How to organize your notes in Obsidian // The LATCH method

Summary

In this informative video, Nicole van der Hoeven discusses the importance of taking and organizing notes effectively using digital tools like Obsidian. She shares her personal methods for note organization, including the use of folders, links, tags, and metadata, and introduces the LATCH system (Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, Hierarchy) for tracking and managing notes. Nicole emphasizes the value of finding a system that works for you and being open to maintenance and adjustments as your note-taking evolves.

Takeaways

• 📝 The essence of note-taking lies in the act of doing it, but an organizational structure is crucial as the number of notes grows.
• 🗂 When deciding where to store a note, consider how you plan to retrieve it in the future.
• 📂 Folders are a familiar method for organizing notes but limit a file to a single location, making it necessary to decide on a specific category.
• 🔗 Links in note-taking tools like Obsidian can connect notes with similar meanings, facilitating semantic connections.
• 🏷️ Tags are useful for system-related organization, allowing for flexible categorization of notes without semantic connections.
• 📊 Metadata can be used in combination with other organizational methods, aiding in visualizing and creating databases of your knowledge.
• 🔎 The LATCH system (Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, Hierarchy) offers a framework for organizing and finding notes effectively.
• 🌍 Location in LATCH can be used for notes tied to specific places, especially useful for role-playing games and fantasy worlds.
• 📅 Time-based organization can be achieved through links or metadata, with tools like calendars to track events or activities on specific dates.
• 📌 Categories can be established through links and metadata for semantic connections or with tags for system-related categorization.
• 🔄 Hierarchy within notes can be managed through metadata and ExcaliBrain plugin, helping to find notes by tracing up the chain of parent notes.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of Nicole van der Hoeven's video?

The primary focus of Nicole van der Hoeven's video is to discuss the methods and strategies for organizing notes effectively using digital tools like Obsidian.

What are the main methods for organizing notes as discussed in the video?

The main methods for organizing notes discussed in the video are using folders, links, tags, and metadata.

How does Nicole van der Hoeven differentiate between her own notes and notes from other people's work?

Nicole van der Hoeven differentiates between her own notes and notes from other people's work by storing them in separate folders within Obsidian. She uses the Readwise folder for highlights from other people's works and the Book folder for her own interpretations and notes.

What is the significance of the LATCH system in note-taking?

The LATCH system is a method for organizing and retrieving notes based on five criteria: Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy. It helps users to keep track of important information and find their notes more efficiently.

How does Nicole use the Quick Switcher plugin in Obsidian?

Nicole uses the Quick Switcher plugin to quickly find notes by typing the first few letters of the note's title. It's a core plugin in Obsidian that she finds useful for locating notes when she doesn't know the exact name.

What is the role of metadata in Nicole's note-taking process?

Metadata plays a crucial role in Nicole's note-taking process as it allows her to add extra information to her notes, such as dates, categories, and hierarchical relationships. This makes it easier for her to find and organize her notes based on various parameters.

How does Nicole handle notes that don't fit neatly into a single category?

For notes that don't fit neatly into a single category, Nicole uses tags to mark them for system-related processing. This allows her to group notes that may not have a direct semantic connection but still need to be processed in a specific way.

What is the benefit of using links in note-taking according to the video?

Links are beneficial in note-taking as they create connections between notes with similar meanings or contexts. This helps in triggering memories and allows for the association of ideas across different notes, enhancing the overall understanding and recall of information.

How does Nicole utilize the ExcaliBrain plugin in Obsidian?

Nicole uses the ExcaliBrain plugin to visualize the hierarchical relationships between her notes. It helps her find notes that she might have forgotten to link directly by showing her the parent notes and the broader context in which a note exists.

What advice does Nicole give for people who are overwhelmed by the task of organizing notes?

Nicole advises people to pick a method that works for them and make sense at the time, accepting that some upkeep will be needed later. She also recommends using Obsidian's core plugins like Quick Switcher and Obsidian Search to find notes that may not have the correct metadata.

How does Nicole manage her notes for role-playing games in Obsidian?

