You probably know the feeling: your documents in the “Documents” folder are almost completely mixed up. I recognize this too. Every time I try to tidy up, I end up with folders labeled “to sort”, “miscellaneous” and “archive” filled with everything I don’t know where to put.

But what is a good folder structure?

I started with Windows 95/98, where you had a “Documents” folder for everything. Later, with Windows XP, a “Personal Files” folder was introduced, which contained subfolders like “My Pictures”, “My Documents”, “My Videos”, “My Music” etc. I found this to be a reasonably good way to organize folders.

In the current versions of Windows, these folders still exist, but there are other folders added that you don’t use at all. Additionally, the “Documents” folder is used for storing program settings and save-games. Unfortunately, this quickly turns into chaos. I have my thoughts about this, but it’s not going to change…

Since I have my own cloud, I solved this by synchronizing a specific folder with my computer, structured like it was in Windows XP. Of course, this can also be done without the cloud.

My directory structure

\My Drive
	\Archive    For files that are no longer current but need to be kept.
	\My Documents    Self-explanatory.
		\Study
		\Projects
		\Resource
	\My Downloads    Downloads that need to be saved are moved to this folder.
	\My Library    For storing documents like manuals, magazines, books etc. (mostly PDF files)
	\My Notes    Mainly for notepad files and notes.
	\My Personal Documents:    Documents with personal content.
	\My Pictures    Primarily for storing photos and images.
	\My Tools    Some “standalone” or “portable” executables (programs).
	\My Videos    Self-explanatory.
	\Other Files    For Python files, registry keys and PowerShell scripts.

In my case. “My Drive” is the folder synchronized across most of my devices. Is this a good folder structure? Yes, for me it is. However, it might not be workable for you. Therefore, here are some tips.

Tips for a good directory structure

1. Define the main structure: Start with a main folder where you store all your documents. This could be “Documents” or “Work”.
2. Categorize at a high level: Create subfolders for the main categories of your documents, such as “Personal”, “Work”, “Projects”, “Finance”, etc.
3. Use clear names: Use descriptive and clear names for your folders and files.
4. Date formats: For files that need to be organized by date, consistently use a date format in de naming, such as “YYYY-MM-DD”.
5. Version control: For documents that are frequently updated, consider adding version numbers, like “Document _v1”, “Document_v2”, etc.
6. Create subfolders as needed: Within each category, further divide info subcategories if necessary.
7. User templates: For documents you frequently create, save templates in a separate folder.
8. Periodic cleanup: Schedule regular times to check and reorganize your folder structure if needed.

Example directory structure

\Documents
	\Personal
		\Identification
		\Health
		\Housing
	\Work
		\Projects
			\Project A
				\Reports
				\Notes
				\Presentations
			\Project B
				\Reports
				\Notes
				\Presentations
			\Meetings
				\Agendas
				\Minutes
			\Administratie
				\Contracts
				\Bonuses
	\Finance
		\Bank Statements
		\Taxes
		\Insurance
	\Education
		\Courses
		\Certificates
		\Research articles
	\Travel
		\Vacations
		\Bookings
		\Travel Documents

Explanation

• Documents are the main folder where everything is stored.
• Personal, Work, Finance, Education and Travel are the main categories.
• Within each main category, there are further subdivisions based on specific needs.

Implementation

First, create the main folders and then subfolders within each main category. Start by moving your files and documents to the appropriate folders. Make sure to consistently add new documents according to the structure you have set up.