Getting lost in your computer files is one thing you should try to avoid. If you are not careful, it might not take too long before you struggle to locate the necessary document. Not to mention that a time might come when you experience storage issues because the amount of data and files got out of hand.
It is necessary to have a solid Computer File Management strategy while organizing your computer files, as it is crucial to create one early and stick to the system, so you have an easier time going forward.
Let’s take a look at some of the basics that you should include in your file management strategy.
Naming Conventions
One of the key aspects of organizing computer files is to make sure that you have a proper naming convention. More often than not, you will likely use the search function to find a file you need, especially if you have a lot of different files and folders to go through.
Take images, for instance. Instead of keeping them named IMG_1 or IMG_2, you should be smarter and follow certain rules. If the images are from your vacation, you could name them Paris_Trip_1 or something similar. For work images, such as design projects, you can use Logo_Design_v1. Adding a date and who the logo is for also makes it easier to distinguish between different files.
And note that the same should apply to images you download from the Internet (if you do not delete them right away) or transfer from other devices to your computer. Most files you download or copy from another device tend to have random names. And while renaming each file individually can be a bother, it is part of the process to keep the computer data organized.
External Storage
According to the information here, lack of free storage is one of the most common reasons behind poor computer performance. Struggling to do your job on a poorly optimized device is not ideal, to say the least.
If the sheer volume of data on your computer becomes too much for the device to handle and you notice that there are only a few gigabytes of free storage left because you need to take action.
Naturally, you cannot just delete the files at random to make more free space because getting rid of important data is not a viable option.
Instead, it makes more sense to seek an alternative approach. One such suggestion could be relying on external storage files.
For those who prefer a digital system, clouds are the go-to method. And if you are okay with keeping physical accessories, then a USB flash drive or an external hard drive should be your pick.
Both clouds and storage accessories have their pros and cons. For the former, you will likely need to pay a monthly fee because services like iCloud or Dropbox only offer a few gigabytes of free storage. At the same time, clouds are considered more secure and durable because physical storage accessories will not last forever.
One final thing to note about external storage solutions is that you can also treat both options as a means to back up data. Creating a safety net for your files is a smart move as you cannot predict potential hazards, such as malware attacks or hardware breakdowns, causing you problems and potentially corrupting or deleting important data on your device.
Purging the Clutter
Even though we talked about how deleting files is not a solution to potential storage issues, it is necessary to emphasize that you will need to cut certain data now and then. The purging might not even be related to storage problems.
Managing files is easier when you can avoid clutter. For instance, there might be some files that are duplicates, which makes them redundant. If you need to go through hundreds of different redundant files to find what you are looking for, that hardly sounds like a productive situation.
Keep an eye on potential files that can get out of hand by becoming duplicates or redundant. And if you need to automate the process of purging redundant clutter, do not hesitate to invest in cleaning utility software that can do the job for you.
For more tips on deleting data and freeing up space on a computer, you can use the video below as a reference:
Testing and Improving
The last thing to mention in this article is about testing new ideas and looking for potential ways to improve the entire process.
Sure, once you have a strategy set in stone, you should stick to it for the sake of consistency, but if you find instances when your actions feel redundant or not as efficient as you would like, consider how you can improve that.
Little by little, you should be able to establish a great file-organizing strategy and make small adjustments now and then for additional productivity.
