If your computer file organization is a mess, it can cost you a lot of time trying to find your files.  The time spent trying to find your files can add up.  At the time when you place a file in a folder name that makes no sense, you may think you'll remember where you put it.  But months later, you're likely to forget where you put it.  And it'll take you a while to find the file.

To organize your files, first, be sure to give your files meaningful names.  For instance, you don't want to use acronyms when naming your files.  You may end up forgetting what the acronyms mean.  Then you'll have to open the file to see if it's the file you're looking for.  Imagine having to open hundreds of files that are named with acronyms to find a single file...

That rule also applies to folder names.  Be sure to name your folders with a meaningful name.  Its name should describe the contents of the folder.  Avoid using acronyms.  And avoid using a name such as “folder18.”

Next, you want to make sure each folder contains files that are related to each other in some way.  For instance, a folder named “Reports” would contain files that are reports.  A folder named “Pictures” would contain pictures.

But if you have hundreds of files in a single folder, it can take time to find a file in that folder.  To solve this problem, you can have subfolders.  So you might have a folder called “Pictures” and subfolders called “Graduation,” “Wedding,” and “Birthday.”  Graduation pictures would go in the “Graduation” subfolder.  Wedding pictures would go in the “Wedding” subfolder.  And birthday pictures go in the “Birthday” subfolder.