This Simple File Management System Changed My Life!

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive guide to effective file management, emphasizing a balance between organization and functionality. The presenter shares a personal file hierarchy system with a maximum of five folder levels and up to 99 folders per level, advocating for a structured yet flexible approach. Key tips include naming files with dates for easy searchability, utilizing file manager features, and creating shortcuts to shared folders. The script also touches on the importance of consistency in naming conventions and the use of digital and physical decluttering tools, aiming to enhance productivity and efficiency in managing digital files.

Takeaways

• 📂 Limit the number of folder levels to a maximum of five, with each level having up to 99 folders, to maintain an organized yet navigable file structure.
• 🔢 Use a numbering system for folders, with frequently accessed folders having lower numbers, and reserve '99' for an archive folder.
• 🗂️ Create a 'Quick Share' folder (level 04) for temporarily storing files that need to be shared with others without duplicating within the main project folders.
• 📅 Incorporate dates into file and folder names when they are time-sensitive, using year, quarter, month, or specific dates as needed.
• 🔍 Leave non-time-related and equally important folders to be sorted alphabetically for easy searchability.
• 🏷️ Use consistent naming conventions with keywords such as 'doc', 'meeting notes', 'working trix', 'briefing', 'slides', and 'form' for better search results.
• 🌿 Emphasize the importance of organizing files by where they will be used, not just where they were originally stored, to enhance productivity.
• 🔎 Utilize native file manager features, such as search operators and filters, to quickly locate files within a cloud storage platform like Google Drive.
• 🔑 Attach keywords to files or folders to enhance searchability, especially when you cannot change the original name.
• ⭐ Prioritize which folders to star or flag, ensuring that only the most essential files are easily accessible for daily use.
• 🔗 When a folder is shared, consider creating a shortcut to organize it within your own file management system without altering the original structure.

Q & A

What is the speaker's approach to file management?

The speaker advocates for a balanced approach between form and function in file management, suggesting a system that is both organized and efficient for quick retrieval of information.

What is the maximum number of folder levels recommended by the speaker?

The speaker recommends limiting the number of folder levels to a maximum of five, with the sixth level reserved exclusively for files and documents.

Why does the speaker choose to have up to 99 folders at each level?

The speaker chooses 99 folders at each level because it aligns with the numbering system from zero to 99, allowing for a structured yet flexible organization.

What is the purpose of the '99' archive folder mentioned in the script?

The '99' archive folder is used for storing outdated or inactive files that are rarely accessed but not yet deleted.

How does the speaker use the '04 Quick Share' folder?

The '04 Quick Share' folder is a temporary catch-all for files that need to be shared with others without cluttering the original folder or creating duplicates.

What is the speaker's strategy for naming folders and documents?

The speaker uses either a date-based naming convention for time-sensitive documents or leaves non-time-related folders and documents to be sorted alphabetically for easier searchability.

What is the significance of the date naming convention in the speaker's file management system?

The date naming convention helps in making files more searchable and provides a chronological order, which is particularly useful for time-sensitive documents like budgets, presentations, and training materials.

How does the speaker suggest organizing information by where it will be used?

The speaker suggests organizing information within the context of its usage, such as keeping project-related documents within the project's folder, to streamline access and sharing.

What are some native features of a file manager that the speaker recommends utilizing?

The speaker recommends using search operators and filters within a file manager, like Google Drive, to quickly narrow down search results and find files efficiently.

What is the benefit of adding a keyword to a file or folder according to the speaker?

Adding a keyword to a file or folder allows for more targeted searches, making it easier to locate specific files even if their names are not unique or if they are part of shared folders.

Why should one be ruthless in prioritizing which folders to star or flag according to the speaker?

The speaker advises being ruthless in prioritizing starred or flagged folders to ensure that only the most frequently accessed and important files are easily accessible, preventing information overload.

What is the recommended action when a shared folder is received on a cloud storage platform?

The recommended action when receiving a shared folder is to either make a copy for future reference, add a shortcut to organize it within your own system, or do nothing if it's a one-off request.

Outlines

00:00

📂 Finding the Perfect Balance in File Management

The author begins by reflecting on their early experiences with chaotic file management, having tried various systems from the 'just search for it' approach to more structured methods like the Johnny Decimal System. They propose a balanced approach that blends form (organization) and function (ease of search). The video will cover a simple framework for organizing and naming files, followed by five game-changing file management tips. Key points include limiting folder hierarchy to five levels, with a maximum of 99 folders per level, and assigning lower numbers (e.g., 01, 02) to frequently accessed folders. An 'archive' folder (99) is reserved for outdated files.