Nicole manages her role-playing game notes by using a combination of links and metadata. She creates separate pages for different locations and events within the game and uses Dataview queries to find notes related to specific places or dates.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Art of Note-Taking and Organization

This paragraph introduces the importance of taking and organizing notes effectively. Nicole van der Hoeven emphasizes that while taking notes is crucial, having an organizational structure enhances the process. She discusses methods for organizing notes, such as using folders, which are familiar to most users as they mimic the file storage system on computers. Nicole explains the limitations of folders, such as the inability to store a single file in multiple folders, and how she uses them for notes that belong uniquely in one category. She also shares her preference for distinguishing between her own notes and those from other people's works, using different folders for such distinctions.

05:04

🔗 Linking Notes and Using Metadata

In this section, Nicole discusses the use of links in Obsidian to connect notes with similar meanings, which helps in creating a semantic network. She explains how links are different from folders and how they can be used to establish connections between notes that may not belong to the same category but share a relevant theme. Nicole also introduces the concept of tags in Obsidian, which she uses for system-related categorization, such as marking notes that need further processing. Additionally, she touches on the use of metadata for combining organizational methods and for creating databases, enhancing the visualization of one's knowledge vault.

10:04

📍 Applying the LATCH System to Note-Taking

Nicole introduces the LATCH system, a method for organizing and retrieving notes based on five criteria: Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy. She explains how she applies each aspect of the LATCH system to her notes. For Location, she uses a combination of links and metadata for role-playing game notes. Alphabet is addressed by using folder structures and the Quick Switcher plugin for Obsidian. Time is managed through links, metadata, and plugins like the Fantasy Calendar. Category is divided into semantic connections via links and tags for system-related categorization. Lastly, Hierarchy is achieved through metadata and the ExcaliBrain plugin, which helps in navigating the parent-child relationships of notes.

15:04

🚫 Overcoming Note-Taking Paralysis

Nicole concludes the video by addressing the common issue of getting overwhelmed with note organization, which can deter people from taking notes altogether. She advocates for a pragmatic approach where one chooses the most suitable method at the time and accepts that some maintenance will be needed later. She encourages the use of Obsidian's core plugins like Quick Switcher and Obsidian Search for finding notes that may not have been properly tagged or organized. Nicole also suggests watching another video for more insights on note processing and ends the video on a positive note, encouraging viewers to embrace the journey of note-taking and organization.

Keywords

💡Note-taking

The act of recording information during a learning or listening process. In the video, note-taking is the central theme, with the speaker discussing various digital tools and methods to effectively organize and retrieve notes.

💡Organizational Structure

A system or framework used to arrange and categorize information for easier retrieval and management. The video emphasizes the importance of having an organizational structure for notes to prevent disarray and improve efficiency.

💡Obsidian

A popular digital note-taking and knowledge management tool. The speaker uses Obsidian as an example to demonstrate different ways of organizing notes, such as folders, links, tags, and metadata.

💡Folders

A basic method for organizing files and notes within a digital environment. In the context of the video, folders are used to store notes that uniquely belong in one place, helping to maintain the organization of the notes.

💡Links

Connections established between notes to create a semantic network, allowing for the association of related ideas or information. The video describes how links in Obsidian can be used to connect notes with similar meanings, enhancing the interconnectedness of the user's knowledge base.

💡Tags

Labels attached to notes for the purpose of categorization and easy retrieval. The speaker uses tags in Obsidian for system-related categorization, such as marking notes that require further processing.

💡Metadata

Data that provides information about other data. In the video, metadata is used in Obsidian to add contextual details to notes, such as dates or hierarchical relationships, which can be leveraged for advanced searching and data visualization.

💡LATCH System

A method for organizing and retrieving notes, which stands for Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy. The video discusses how the LATCH system can be applied within Obsidian to keep track of various aspects of notes for efficient data management.

💡Dataview

A feature in Obsidian that allows users to create dynamic views and queries of their notes based on metadata. The speaker mentions using Dataview to query notes based on location metadata, such as finding all notes related to a fantasy world called Otari.

💡ExcaliBrain

A plugin for Obsidian that helps visualize the hierarchy and structure of notes. The video describes how ExcaliBrain can be used in conjunction with metadata to understand the parent-child relationships between notes, aiding in the discovery of specific information.

💡Inbox Zero

A concept often associated with productivity, suggesting that one's workspace or inbox should be kept empty to be efficient. The video briefly mentions a related video on why achieving an 'Inbox Zero' state is a myth, implying that perfect organization is not always necessary or achievable.

Highlights

The importance of taking notes and the benefits of having an organizational structure for them.

The use of digital tools like Obsidian for note-taking and organization.

The decision-making process when deciding where to store notes based on how you want to find them again.

