Where-Oh-Where Has My File Gone?
By Nancy Kruschke McKinney

Do you save ALL of your computer files in "My Documents"? Have difficulty finding the file you need when you want it? Here are a few tips on managing your computer files.

Ask Questions

Before you save anything on your computer ask the following questions:

WHO needs it? WHAT use is it? WHEN will I use it? WHERE will I find it? WHY do I want or need it? HOW long do I need to SAVE it?

Paper = Computer

Think of your computer files just as you do your paper files. Do you have one big folder in a file drawer labeled "My Documents"? No! You have multiple folders of information. Your computer sub-folders should mirror your paper file folders. By using the same folder names, it will be less confusing and reduce the amount of names you have to remember. Also, don't start file names with dates. It's nice to have a date in the file name, but put the date at the end (i.e. 2001 Leads should be Leads 2001).

Creating New Folders

1. Right click on the Start button
2. Left click on Explore - this is the electronic filing cabinet. You can view every document, file, and program on your computer from Explore.
3. The screen is split into two sides. The Left side only shows folders, and the Right side shows the sub-folders and individual files within the folder that is highlighted on the Left side.
4. On the Left side, locate the folder named "My Documents" and click on it to highlight it. All of the folders and files listed on the Right are the contents of "My Documents."
5. Any folder you now create will be created in "My Documents."
6. On the menu bar click FILE, NEW, FOLDER.
7. You will notice on the Right side at the bottom of the list is a new folder icon. Then type in the folder name and hit ENTER.

Easy, isn't it?! Now that you are a pro at creating new folders, start back at step 4 and create as many as you need. You can even create sub-folders within these sub-folders. Instead of having "My Documents" highlighted, highlight the folder you want to create the sub-folder in.

Let me give you an example of why you would want to do this. Let's say you created a folder called "Clients." Saving documents for each client in a separate sub-folder for will make it much easier to find the type of information you want without looking through all of your files.

Moving Existing Files to Sub-folders

Now that you've created the sub-folders, you can begin moving files (or documents) out of "My Documents" into the appropriate sub-folder. This step is also done in Windows Explorer. Remember, there are two sides to the screen.

1. On the Left side double click on "My Documents." This will show you all of your sub-folders on the Left side.
2. On the Right side you will see your sub-folders and all of your files.
3. To move a file into one of the sub-folders, highlight the file, Left click , HOLD and drag the file to the Left side. Make sure the sub-folder you want to drop it into is highlighted; then release the mouse button.
4. Continue this process until all of the files have been filed into your sub-folders.

Renaming Files

You may discover that you need to rename a file, because the name doesn't tell you what information the file contains. Follow the steps below to rename files in Explorer.

1. Right click on the folder you want to RENAME so it is highlighted. Choose RENAME from the drop down list.
2. Type the name you would like the file to have and hit ENTER.
3. Make sure you keep the file extension the same. For example, if the file you are RENAMING is "smith.doc" (extension ".doc") and you want it to be "smithproposal4-01" then type "smithproposal4-01.doc". This is important to be able to access the file again.

I hope this helps you to manage the overwhelming files in "MY DOCUMENTS". Keep in mind that your computer file cabinet should mirror your paper file cabinet. Happy organizing!

Nancy Kruschke, owner of Successful Organizing Solutions (S.O.S.) is an organizing coach, consultant, and speaker. Nancy can be reached at 608-441-6767 or Nancy@!SOSorganize.net or visit www.SOSorganize.net.