Why naming and organization matters?
How you name and organize the files can make a big difference when you try to navigate your files later. This example above does not spark joy.
How to name and organize well?
Refer to this awesome page on file organization and naming for more details, but for a starting point, here are some items to consider.
File naming
- Apply descriptive tags (e.g. note_XX, paper_XX, slides_lecture_XXX instead of doc1, doc2) This way, you can also quickly find certain a specific type of files by searching the keyword.
- Establish a consistent format (e.g. not mixing meeting_May25 and 0525meeting)
- Avoid special characters and emojis ( & ,* % # ;*( !@$^~' { [?<-😵🐘)
- Avoid periods (and spaces for cmd lines) use_underscores, CamelCases, or-dashes instead
- Use ISO date format for chronological sorting (e.g. 2012-08-12)
- Use leading zeros for sequences for a machine-friendly sorting (01, 02…99)
- Limit under 32 characters, abbreviate if needed.
- Use a batch-renaming tool to apply these principles: instr.iastate.libguides.com/file-mgmt/rename
- Others_________________________
File organization
- Establish a consistent folder structure (e.g. by topic, by time, by project…)
- Working in a collaboration or group? Have brief meetings to discuss a shared convention.
- Apply similar file naming practice to folder naming
- Avoid super deep folder structure
- Avoid super large folders
- Set “expiration date” for yourself to delete files ("This file would no longer be relevant after...")
- Review/update/declutter files periodically
- Others_________________________
