Make it easier to find what you need by organizing your digital files.
A client and I talked about her newsletter the other week. On the phone, she had difficulty finding the document. Her emails, hard drive, and desk papers were all checked.
After about three minutes, I asked her, “How do you organize your digital files?” She responded, “I keep them in my documents folder on my computer.”
It turned out that was what she meant. She has thousands of files spanning years sitting unorganized in a big bin. It is the digital equivalent of “filing” documents by opening a basement door and throwing them down the stairs. I don’t blame her for being frustrated.
You can save time and frustration by following these three tips.
1. Organize by category.
If you are setting up a filing system, consider the different buckets in which information needs to be stored. For each, make a separate folder. My main categories are, for example:
Clients – Find all my client’s files here.
Business – This is where I keep all the information I need to run my business.
Personal – This is where I store all my photos and family documents.
It is more efficient to categorize files rather than organize them by date (as with paper files). Just remember the obvious “what” and not the “when.”
2. Create subfolders.
It is possible to set up a subfolder for every primary folder. When creating subfolders, I also categorize them. For example, I have subfolders for newsletters, drafts, projects, and logos within the client’s name subfolder.
3. Name your files meaningfully.
Name each one of them meaningfully. As a result, finding documents will be easier. It allows you to find what you need quicker (you don’t have to open every document to see what’s inside), making files easier to find!
Following these simple digital filing steps. You’ll save time and avoid frustration when searching for files.
