even have icons on my desktop organized by type. Fences is a great software tool for organizing the desktop: http://www.stardock.com/products/fences/ I organize like this as well! My music folder is organized by letter (“A” “B” etc) because I use the music on my phone. I have a games folder where the games are sorted by genre. I even have icons on my desktop organized by type.

Fences is a great software tool for organizing the desktop:
http://www.stardock.com/products/fences/

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