The limitations of folders and how they can be used effectively for note organization.

The distinction between personal notes and notes from other people's work.

The use of links in Obsidian to connect notes with similar meanings and the method of creating these links.

The utilization of tags in Obsidian for system-related note organization.

The concept of metadata and its role in note organization and visualization.

The LATCH system as a method for organizing and finding notes effectively.

The use of location in the LATCH system for note organization, particularly in role-playing games.

Alphabetical organization of notes and the use of folders for this purpose.

The use of time-based links or metadata to track when notes were created or worked on.

Categorizing notes through semantic connections, links, and tags.

Hierarchy in note organization and how to use it to find notes that may not be easily identifiable by other means.

The practical application of the LATCH system in note-taking and organization, as demonstrated through various examples.

The acceptance of imperfection in note organization and the importance of ongoing maintenance.

Transcripts

- The most important thing about taking notes

is that you do it.

However, the more notes that you have,

the more it becomes apparent

that some organizational structure

probably wouldn't go astray.

So, what do you do?

Hi, I'm Nicole van der Hoeven

and on this channel,

I like to talk about tech,

travel and taking notes,

especially using digital tools like Obsidian.

And in this particular video,

I'm gonna show you how I organize my notes,

just in the hopes of helping you figure out

how you might wanna do it.

When you're deciding where to put notes,

what it really boils down to is,

how do you want to find this note again?

There are a few methods for that,

first is folders.

Folders are probably the one that we're most familiar with

because regardless of your operating system,

this is how your computer lets you choose

where to store files.

Folders are like directories that you can put files into.

The problem with folders is that you can't put

one file in two different folders.

It's one or the other.

So it forces you to make a decision

as to where that note belongs.

Most note-taking tools also try to get you

to organize things in this way,

but I think that folders are best for situations

where one note really only belongs in a single folder,

or if you're trying to maintain the uniqueness of a note.

For example, I have all of my literature notes

going into Obsidian,

so for example,

if I read a book that's called

How to Take Smart Notes, let's say,

that's going to come in,

into the Readwise folder.

I do that because I usually like to create

a different note

also called How to Take Smart Notes,

but this time it's in the Book folder.

I like to do that because I like to distinguish

between notes that I've written

and notes that have come from other peoples' work.

So, everything that goes into

the Readwise folder for example,

I know is written by somebody else

and they are just my highlights of those works.

Everything that's in the Book folder is what I've written,

it's my interpretation of other people's stuff.

So, if I had two versions of the same note,

How to Take Smart Notes,

I wouldn't actually be able to save them

because they're exactly the same,

but if I put one in Readwise

and one in Books,

then I can.

So, that's how I use folders.

Links in Obsidian can be created by using

the two left square brackets

and then typing out the name or file name of a note.

I think that links are best for connecting two notes

that have similar meanings,

a more of a semantic connection.

In folders, it's really more about

kind of categorizing notes,

but with links,

especially when the connection isn't obvious,

you can connect two different notes.

For example, I have a note based on Application Performance,

which is very much in the field of technology,

and then I also have another note called Productivity,

which is a kind of performance,

these are not things that you would put

in the same category.

But you can create a connection between them

just to be able to trigger your memory,

so when you go to one,

maybe you can think about using it in a different context

and that's when I would put a link to the other.

The next one is tags,

in Obsidian you can create tags on the fly,

just by typing a #

and then the word.

I use tags for system-related things,

like when two notes don't necessarily have

any connection semantically,

but I still want to process them in a certain way.

For example, I have a TVZ tag

that I use to mark all of the notes

that I still need to process.

Metadata is pretty vague,

but in this case,

I'm referring specifically to Dataview parameters.

Whether that's parameters that I've set

in the YAML front matter of an Obsidian note

or in line within the note itself.

Metadata are good for combinations of the previous three,

folders, links

and tags, or when you're trying to visualize

your body of knowledge that's in your vault.

It's also great for creating databases.

So, those are the methods that Obsidian offers

for organizing your notes,

but what exactly about a note

should you be keeping track of in the first place?

Well, I have a friend Zsolt Viczián,

who happens to be the developer of the awesome plugins

ExcaliBrain and Excalidraw for Obsidian

and he talks a lot about this system

called The LATCH System.

LATCH is sort of like an approach

for how you can find your data

and the kind of things that you should put

in your note to begin with,

so that you can find them later.

