How to Organize Your Desktop by Naturally Following Your Workflow
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by desktop clutter and you’re looking for a quick and easy method to tidy up your desktop and keep your digital environment tidy and organized, here’s a technique to get organized once and for all.
Maria João Valente has been using Workflow Desktop Icons to structure her digital workflow with a minimum of effort, for more than a year.
“Basically it allows me to keep files organized and an uncluttered desktop (both essential to my sanity).”
Workflow Desktop Icons
Everything revolves around three main folders, “Doing”, “To-do” and “Archive”. These can be accessed directly via the Dock on a Mac, and are regularly checked or re-organized according to the workflow. All other folders are out of sight and serve as permanent storage for further use.
Here’s a flow chart of Maria’s digital workflow.
- The Work Zone contains all the files or folders that are being used now (i.e. this week).
- The To-Do Zone has stuff to be reviewed as soon as I have the time. (Hint: most of the downloaded files get here, to be organized later. Another Hint: I use Hazel to keep this place organized by file type.)
- The Out Zone folder is where I place all files or folders that are going to be exported and stored off my computer, either on an external HD, a DVD or online.
Maintaining a peaceful and productive desktop is easy when you follow your workflow.
By sharing her process, Maria hopes to help you get you going organizing your digital stuff. (Or share with us the process you’re already using.)
Maria João Valente is an archaeologist, university professor and a passionate Mac user. She lives in Portugal and blogs about her interests at Mac ao Quadrado. You can read my interview with Maria here or follow her on Twitter.
Tags: customer story, digital environment, getting organized, how-to, inspiration, organized, overwhelm, productivity, simplicity, tutorials, workflow
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This is wonderful!! My desktop is always in a mess. I love the flow chart of Maria’s digital workflow ~ really cool and very organized!
So gald that Marmalade is back up and everything is working fine. Have a lovely merry happy day and lots of love to you sweet friend!
You know what’s in my to-do folder? A link to your tutorials and guides page. :) really!
Maria’s work-flow chart makes a lot of sense; so simple and smart. Thank you for sharing this with us. I think I’ll try to utilize this idea; hopefully it will help me get organized enough so I have time to browse through your guides and learn how to stay that way. I’m so glad I met you, Kate. I always leave here with a smile.
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Dale, I’m so glad I met you too. Your blog is always a wonderful, beautiful visit!
hmmm… this is a good idea. :)
Thank you for your comments! I agree, it’s so generous of Maria to share here method with us and I feel it always helps with practical examples.
Kate recently posted..Resources for Creative Entrepreneurs About Easy Blogging- Digital Downsizing and Inspiration for Life
Wow. I had no idea a desktop could be so organized. I like how definitive she is with her decisions, which clearly helps her organization along. i tend to put things to the side that maybe I’ll use again, maybe not. I think i must have 8 different versions of my logo, many of them completely outdated or unusable. You might think I would have just dumped those by now, but pathetically, I have not. They are even taking up space in my external HD!
Now, off the read that interview.
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Hi Amy, yes, I agree, Maria has a very structured way of sieving her incoming stuff, that helps her keep only what she’s currently working with on her desktop. As for versions of things, like a logo, that would fall into the category of “all other folders are out of sight and serve as permanent storage for further use”. Sort of like a real desk, where you file away things that you need to keep, but don’t need to have out on the desk?
Kate recently posted..Resources for Creative Entrepreneurs About Easy Blogging- Digital Downsizing and Inspiration for Life
Wow, this is such a clearly organised & structured workflow! I definitely needed to read this clever advice. Thanks Kate and Maria!! :)
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Wow! Brilliant organization. I’m inspired to get my organization better um, organized. =)
Thanks!
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