How To Organize Your Files On A Windows Computer

Let’s face it. Files can accumulate on your Windows laptop or computer over time. You might be using the device to back up your smartphone photos or save important personal digital documents. Maybe you have a work laptop with many files to track and no organization system down pat to get it all in order. 

Here we have a comprehensive guide on how you can organize your files on any Windows computer. Following step-by-step will help you to find the files you need faster and easier whenever you need them.  

Go to the Computer Folder You Want To Organize

When you go to a Windows File Explorer, it usually divides the files into these categories: Downloads, Documents, Pictures, Screenshots, Music, Videos, and Desktop. The category of files you would need to organize depends on the file type that you save most on your device. 

Click on your chosen file category and peruse your saved files. From there, start thinking of how you want to classify your files.  

Categorize Your Files

Before you can make any folders, it’s time to classify each of your files. There are many ways that you can organize them depending on what they are. Here are just some ideas to get started:

• Family Pictures: Organize them by year or a special event or trip that occurred. 
• Downloads: Drag and drop the files to their appropriate file type like images in the Picture section or Microsoft Office files in the Documents section so the Downloads section is clear.
• Music: By genre i.e. Pop, Rock, R&B, etcetera. 
• Screenshots: Categorize them by platform. If you need to screenshot your screen for work, but you also do it while gaming, you can have two categories: Work and Gaming. 

In-Depth File Organization Example

Here’s a more involved example. Let’s say you want to organize some personal documents to get ready to file your taxes. You have your personal files uploaded like birth certificate and Social Security card. You are self-employed and have files tracking your earnings from each client. You even have some casino documents to claim your winnings on your tax return. 

First, make a folder called “Tax Documents”. Click on the folder so that you can make folder categories inside of it, which could be “Personal Files” (birth certificate and SSN), “Casino Documents” (files for claiming winnings on tax return), and “Self-Employment” (earnings documents). 

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Make Folders

Creating folders for your files is the easiest and most effective way to start getting more organized. There are a couple of ways that you can create a folder, depending on the layout of your Windows software. 

Look at the top left hand corner of the File Explorer screen once you have selected whether you want to organize your Music, Downloads, Pictures, or other section. You will see an icon that looks like a standard-sized manila folder. Click on it to generate a new folder in that section of your device. From there, type in a name for the folder and press “Enter”. 

The second avenue for creating a new folder involves an extra couple of steps. Right click anywhere on a white part of the screen for a list of options to generate. Scroll down to “New”. When that menu pops up, click on “Folder”. Then, type in what you want to name the folder and press “Enter” once complete. 

Conclusion

Once you have your files organized, it will be much easier to find them when you need access. Don’t put off this task today. It can make your computer experience that much more streamlined going forward.