Zen and the Art of File Organization

OK, here’s a question I get asked all the time: “How do I keep my files organized?”

Yes, I have the (correct) answer for you! Knowing where they reside (and how to access them) is paramount. BUT – first of all, there are a couple of things I need to clarify. We’re talking about the actual files that reside on your computer (and quite possibly on a cloud-based service as well, such as Dropbox, iCloud or Google Drive), NOT your email. The best rule is an oldie – “a place for everything, and everything in its place.” That quote is commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin, but it appeared verbatim in “The Naughty Girl Won,” a story published in 1799.

But enough of the history lesson! The overall concept is to organize your digital files the same fashion you would organize your physical files – in a cabinet with folders inside. And yes, you can have folders within folders. (And folders within THOSE folders if you wish!)

Apple has done some of the heavy lifting for you – inside your “home folder” (the folder within “Users” that is usually named after you), there is a “Music” folder, a “Pictures” folder, etc. There is also a “Desktop” and “Documents” folder, BUT these may be located under “iCloud Drive” if you have enabled the “Drive” setting under iCloud in your Apple Account. This can be found by pulling down the apple (upper left corner of your screen) and selecting SYSTEM SETTINGS (or SYSTEM PREFERENCES on older versions of the macOS).

So – the “Documents” folder seems like the ideal place to store your files. Frist of all, you must create a folder that acts as your digital file cabinet. Now, that could be your “Documents” folder, or a folder within that folder. The one I created is named “2025,” as I update it every year. (And archive it, but that’s a blog post for another day – look for that one on January 1, 2026!)

Within my “2025” folder, I have subfolders that store my documents: These folders are named:

• Admin
• Finances
• Health & Wellness
• Home
• Insurance
• Recipes
• Websites
• Work

Among others.

I do have subfolders within these folders. For example, “Finances” has a subfolder named “Taxes,” and “Insurance” has subfolders named “Auto,” “Health” and “Homeowners.” All of this is helpful when I’m looking for a document quickly.