05:00

📁 Naming Files and Folders for Quick Access

The author explains two methods for naming files and folders: date-based and alphabetical sorting. Date-based naming is useful for making files easily searchable by year, quarter, or month (e.g., 2025 Budget Spreadsheet or 2025-05-05 Sales Training). For non-time-related files, alphabetical sorting is preferred, with consistency in naming being crucial for searchability. Common keywords like 'doc,' 'meeting notes,' or 'slides' help streamline the process. They also share an example from a viewer who uses a more complex naming convention but emphasizes that the key is consistency, regardless of the system used.

🌳 Organizing Physical and Digital Spaces

The author discusses the importance of decluttering both physical and digital spaces, mentioning a product from Oakywood that helps manage cables and workspace organization. They highlight their favorite Oakywood products, like MagSafe-compatible shelves and Apple Watch stands, which help save desk space. These products are FSC-certified, ensuring sustainability. The focus then shifts back to digital organization, introducing David Allen's tip: organize files where they will be used, not where they were found. For instance, meeting notes should be stored within the relevant project folder for easy access and sharing.

🔍 Utilizing File Manager's Native Features

The author recommends taking full advantage of native features in file management tools like Google Drive. They highlight search operators (e.g., 'type:presentation') and filters to narrow search results. For files shared with you, using the 'Shared with Me' tab and inputting the owner's name can help quickly locate the file. They also suggest third-party tools like Alfred or Raycast for Mac users to streamline file searching. For Windows users, alternatives like 'Everything' and 'Wox' are recommended for better file management.

⭐ Prioritize Important Files with Starred Folders

Tip four emphasizes the importance of starring or flagging critical files for quick access. The author uses a '5-Star rule'—only allowing five starred files at a time. Files must pass three criteria: they are used daily, need to be accessed quickly on a phone, and must have high importance to warrant starring. This strategy prevents clutter and ensures that only essential files are starred, maximizing productivity.

🔗 When to Create a Shortcut vs. Copying Files

The final tip covers the appropriate use of shortcuts and copies when dealing with shared files. The author advises that, for files shared by others (e.g., a manager's meeting notes), it's better to create a shortcut rather than making a copy. Shortcuts allow users to organize the file within their own system while maintaining updates made to the original file. In contrast, copying a file can result in outdated information if the original file is edited. The video ends with a reminder not to over-optimize file management and to stay consistent with one system.

Keywords

💡File Management

File management refers to organizing and structuring digital files to make them easily accessible and manageable. In the video, the creator talks about finding a balance between organization (form) and accessibility (function), emphasizing how naming and organizing files well can make them more searchable and reduce clutter.

💡File Hierarchy

File hierarchy is the structured arrangement of folders and files in multiple levels. The speaker in the video describes a method of limiting folder depth to five levels, with up to 99 folders at each level, to prevent disorganization and confusion, while keeping files accessible.

💡Johnny Decimal System

The Johnny Decimal System is a structured method of organizing files by assigning them numbers and categorizing them into groups. Although the speaker mentions this system, they opt for a simpler approach to file management, noting that it can be complex to maintain for some users.

💡Naming Convention

A naming convention refers to a consistent method of naming files and folders for better organization and searchability. The speaker emphasizes the importance of using a system like including dates (e.g., '2025 Q1') or project-related keywords ('doc', 'meeting notes') to make files easier to find and organize.

💡Quick Share Folder

The Quick Share folder is a temporary folder designed for sharing specific files with others without cluttering or duplicating existing folders. The speaker uses this folder to isolate certain parts of documents for sharing while protecting the original content, highlighting an efficient way to manage collaboration.

💡Archive Folder

An archive folder is used to store outdated or infrequently accessed files. The speaker reserves '99' as the number for their archive folder, where they store files that are no longer needed but not ready to be deleted, helping keep active folders uncluttered.

💡Search Operators

Search operators are specific commands or filters used to narrow down search results. In the video, the speaker demonstrates how using search operators like 'type:presentation' in Google Drive can quickly filter files by type, enhancing efficiency when searching for documents.

💡Project-based Organization

Project-based organization refers to grouping all related documents for a project in one folder. The video advocates for keeping meeting notes and other documents within their respective project folders, making it easier to access and share relevant files without scattering them across unrelated folders.

💡Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are quick key combinations used to perform tasks more efficiently. The speaker shares two commonly used Google Drive shortcuts: 'P' to preview a file and 'N' to rename it, both of which speed up file management without having to right-click or navigate through menus.

💡Starred Files

Starred files are files marked for quick access in a file management system. The speaker describes a strict system where only five files can be starred at a time, ensuring that only the most frequently used files are accessible in the starred section, preventing overload and maintaining efficiency.

