The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (Your Digital Life)
A practical guide for digital creatives.
Until Marie Kondo makes the official version, I suppose this will do!
Across all disciplines in the digital realm, file management is crucial for productivity. This is especially true for creatives. A single creative project has hundreds of moving parts that, when not accounted for, drain precious time and energy.
Before practicing file management, I would spend ungodly amounts of time sifting through mountains of files to find an illustration, sound byte, or layout I had already made — sometimes having to give up and recreate it.
Having your files all over the place with no rhyme or reason makes it difficult to maintain a mental model of your digital ecosystem, consequently zapping your creative effectiveness. It’s like trying to build a house when all of your tools and materials are unlabeled and strewn all over the place.
However, after implementing a file management system, I saw my speed and mental clarity shoot skyward.
Most importantly, I was doing better work!
Below is the system I’ve implemented in my life that has dramatically increased my productivity and peace of mind.
I use Windows, so this guide is written from a Windows perspective, but these principles apply across all operating systems.
1. Your Shiny New “Master” Folder
Windows comes stock with its own brand of file management in the form of Documents, Music, Pictures, etc. It only makes sense that we should use the system they have tidily set in place for us. Why fix what isn’t broken, right?
Unfortunately, despite seeming like an intuitively good idea, this will eventually result in a world of pain.
Files saved to Documents get automatically populated with random program data from applications you install. In other words, the files get cluttered up with junk you don’t care about.
Let ‘Documents’ be a place where all that random application data goes. Instead create a clean ‘master’ folder where you control exactly what goes in and comes out.
Create a master folder in the highest level of your C: Drive (or whatever drive you use to store your files). Call it something that you can easily recognize. For example, I simply called my folder ‘MY FILES’.
If you can dedicate an entire drive to just your files, even better. Simply choose a name and you’re done.
This master folder is where you will put all of your files in from now on.
You are the master of your master folder. 👑
2. Your Personal Creative Hierarchy
Next, inside your master folder, create a separate folder for each of your creative fields.
I’m sufficiently involved with graphic design, music production, and videography, so I made separate folders for each.
I also made a ’00 Misc’ folder and ’04 Downloads’ folder to hold everything else, like music or pictures.
The numbering here is important. It ensures that the order of the folders always stay the same to allow for easy access. I will always quickly and reliably know where my folders are.
3. The Sub-Hierarchy
Inside each folder, you’ll want to create a sub-hierarchy. Here, it is important to identify what types of files demand the most access from you.
For instance, inside my ‘01 Graphic Design’ folder, I have a folder each for projects, assets, and mockups.
- 00 Projects: this is where I keep all of my projects, like 4am and Billy Bob’s Shake Shack.
- 01 Assets: this is where I keep assets that can be used across multiple projects, like stock photos and film grain overlays.
- 02 Mock-ups: this is where I store mock-ups that can be used across multiple projects, like iPhone and t-shirt mock-ups.
The projects folder is essential, but you can make other folders to fit your individual needs. For instance, you can make a folder for design inspo, preset layouts, or tutorials.
Again, numbering here is important so that you can quickly point to where you need to go. Efficiency is the name of the game.
4. Your Projects Folders
Inside the ‘00 Projects’ folder, create a folder for each of your projects.
Each project gets its own folder.
Since each project has different needs, the contents of each project folder will be different. For example, if I’m commissioned to create menus, flyers, and a logo for Billy Bob’s Shake Shack, the inside of its project folder might look like this:
The inside of the ‘Flyers’ folder may look like this:
How deep you go with your folder structure is to your discretion. Organize in whatever way makes you most comfortable.
Congratulations! We’ve set up our folder structure. Now what?
5. How to Name Files
Now that we have a ton of folders within folders, how do we actually name individual files?
Use dashes when naming files. No spaces, no underscores. And no capitalization.
Let me make my case.
Spaces in file names cause some applications to not recognize the files or treat the files differently. Additionally, for files on the web, spaces get replaced with a really ugly “%20”. For example:
In other words, don’t use spaces.
What about underscores?
Dashes still win:
File names with dashes get indexed better on Google and every other search engine for better discovery. Dash use is considered best practice for web development.
It’s also much more readable. Your eyes will thank you.
Unless your work never sees the light of web, dashes are the way to go. Using dashes basically covers every practical use scenario in the digital arena.
Of course, you don’t have to go back and change every one of your file names. Just implement the system for all new files from now on!
6. Finally, Your Desktop
This one is the finishing touch.
Keep your desktop empty of everything except the recycling bin/trash and a shortcut to your master folder.
Treat your desktop like you would a physical desktop.
When you start a project at your desk, you only pull out the tools you need: papers, pens, tape, etc. Afterwards, you store them all away to keep your desk clear for the next project.
Treat your digital desktop the same way. Use it solely as a surface for putting files for a project you are working on at the moment. This guarantees instant, easy access to those files as you need them.
When you’re done with your session, return the files you still need to their respective project folder, and simply delete the ones you don’t.
Voilà, a clean desktop ready for the next session.
Tip: I’ve changed the default export and download location of all of my programs to my desktop to make this process easier.
Try It out for Yourself
Now it’s your turn to try out your own system!
Take the above simply as guidelines. What works for me may not work for you. Experiment with your own flavor of file management that fits your personal workflow.
If implementing all of these steps all at once is a daunting task, try one at a time. Start by adopting a new naming system for your files or setting up your folder structure.
Your computer is an extension of your mind. The less you have to think about, the more brain power you can allocate towards creating. Having all of your memories/files accounted for makes this easy. It’s like having a mental map of your creative output.
At the end of the day, you want to create your best work. It’s crucial that your tools work for you, not against you. Having proper file management is a founding step in ensuring that.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this helped. I’d love to hear about some of the methods you’ve implemented in your digital life — share your tips below with the community and let’s work more efficiently together!