I think Zsolt said that he took this LATCH approach

from an author named Richard Saul Wurman,

from a book called Information Anxiety.

LATCH stands for five things,

Location, Alphabet,

Time, Category

and Hierarchy.

Now, let's head over into Obsidian

and I'm gonna show you which of the four methods

I use for these five items in the LATCH approach.

Location refers to the physical place

where a note was created.

Now admittedly, I don't really have much of a need for that.

Sometimes I do,

but it's in very rare situations.

What I do use it for is my role-playing games

and for that,

I usually use a combination of links

and metadata to set them apart.

This is an example of a place in a fantasy world

and one of my games called Otari.

If I were looking for a note

and all I know is that it happened in Otari

or that it is in Otari,

then what I could do is use these places.

I have Dataview queries for things that are in Otari.

So, right now this is saying that it is looking

for other notes with the type place.

So, let's click on one of them,

if we go to Menhemes Manor for example,

I am using Otari as metadata in the YAML front matter

and that's what's enabling me to link to it

from this Dataview query within the Otari page.

You can see that I am also using links

to accomplish the same thing.

So, I have the metadata up here,

but also a link to Otari

and that's just so that I have

a backup if I forget one or the other.

Now, going back to the Otari page,

if I were looking for a note

where I just forgot to put Otari in the location,

I can open up the back links here in Obsidian,

all of the unlinked

and linked mentions are saved.

So, right now I'm seeing the ones

where I've linked to this Otari page,

so like this is not a place anymore,

this is an NPC.

And then I can also open up the unlinked mentions,

and there are gonna be quite a few of those as well.

So, these are ones where I didn't even use a link,

but Obsidian is still finding them.

So, in this way,

as long as I know where something has taken place,

I'm probably going to be able to find it,

just by going through the back links

and by going through the results of the Dataview query.

The A in LATCH stands for Alphabet

and this just means that you can also find a note

by knowing its file name

or by knowing the first parts of its file name.

And for that I would fall back on folders.

This is an example of the folder structure that I have now

which is cobbled together,

just like anybody else,

I started to do some things

and then abandoned them,

and I haven't quite moved off of it.

What I'm saying is,

don't just blindly follow what I'm doing.

Just experiment for yourself.

So, I have one folder here for daily notes for example,

that makes sense for me

and within that it is alphabetically,

but also chronologically arranged.

But I also have majority of my notes

just in the root directory.

If I didn't know the name of a person that I'm looking for,

but I know that it starts with a D,

then I could go into this Gente folder,

which is for people.

That's people in Spanish.

And then I could go,

and scroll through them until I find

the one that sounds right.

If for example,

I know that I'm looking for AWS services

and products,

then I can scroll down to where AWS is

and see all of them here.

And that's useful if I haven't yet moved

all of these into my AWS note,

it actually looks like I kind of have,

so that's useful.

But if I didn't,

I would still be able to find them

by going through how they are listed

alphabetically within this folder.

A much more common way for me to find a note

if I know what it starts with

is by using the Quick Switcher.

Quick Switcher is a core plugin in Obsidian,

but I don't know why it's not just enabled by default,

I would always enable it

and then after that,

you could type the cut key for it,

mine is ⌘O

and then I can start doing AWS.

And then I can go through the list,

and see everything that I saw in the file explorer as well,

except this just is well, faster.

T stands for Time

and in Obsidian,

I keep track of the time component of my notes

using links or metadata,

with the help of some plugins.

This is an example of Fantasy Calender,

you can use Calender as well.

But for example,

if I wanted to know what happened on Thunsheer the 2nd

and I could go into this Fantasy Calender,

and this is from a role-playing game that I ran.

And I can hover over that,

and I find out that we had a session,

the 54th session in this campaign

and I can look at what happened.

So, this is one way to find that note

if I didn't know exactly what it was called,

I mean, how would I have known

that it was the 54th note, right?

But in this way,

because it's time-based,

I was able to find it.

You could do the same thing

with like non roleplaying things.

For example, this is my calender,

this is just the calender community plugin,

not Fantasy Calender

and each one corresponds to a daily note.

So, I'm going to open up today's note,

just because I know I haven't written anything

in that one yet,

so it's safe to show you.

So, if I click on that,

then I can see what I've done or anything else

that I linked to that day.

