HowTo: Keep your files organized in Windows

We've all done it. Downloaded something and just clicked "OK" when it asked us where to save the file without looking. At first it seems fine, but after a while later you come back to that folder to find the photo you just saved has been swallowed by a behemoth that is your "Downloads" folder. So how do you clean it up without just deleting all of it?

1. Create New Folder - Start by clicking the right mouse button in an empty area of the folder you are in(If you see a background image, you're in your "Desktop" folder. Right-clicking anywhere on the image is fine) and select Create New Folder. Type a logical name for the new folder and hit Enter. When getting your computer organized you should really only be creating new folders at the beginning, and very sparingly later on. Also, if you find yourself with a new folder called "New Folder" just select it by clicking on it once and hit the "F2" key. You will be able to rename it to something more appropriate.

2. Create a plan - Technically, you should do this first. You need to figure out how to sort your files into a method that makes sense to you. If you want pictures of your family separated from those funny pictures your cousin sent you you will need to set up separate folders for each. I'd suggest in such a case that you create a folder called "Pictures"(if it hasn't already been created) and in that folder create the folders in which you want your photos sorted. If your family photos start getting a little too unruly in their own folder, you may want to separate them even more. My personal suggestion is grouping them by date. Doing this by specific date can be tedious, but having a folder by Season and Year is simple enough to make and remember.

3. DIY - Don't let the computer sort everything for you. Sure, it sounds like a nice option in theory, but you are basically asking a stranger to sort your files for you, and who knows how they would figure out what the best method would be. You can tell your programs to all save in the same place if you like, but that means you have to check and sort that folder's contents often. If you haven't let it get out of control already, this can be an easy task if you keep up with it. If you let it go, you're back at square one. To keep things neat, specify where you want to save a file every time, if possible. Don't let your photos end up in "Downloads", they deserve better than that.

4. Stay on top - A method is only as good as the effort you put into it. If you've come up with a great method and don't use it, you've still got a mess. Take 5 minutes out of your day to sort files into their appropriate locations and it will stay neat. A great benefit of having neat files is if you ever need to back up your files, you know exactly where to look. Even having a program to backup your files will want to know where they are, and you can tell it with confidence.