Your Microsoft Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, vacation photos and downloaded files from friends are strewn, virtually speaking, throughout your computer’s hard drive. Finding one of your old files is a search that can take forever, it seems, as the documents constantly find new crannies on your computer. Here are four tips for developing an easy-to-use organizing system for your online documents and files:
1. Name your files and folders consistently
Using a consistent style for the names of files and folders can make them easier to use and easier to find. Abbreviations, shorter names and the use of dates within the name of the file can make searching easier.
2. Use subfolders to separate files
If a folder becomes cluttered with documents, it can become difficult to find the ones for which you are looking. Creating subfolders within folders — separated by date, letter or file type, for example — can make it easier to find the folders you are looking for.
3. Centralize your files’ location
Having a single starting point for all of your files can make them easier to find. Computers that use Microsoft Windows are equipped with a My Documents folder, which can be useful. You can also create a folder on your desktop to save the files in a convenient location, or create a desktop shortcut to your My Documents folder.
4. Make use of different ways to view your files
Within a specific folder, files may be organized alphabetically, or by date, size or
the date they were created. You may also look at your files as thumbnails, small icons or
a list.
author: By Sean Flynn