The Ultimate Guide to File Organization: 5 Systems You Must Know

Summary

Feeling overwhelmed by your digital clutter? This video introduces you to five powerful systems to organize your files better. Despite our constant struggle with misplaced documents, understanding and adopting a robust file organization method can significantly enhance our productivity. From PARA and Johnny Decimal to Zettelkasten and GTD, each system offers unique frameworks to manage digital information efficiently. These methods can revolutionize your file management, making it easier to find, avoid duplication, and declutter effectively. Whether you're using Obsidian, Evernote, or any knowledge management tool, learning how these systems work could transform your digital workspace. Dive in to discover which approach suits your style and improve your file findability instantly.

Highlights

• Feeling overwhelmed by digital files? Discover five systems to organize them efficiently!📂
• Learn about PARA, Johnny Decimal, and Zettelkasten to enhance your file management skills.🗃️
• Find out which system fits your workflow and transform your digital organization habits.💡
• These methods help declutter, avoid duplication, and improve findability of your documents.🔄
• Adapt these systems using tools like Obsidian and Evernote to fit your personal knowledge management.📚

Key Takeaways

• Transform your file chaos by adopting a structured system like PARA, Johnny Decimal, or Zettelkasten.🚀
• Understanding different organizational methods can revolutionize your productivity.📈
• Simplify your digital life by finding files effortlessly through proven systems.🔍
• Each system has unique features that cater to various organizational needs, choose what works best for you!🎯
• Mastering file organization can save you time and reduce stress caused by a digital mess.🕒

Overview

Managing digital files can be a daunting task, but adopting a structured system can make all the difference. In this guide, you'll learn about five innovative methods: PARA, Johnny Decimal, Zettelkasten, GTD, and others, which transform the way you handle digital data. They offer frameworks to keep your files organized and easily accessible.

Each system comes with its unique features designed to combat the common issues of digital clutter. Be it PARA's action-oriented hierarchy or Johnny Decimal's numbering system, these approaches cater to different preferences. Zettelkasten, for instance, is great for linking thoughts, while GTD focuses on actionable lists.

Understanding and choosing the right system can alleviate the stress of managing ever-growing digital files. These systems not only prevent data duplication but also enhance your ability to find files with ease. By implementing these techniques, your digital workspace will become more efficient and less chaotic.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction: The Problem of Disorganized Files This chapter addresses the common issue of disorganized digital files, which can lead to frustration when trying to locate specific documents. The speaker shares a personal experience with this problem, alongside a strategy for improvement: conducting an 'after action review' to analyze the process of finding a file, and subsequently optimizing their organizational system to enhance file findability.
• 00:30 - 01:00: The 5 Systems for File Organization The chapter introduces 'The 5 Systems for File Organization', discussing the author's past struggles with disorganized files and folders. It reveals the discovery of five efficient systems: para, access, Johnny decimal, zettelcaston, and GTD. These systems collectively offer solutions and ideas for effective file organization, which can be implemented using tools like Obsidian or Evernote.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Benefits of File Organization Systems The chapter discusses the advantages of using file organization systems like OneNote, C, Chrome, or other knowledge management tools. These systems can revolutionize the way files are handled by helping users find what they need, avoid duplication, reduce clutter, and better understand digital information. The video aims to walk through each system, explain their functions, and assist in choosing the appropriate one.
• 01:30 - 02:00: How Do You Rate Your File Organization The chapter discusses the topic of personal file organization, starting with a self-assessment question regarding how one would rate their current file organization on a scale of 1 to 10. It invites readers to consider whether they have a structured system or if they manage their files haphazardly. The chapter encourages sharing thoughts and experiences in the comments section before proceeding to discuss the main topic. It also references a previous video made a few months ago about organizing notes.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Previous Video Recap: Organizing Notes The chapter reviews various Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) strategies, emphasizing methods for organizing notes. It explores several approaches, including 'random mass', 'daily notes first', 'content first', 'topic first' including the Zettelkasten method, and finally the 'action first' method. Viewers are encouraged to watch the previous video for a more detailed exploration of these strategies.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Introduction to Folder Organization Systems The introduction to Folder Organization Systems focuses on teaching viewers how to better manage their files using five powerful systems. It emphasizes that this information is foundational and can help organize notes and information more effectively. The summary assures that prior knowledge from previous videos isn't necessary to understand and benefit from this chapter.
• 03:00 - 04:30: Nick Milo's ACCESS System The chapter introduces the concept of the "ACCESS System" by Nick Milo. Before delving into the details of the system, it emphasizes the importance of having a good folder structure. A good folder structure is one that reflects the way you work and makes it easy to find and access needed files. Understanding different organizational systems is crucial for improving file organization and retrieval.
• 04:30 - 06:00: Introduction to Flat File Structure Nick Milo's access system balances Knowledge Management with action using links and folders.
• 06:00 - 07:30: Zettelkasten and File Attachments The chapter discusses various organizational systems for managing tasks and information. David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD) system emphasizes organizing reference material in a filing system and tracking actions through lists. Similarly, Johnny Decimal is a folder-based system aimed more at creating a reference archive rather than a workflow. Zettelkasten, in contrast, is presented as a link-based system. The chapter likely describes how these systems relate to file attachments and possibly their effectiveness in different contexts.
• 07:30 - 09:00: Recap and Personal Reflections In this chapter, the focus is on Knowledge Management and its various approaches, specifically the pair method. The pair method is presented as an effective system for organizing digital files, particularly useful for those aiming to efficiently deliver outcomes. An interesting metaphor of cooking is employed to elucidate the process involved in this method, ensuring a clear understanding of its application and benefits.

