Hard drive organization. Options

[Maccabee]

My files are not well rganized and it is really bugging me. Before I go through and organize everything, I want to know how you organize your stuff.

In documents I currently have tons of random crap, but I cant make a folder for stuff like it cause I have a lot of stuff that doesnt have anything else like it if you know what I mean. And in pictures I tried to make it so I ony have a few folders including, events, vacations and stuff but I always get random stuff in their and I dont want just a huge misc folder! So tell me how you organize!

[queen]

my personal organization system (caps represent folder names):


TEXT: text files, or anything that's not a graphic/video/music file. this does not include layout coding. if there are multiple users, i first create a folder per user before i make the following:
- SCHOOL: homework/classwork
- WORK: work files that you need to bring home
- PERSONAL: random stuff that's important to you
- MISC: random stuff that doesn't fall under the above

PICTURES: computer graphics (including web layouts) and photographs
- PHOTOS: raw files imported from camera (this includes videos from cam also)
----- NAME OF CAMERA 1:
----------- YEAR 1:
----------- TEAR 2:
--------------- EVENT 1:
--------------- EVENT 2:
--------------- EVENT 3: events include birthdays, vacations, concerts, etc. anything that doesn't fit in an "event" (for example, random camwhoring) would just fall under the main camera folder.
----- NAME OF CAMERA 2:
----- NAME OF CAMERA 3:
----- NAME OF CAMERA 4: my family uploads from 4 different cameras

- GRAPHICS: any graphic/vector that was created by yourself (includes manipulated photos)
----- VECTORS: saved completed vectors
----- PHOTOMANIPULATION: saved completed manips
----- DIGITAL ART: saved misc. digital art
----- WORK: anything that is work related
----- PLAY: anything i'm currently working on (WIPs) for fun

- STOCK: any photos that were not taken by your own camera

- LAYOUTS: all images for a personal web design layout, including coding for it, with each layout saved in its own folder. any layouts that are created for work, however, would go under "work".

VIDEOS: this folder usually just contains saved clips and/or full movies, so i just save in folders named after titles

MUSIC: music files, whether ripped or not
- RENAME: i leave a folder in there to put in newly downloaded music that i have yet to rename and organize.


anything that is randomly acquired (like if a friend sends me a file) or if i'm saving something only temporarily i leave it on the desktop so i could remember to delete it later.

[Maccabee]

I would do that exactly, but I also have a lot of web designs and scripts. I guess I should have a wip area and that give each project a name then put it int its place...

[queen]

I would do that exactly, but I also have a lot of web designs and scripts. I guess I should have a wip area and that give each project a name then put it int its place...

i don't know if you posted this before or after i edited, but i inadvertently left out my "layouts" folder earlier. when i'm currently working on a web layout, it goes under "play", but when a project is completed, it goes under "layouts", coding and all.

[Harp]

wow, you're super organized. i just throw all my shit into one folder.

[Maccabee]

i don't know if you posted this before or after i edited, but i inadvertently left out my "layouts" folder earlier. when i'm currently working on a web layout, it goes under "play", but when a project is completed, it goes under "layouts", coding and all.

0ic I guesse I should jusst do the same.

o and what about more misc stuff like screenshots , and webcam pics.

[queen]

i put screenshots or avatars/sigs under "stock" when they're not in use(within "stock", i have other folders, but those could be adjusted to your personal preferences); if i'm currently using/working on an image or if it's an incomplete work, i put it under "play". you could always create a "misc" folder if you're more comfortable with that; personally, i've been accustomed to my "stock" folder, so i just stick with it.

i put webcam pics under photos 'cause i consider webcam a camera. anything that doesn't fit in an "event" (for example, random camwhoring) would just fall under the main camera folder.

to make it easier, here's my simple method for organizing: photographs VS. graphics. anything that's not taken by any of my own cameras, ie - stock photos you find online or any artwork, i consider it a graphic. if it was originally a photo from my own camera that has been edited, it would still fall under photos unless it's being used for some kind of photomanip/layout/digital art. if i follow these rules, i find it becomes easier to store things that would fall under more than one category.

wow, you're super organized. i just throw all my shit into one folder.

lol i have obsessive compulsive tendencies, and organization eases them for me ;o

[Maccabee]

I just hate having any file in the same folder that isn't closely related. What are all the different folder names you have?
Heres a screenshot of my pictures and my documents folder. For me it is WAY to unorganized and I want to fix it!



What is in your "stock" folder? What bugs me is that I also have random folders in random folders. Example. I came across a set of pictures I needed to download but the pictures were of a person. And I didnt want to make a folder for those 10 pics so I put them in the web folder cause I downloaded them. But they are images so they should be in my pictures! Ughh... im very ocd. And even more so lately. That is why it has been bugging me so bad And you dont even want to see my school folder. I have like 5 duplicates of each file each with minor changes so I dont know which one to keep. ugh.

now to go clean my bathroom...

[queen]

^my advice for anything you've downloaded is to move them in the appropriate folder asap. the more it sits in your web/download folder the lazier you'll be later on and the more cluttered that folder will stay. also, refer back to my photos vs. graphics rule. if your camera didn't take it, they are not your photographs, and could therefore be placed in "stock".

keep in mind that my stock folder consists of any image i've obtained that's not from my own camera. the pictures are of things that inspire me (usually artwork, but they could also be photographs). these photos usually become references for my vectors/layouts or they could be just inspiraional pieces to me. under my stock:

- ARTIST'S NAME: if it's a collection of artwork created by the same artist, i usually create a folder. if it's just a single piece, i don't find the need to create another folder. these include photographs that are taken by the same photographer.
- CELEBRITY/MODEL NAME: if it's a collection of photographs of the same celebrity, i usually create a folder for that person. again, if it's a single piece, i don't create another folder. this differs from the other folder because i don't care to know who took the pictures of lady gaga; i just want the actual pictures. the other folder highlights the artists and the works.
- ELEPHANTS: contains photos of elephants. just using this an example 'cause there was a time that i amassed a large number of elephant photos.
- ROBOTS: pictures of robots.


i'm pretty sure your folders would be very different from mine. like i said, these folders would be more personal 'cause it would depend on the amount and variety of the pictures. plus i delete pictures i no longer find inspiring and/or necessary.

[Maccabee]

Ok, I think ill do that. Thanks. And I think ill put all my web stuff into the sites folder that a mac has.

How about manipulations and stuff? Im trying to organize stuff but I come across a little funny manipulation I made. So do i put that in finished projects, or what? haha

[heyo-captain-jac...]

[partition]
OS
[partition]
another OS
[partition]
Documents
Pictures
Programs
[partition]
Games

[Maccabee]

where is ur music?

[heyo-captain-jac...]

where is ur music?

Same partition as my documents, pictures, and programs.