Highlights

The speaker shares their journey in file management, from a messy approach to finding a balance between form and function.

A simple framework is introduced for organizing and naming files, emphasizing a healthy balance between neatness and quick searchability.

The file hierarchy is limited to a maximum of five folder levels, with each level potentially containing up to 99 folders.

The sixth level is reserved exclusively for files and documents, avoiding further nesting of folders.

Folders are numbered for easy access, with frequently used folders given lower numbers for quicker navigation.

The '99' folder is designated as an archive, storing outdated or inactive files.

The '04 Quick Share' folder is a temporary catch-all for sharing specific parts of confidential documents.

The importance of consistent naming conventions for folders and documents is emphasized for better searchability.

Date naming conventions are discussed, with examples ranging from year-only to specific dates for different types of files.

Non-time-related folders are sorted alphabetically, with a focus on consistency for effective searching.

The video introduces a personal naming convention example using keywords and numbers to categorize files.

The speaker discusses their use of Oakywood's MagSafe lineup for decluttering physical spaces, sponsored content.

A game-changing file management tip from David Allen is presented: organize information by usage location, not source.

Leveraging native file manager features like search operators and filters is recommended for efficiency.

The use of keyboard shortcuts in Google Drive is highlighted for faster file management.

The concept of ruthlessly prioritizing starred or flagged folders is introduced, with a maximum limit of five for quick access.

The importance of creating shortcuts for shared folders is discussed to maintain personal organization without altering the original file structure.

The video concludes with advice against over-optimizing file systems and the importance of sticking to a consistent system.