The Ultimate Guide to File Organization: 5 Systems You Must Know Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 are you feeling overwhelmed by your digital files ever find yourself scrolling through endless folders looking for that one elusive document I used to have that problem all the time but every time this happens to me I like to do an after action review and ask myself how in the end did I find that file and tweak my system to improve findability
• 00:30 - 01:00 my files were a mishmash of random names and disorganized folders and I wasted hours trying to find what I need over the years I discovered these five powerful systems for organizing my files into folders para access Johnny decimal zettelcaston and GTD I picked up a few ideas from each whether you're using obsidian Evernote
• 01:00 - 01:30 OneNote lock C Chrome or any other Knowledge Management tool these systems will revolutionalize the way you work with files they will help you find what you need avoid duplication and clutter and make sense of your digital information so in this video I'm going to walk you through each system explain you how they work and help you decide which one is
• 01:30 - 02:00 the right for you but first let me ask you this how do you rate on a scale from 1 to 10 your current file organization do you have a system or do you just wing it share your thoughts in the comments below before we dive into today's topic let's take a quick trip down memory lane a few months ago I made a video about how to organize your notes using
• 02:00 - 02:30 different PKM approaches in that video we explored a range of different strategies from random Mass through the daily notes first and content first approaches then the topic first approach including zatocastan and finally the action first method if you missed that video I highly recommend checking it out afterward it
• 02:30 - 03:00 will give you a solid foundation for understanding how to structure your notes and information today we're going to shift our Focus to organizing files into folders and I'll introduce you to five powerful systems that will revolutionalize the way you manage your files but don't worry if you haven't seen the previous video you're still going to be able to follow along and learn a lot
• 03:00 - 03:30 so let's jump in and explore these five systems in more detail before we dive into the five systems for organizing your files let's talk about what makes a good folder structure a good folder structure should reflect the way you work and make it easy to find and access the files you need that's my understanding different organizational systems is so important
• 03:30 - 04:00 there are several approaches to organizing files and each has its own strengths and weaknesses Nick Milo's access system for example is designed to balance the needs of Knowledge Management and action using both links and folders Thiago Fortes para method on the other hand is folder based and action oriented helping you prioritize and manage projects effectively
• 04:00 - 04:30 David Allen's GTD system is similar to Pera with a focus on organizing reference information in a filing cabinet and tracking action through the use of lists Johnny decimal is also strongly folder based but it's more geared towards creating a reference archive than a workflow system and finally zettel custom is a link based system that
• 04:30 - 05:00 emphasizes Knowledge Management and exploration now let's explore each of these systems in more detail we'll start with the pair method which is a great way to get started with organizing your files if your primary aim is to get things delivered method is a highly effective system for organizing digital files in fact he uses the metaphor of cooking to explain the
• 05:00 - 05:30 four key areas of his system the first area is projects which are like dishes cooking on the stove that require your immediate attention the second area is areas which are like items stored in your fridge that you access regularly but are not currently working on these areas are usually long-term commitments such as finances home and family
• 05:30 - 06:00 the third area is resources which are like items stored in your freezer for future use files in this area include topics that interest you or research materials finally the fourth area is our hives which are like items stored in your pantry that you have completed or put on hold then organizing new information using the para method Thiago recommends asking three questions
