Organise around your current work
A useful folder system makes the next task easier. Start with one folder for each active course or project, then separate source material, working notes and completed work. Avoid creating a detailed taxonomy before you know what you need to retrieve.
Use file names that identify the subject and purpose. ‘Interview-notes-project-A’ is easier to recognise than ‘notes-final-new’. If the date matters, use a consistent date format.
Keep sources close to your notes
When you save a quotation, statistic or useful explanation, record where it came from. Include the title, author or organisation, URL and the date you accessed it. Keeping the source with the note makes later checking and attribution easier.
Distinguish your interpretation from the source’s words. Short annotations explaining why you saved a resource can be more helpful than a large collection of unexplained bookmarks.
Review what deserves to stay
At the end of a project, move completed work into an archive and remove unnecessary duplicates. Keep a short index if the project has many files. Test that your backup includes the material you would struggle to recreate.
The aim is retrieval, not perfect organisation. If your system adds more work than it saves, simplify it until finding and continuing your work feels straightforward.