Transcripts

when I first entered the workforce this

is how my file management looked like

and since then I've tried everything

from bro it doesn't matter if it's messy

just search for it man all the way to

have you heard of the Johnny Decimal

System okay so first you just need to

memorize this totally not complicated

numbering structure and then you have to

Define your categories and wait where

are you going and I found the correct

answer to be a healthy balance between

form how neatly organized everything is

and function how to name your files so

you can quickly search for the

information you're looking for so in

this video we'll first go over the

simple framework I use to organize and

name my files then dive into five

specific file management tips that I

found to be absolute game changers let's

get started from a file hierarchy

standpoint I limit the number of folder

levels to a maximum of five meaning the

sixth level can only be files and

documents no more folders but each level

can have up to 99 folders so five levels

deep 99 folders wide for example this is

what I see at level zero in my Google

Drive we'll go over why I chose these in

a bit this is level one level two level

three

level four and level five and files

obviously you don't need to have five

levels but more than five we tend to

just get lost the reason each level can

have up to 99 folders is simply because

of the numbering zero one all the way to

99 but as you can see I rarely go above

zero nine the folders I access most

frequently have lower numbers zero one

zero two zero three because they're

closer to the top right and 99 is always

reserved for an archive folder I throw

outdated or inactive files into coming

back up to level zero the zero one

folder has all my personal stuff zero

two work related zero three our

documents are reference on a regular

basis for example a gym membership card

I plot on my phone or templates I use

every single week the zero four quick

share folder is something I came up with

myself and it works like this let's say

I have a planning deck with confidential

information meant only for myself but a

colleague needs a few slides from the

same deck instead of creating a new file

copy pasting the slides over and then

sharing what I would do is simply select

the slide my colleague needs file make a

copy selected slides and save this new

file in the zero four quick share folder

before sharing it with my colleague so

basically zero four Quick Share is a

temporary catch-all folder this way the

confidential slides are kept safe the

original folder is not cluttered with a

duplicate and I don't have to constantly

annoy my colleague to make a copy so I

can delete the duplicate because it's

already organized in my quick share

folder I have a backups folder at level

0 making it super convenient for me to

drag and drop files I know I should back

up on a regular basis and last but not

least the 99 archive folder files are

probably never use again but I just

can't bring myself to delete moving on

to how I name folders and documents

there are two ways I go about this I

either include a date or leave it to be

sorted alphabetically going right into

date naming examples for some documents

the year is enough 2025 budget

spreadsheet if you want to be more

specific we can add a quarter 2025 q1

qbr quarterly Business Review while more

level down add a month 2025 May monthly

presentation with director and the most

granular

2025-0505 inbox zero training for the

sales team as you can see the date

naming convention depends on the type of

file as a rule of thumb including just a

year or a quarter makes a file more

searchable I think we talked about it in

the Q3 presentation let me quickly

search for it versus the more granular

you go with the month and date the more

you need to know where the parent folder

is so you can find the specific file for

example I run a lot of workshops and

although I don't remember the date for

each one I know they're all within my

Jeff's sharings folder another example

is for invoices and receipts you're not

going to search for an individual one

but you should know exactly where they

are for all folders and files that are

not time related and are equally

important so no zero one zero two zero

three I leave them to be sorted

alphabetically but the rule is to be

consistent in your naming so the

documents are as searchable as possible

for example most of my files have one of

the following keywords doc meeting notes

working trix briefing slides and form

so 90% of the time if I put the project

name and one of the keywords I end up

finding the exact file a viewer of mine

Matthew he's awesome has a slightly more

complicated naming convention but it

works for him because he follows the

same structure for all his files he

knows PM represents a file type 01

stands for the main file and if this

were 04 it would mean it's a

presentation file so there's no right or

wrong way to do this as we declutter our

digital space I also want to talk about

the products I've been using from Oakywood

to declutter my physical space they

are sponsoring this video but I would

have talked about them anyways mainly

thanks to their latest MagSafe lineup I

absolutely love their Shelf Mount I have

two because you can basically clip them

on anywhere with an edge and hide the

cables underneath the surface I have one

right by the front door along with the

Apple watch stand so super convenient

obviously and I have one right on my

desk so I can have my phone close by

without it taking up desk space it also

doesn't hurt that all their products are

FSC certified meaning the wood is

sourced from sustainably managed forests

and it guarantees that no other

materials are getting accidentally mixed

into the final product but for now back

to the digital world the first and most

game-changing file management tip comes

from David Allen organized information

by where you will use it not by where

you found it for example if you own

multiple projects at work you should not

have a separate folder for all your

project meeting notes even though it

looks super nice and tidy instead you

should have the project A meeting notes

document within the project A folder

itself because that's where you're most

likely to use it you open the project

folder and all related documents are

inside right and second this makes it

super easy for you to share the entire

project folder with someone else file

organization tip number two make use of

a file manager's native features for

Google Drive this means I can use search

operators like type presentation to

quickly search for Google slide files or

if that's not your thing perform a basic

search then use the filter chips down

here to quickly narrow your search

results Pro tip to quickly find a file

you know was shared with you go to the

shared with me tab and under the people chip

input the owner's name or email because

we generally remember the person who

shared the file with us for Mac users I

highly recommend installing Alfred or

raycast they're both free I have an

entire tutorial on how to use Alfred for

Windows users I've never tried these but

I heard everything listery and walks are

all great file management apps sticking

with Google drive though tip number

three is attaching a keyword to a file

or folder for example someone shared

this folder with me so I can't change a

name to whatever I want but I can press

D to bring up the details tab scroll all

the way down and add a keyword in the

description field here now if I search

for this keyword gradempower

only a few results show up if I research

for Empower which is part of the name of

the folder a lot more results show up

thumbs up if you didn't know this before

Pro tip number one I love keyboard

shortcuts and the two I use the most in

Google Drive is P to preview a file

without opening it and N to rename the

file instead of right click rename Pro

tip number two Mac users can bring up

the details view for file or folder by

pressing command I and you can add a

keyword in the comments field here and

now you can search for it directly using

Alfred raycast or Spotlight I'm sure

there's something similar for Windows as

well Windows users let me know in the

comments file management tip number four

ruthlessly prioritize which folders to

star or flag for all platforms there's a

way for you to Star file so you can

access it quickly from the sidebar in

order for a file to make it on here it's

Gotta pass three tests first I need to

use it every single day second is

something I need to quickly access on my

phone since there's a start tab there as

well and third I can only have 5 5 Star

files maximum at any given time because

if everything is starred nothing to starred

file organization tip number five know

when to create a shortcut whenever a

follow folder is shared with you on a

cloud storage platform like so you

should immediately take one of three

actions make a copy add a shortcut to

the original file or do nothing doing

nothing is the most common action to

take if the file is just a one-off

request you go into the file and put

something for your colleague then forget

about it you make a copy of the file if

you either want to use it as a template

or to reference it in the future but you

have to remember all new edits made to

the original file will not show in your

copy which brings us to the action we

should all take more often add a

shortcut to illustrate imagine your

manager creates a one-on-one meeting

notes document and shares access with

you you want to immediately create a

shortcut because this allows you to

organize a file any way you want under

your own file management system without

moving the document from its own

original location your manager has

organized it their way you have it your

way and the arrow icon here makes it

clear that this is a shortcut as you can

see there is no perfect file management

system but two things I can confidently

leave you with first over optimizing

leads to decrease productivity so don't

overthink it second pick one system one

naming convention and stick to it if you

enjoyed these tips you might like this

video on my top productivity tips for

work see you on the next video in the

meantime

have a great one