• 06:00 - 06:30 to help determine the best place to store the file the first question is in which project will this be most useful if there is a relevant active project store the file there if not project related the second question to ask is in which area will this be most useful if there's an area store the file there
• 06:30 - 07:00 if the file doesn't belong to any specific project or area the third question to ask is which resource does this belong to store it with the relevant resource or place it in the archives to give you an idea of how a pair of folder structure looks like here's a quick example if you'd like to learn more I cover Pera in my book on a page review of thiago's
• 07:00 - 07:30 building a second brain book see the link in the video description moving on to the Johnny Decimal System a simple and effective method for organizing your digital files based on a numbering scheme created by John Noble the Johnny Decimal System consists of three easy to follow steps that will help you create a
• 07:30 - 08:00 consistent and logical file structure that makes it easy to find and access your files step one involves dividing everything you want to organize into maximum 10 Broad and high level areas assigning each area a number from 10 to 90. Step 2 is about dividing each area into maximum 10 more specific and granular
• 08:00 - 08:30 categories assigning each category and number from 0 to 9. and finally step 3 involves naming your files with a descriptive title and adding the corresponding area plus category numbers followed by a DOT and a sequential ID number at the beginning or the end of the file name by limiting the number of areas and categories the Johnny decimal system
• 08:30 - 09:00 helps you avoid overcrowding folders or misplacing files and to stay on top of the ID numbers Johnny recommends creating a separate index file to track them and the benefits of the Johnny Decimal System don't stop here you can also reference the category.id number in the subject of an email to include it in your archiving system and easily locate all elements
• 09:00 - 09:30 within a category in all your digital files and in tools like obsidian loxic Rome and others you can use document metadata to add the reference number or create folders in the obsidian file explorer using the Johnny Decimal System if you're working in a multi-project environment Johnny suggests extending the system with another layer the project layer simply list folders for
• 09:30 - 10:00 projects at the root of your file system with three digit ID numbers and then follow the area category file approach discussed earlier within each folder check out the link in the video description to learn more about the Johnny decimal system and start organizing your digital files like a pro this is an Innovative framework for organizing your information created by
• 10:00 - 10:30 Nick Milo access stands for Atlas calendar cards extras sources and spaces these six plus one folders are arranged to maximize productivity and Clarity the seventh folder encounters is introduced in the lyt get six and is designed to capture unsorted items because of the seventh folder I'd argue that access
• 10:30 - 11:00 should be really renamed to e-axis now let's dive into the six main folders Atlas is where you'll find high level nodes including maps of content dashboards and overviews these are indispensable for navigating and orienting yourself in your personal Knowledge Management System calendar is dedicated to logging tracking and reviewing time-based information this encompasses your daily
• 11:00 - 11:30 notes meeting notes plans reviews and journals cards is where you can build and connect ideas and insights this is the place to store your notes about Concepts people and things extras houses all your support materials such as images manuals and templates it's also the perfect spot for those miscellaneous files that don't quite fit
• 11:30 - 12:00 into any of the other categories sources is where you'll store all your external sources of knowledge such as articles books podcasts and videos this is the ideal location to reference or cite your original sources of information or inspiration finally spaces represent the different areas of your life such as work personal life and hobbies each space has its own
• 12:00 - 12:30 maps of content areas projects and support notes or in short Maps providing additional structure and clarity the access folder structure is designed to help manage both knowledge and action with knowledge at the top and action at the bottom this approach ensures that your files are assigned a clear function and purpose making it easy to avoid
