<p>I have never been a well organized person but always got by. But I am somehow reaching a tipping point where the aging brain and the accumulating files is overwhelming me both at work and at home. Does anyone have a original or published system that works well for sorting and finding?</p>
<p>Folders, folders, folders!</p>
<p>How you actually organize and name has a lot to do with how you use the files and whether you share them with others. </p>
<p>At my job, I produce a weekly newsletter and a weekly chart. I need to be able to find prior newsletters and charts in an instant. I have a folder for each year, and within that, folders called newsletter and charts. Then I name the files starting with the date and then the name:</p>
<p>20110821 - newsletter
20081215 - chart</p>
<p>By putting the date in with the year first, when sorted alphabetically, they automatically sort by date. This is important, because the date something is edited is not always in the same order as the file date. </p>
<p>With this naming system, if you send the file to someone else, they know exactly what it is without having to open it. If someone else needs to find a file and I’m not around, it’s an easy system for them to follow. </p>
<p>At home, my “system” isn’t as clean. I keep current important files on my desktop, because they’re easier to find, but I also use a lot of folders for archiving.</p>
<p>The date system is definitely a good idea. I think the best thing is to figure out a system that works for you and stick with it. The great thing about computers is that you can nest files more easily than with paper files. My files go into three main categories: architecture work, art work, and home. Under architecture I have a file labeled clients. Then I sort them by year. Within each year I have a folder for each name. I also have files that sort out info about materials, one for everything to do with decks, another for kitchens, another for baths. I also have one with all my standard forms. Under “Home”, I have files for taxes, recipes, letters to friends, receipts, health, cars, exercise, kids college info etc. The only thing I actually date on the file are letters and minutes for a local organization, but it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to date more stuff.</p>