When I create a note,

I usually do have this metadata in there,

so I put a date parameter

and then I add in the date that I created that note

or worked on it,

so I would add more to here for...

So, then as things go on,

I add more

and more dates to this one,

this is something that I've changed a lot by the way.

Let's take for example,

this note on the Warlock RPG

that I just worked on this morning.

If I didn't know how to find this note,

but I knew that I'd worked on something this morning,

well I could go to the daily note for today

and then go into the back links here,

and look at all the places where

I've linked to this date from.

So, I can see that I also worked on the Coyote & Crow page,

I see that there was a Readwise sync that happened,

this is another page that I worked on

and then if I scroll down,

I'll see,

"Oh yes, it was Warlock RPG."

But then I can click on it from there

and I've found this note.

C stands for Category,

so this could mean many things.

I use links

and metadata for semantic connections

or similarities in meaning

and then I use tags for system-related things.

For semantic categories,

I mostly create maps of content or MOC's,

this is my MOC for tabletop role-playing games

and I mostly use just a page that summarizes

other pages that are related to it.

So, in this case,

these are all the notes that are related

to tabletop roleplaying games.

So, I have a games index for the games that I've played,

but also different systems,

so this is manually created,

but I actually prefer that because then I can add

some nuance to these links.

So, in some of these,

like this one doesn't exist because I've never played it

and I haven't read the book yet.

If I just had a bunch of links,

that wouldn't really add much value,

but in this way,

because I'm creating these links manually,

I'm also adding like a short description of what they are.

Sometimes I also use metadata for this,

like if there is something that I want to link this page to,

that isn't already mentioned in the text,

then I might add it within a comment like this.

And then I can create a link like maybe Knave House Rules

and that'll also be clickable.

That's another way to add category,

but one that I don't use as much.

And the other way that I mentioned is tags,

if I go to tags here,

you'll see that I have a bunch of tags

and let's look at my TVZ tag,

which is the tag that I use for things

that come into my vault that I haven't yet processed.

So, if I click on this Four Thousand Weeks,

this is a book that I've synced through Readwise

that I've started to create highlights on,

but I haven't actually finished it yet.

Having this tag here in the metadata as well,

helps me kind of jump to

all of the notes that have this tag.

And the last part of LATCH is H,

which is Hierarchy.

That means that if you're looking for a note,

but you don't know what it's called,

then you could try to go further up the chain

and look to see what it's parents' notes are.

I've actually done a video on ExcaliBrain,

so check that out if you want more details

on how I do this,

but I'm just gonna give you a quick look right now.

Let's say I have a note called Jmeter.

JMeter is a load testing tool,

but let's say I've forgotten what it's called

and I don't really know what it starts with,

so none of the other items in the LATCH approach

are going to help me.

For hierarchy, I mainly use metadata

in conjunction with the ExcaliBrain plugin.

In this note you'll see that within this comment,

I've listed a bunch of parents,

including Load Testing Tool.

But let's say I don't know what JMeter is

and I'm just going to go to Load Testing Tool

because I know that I'm looking

for a load testing tool in particular.

Now, I can already see I actually linked to it,

that is another way to find hierarchy is through links,

but if I'd forgotten to link it through here,

there's still another way that I could do it.

So, let me hit Ctrl P here to open up the command palette

and then I want to open up ExcaliBrain

in a pop-out window.

I apparently have a lot of things linked

to this load testing tool node,

let me just zoom in a little bit here.

So, this is a little bit of a mess

because it is inferring a lot of things

from the links that I have going to

and from this page.

You can see that I have written a lot around this subject.

But in this case,

I've actually specified that as a child in the front matter.

So, if I hide inferred nodes,

then I should be able to see what I'm looking for.

And there it is,

now there's only one node here

and would you know it?

It's JMeter, that's the thing that I was looking for.

Many people get stuck on organizing notes

and sometimes that means they don't even get started

in taking the notes at all.

There's just so much to do

and none of us has the time to do it all,

especially not perfectly.

So, I think it's a more realistic solution

to just pick whatever method works

or makes sense at the time

and then accept that you're going to have to do

some upkeep later when you find something

that's incorrectly organized.

You can always use Quick Switcher or Obsidian Search,

those core plugins are super useful for finding things

that you maybe didn't put the right metadata on.

If you'd like to hear more about

how real people process notes,

check out this video on Why Inbox Zero is A Myth.

And thank you for watching.

благодаря.