• 12:30 - 13:00 overlapping or misplacing files the flat file structure is a file storage approach where all files and folders are stored at the same level without any subfolders this system places more emphasis on file naming and linking rather than organizing files into complex folder hierarchies examples of systems that use a flat file structure are the brain ROM and loxac
• 13:00 - 13:30 while loxic and the Rome offer namespaces and the Brain can display your computer's folder Tree on its blacks none of them have a native folder setup one of the main advantages of using a flat file structure is that it reduces the time spent creating and managing folder structures and it makes it easier to find and Link related files
• 13:30 - 14:00 however this does not mean that you cannot use folders at all in a flat file structure you can still have folders but they will be located at the top level of your directory when using a flat file structure it is crucial to pay attention to the file naming conventions and use clear and distinctive naming for instance starting files with the
• 14:00 - 14:30 date in a year month day format can be helpful maps of content files can also play an important role in a flat file structure David Allen in getting things done recommends filing physical reference documents in cabinets he offers a simple alphabetical approach in which each document gets stored in a physical folder with a label on the
• 14:30 - 15:00 folder identifying the topic folders are stored in alphabetical order in a digital system zetolcaster nodes might include attachments such as images to manage attachments tools like the folder node plugin in obsidian can be super useful similarly the brain also automatically creates a folder for each thought their thought related attachments can be
• 15:00 - 15:30 stored if you're interested to learn more about zettelcostan I have several videos on the subject including my book on a page summary of zenke Aarons how to take smart notes you'll find references in the video description below to wrap up I shared with you some of the most popular systems for organizing your files into folders including Pera by Thiago Forte the Johnny Decimal System
• 15:30 - 16:00 access by Nick Milo and the flat folder structure introducing settle costan and the GTD these approaches offer different tools for managing knowledge and actions and linking versus organizing files and folders while I will delve into the specifics of my own folder structure in a future video I wanted to share with you some of
• 16:00 - 16:30 my Reflections on the approaches presented today and how I am applying these in my own system I like reference numbers in the Johnny decimal system because they offer cross-platform connections such as bitv and my files and my PKM and my emails I've always been a folders guy however the more I think about flat structures the more I like them
• 16:30 - 17:00 because they Place more focus on linking which I think is important zato is a great way to avoid orphan notes in your PKM because each new item must be placed somewhere in an existing chain and inbox is a crucial part of apkm system I like the encounters folder in Nix access system and the inbox in GTD
• 17:00 - 17:30 I find that thinking about a file path as a namespace that provides a primary ontology for a file and not as a storage location is helpful I find it very valuable to have folders for note attachments like in the brain I'm currently exploring Aiden Alex's folder node plugin for this purpose my current idea is to use folder notes
• 17:30 - 18:00 as my maps of content for each folder in my system reflecting on Pera I don't like to move files around such as copying files to a project folder and then to another location after the project is completed I much rather organize using metadata it is also true that my dislike for moving files is partly driven by the limitation of obsidian sync settings
• 18:00 - 18:30 my PKM and my PC holds many generations of nodes I call this a Brownfield reality versus the Green Field of building something completely in you because I work in a Brownfield environment this limits my freedom in applying new approaches finally organizing notes is about so much more than just folders and file
• 18:30 - 19:00 names it also includes the use of tags links templates ontology maps of content Dynamic lists geotags daily notes and much more I hope you found this video helpful and I look forward to sharing more about my own approach in the future if you liked this video please consider subscribing to my channel share your thoughts in the comments below and hit
• 19:00 - 19:30 that like button thank you