How to store your final results in an organized way?

[Marie-Claire]

How to store your final result in an organized way?

 

I hope it's OK to ask this here? Or has this already been discussed here on the Campus, and did I miss it?

I'm curious how you store the pages, creations you've made. In different folders, according to a criteria, everything in 1 folder, per workshop or challenges?

How do you organize everything you have made, the pspimage the jpg file etc.

I don't know how to keep everything well organized, easy to see.

Sometimes I think it's easier to see when all created pages can be seen in 1 folder, but then I doubt again, how am I going to know whether it was made with a template, or with the help of a workshop and so on.

How are you organized if I may ask?

[cindy harris]

I want to know to Following

[Rene Marker]

After many years and various ways of organizing my digital files, I have finally settled on the system I use now.

 

Let me preface it by saying that in the almost 15 years of digital scrapping I have over 2000 layouts. I print these layouts as 12x12 prints and put them in Creative Memories strap-hinge albums. I have my albums sorted by themes.

 

So I have a folder called Digital Layouts. I have 3 sub-folders called _600x600 Files, _Layouts, _PSP Layout Files. Within each of these sub-folders, I have more sub-folders. The same folders in each. Each of those folders are named by the theme of the album where the layouts will be put when printed. For example, Vacations, Disney (which is a sub-folder under my Vacations folder because it is an album on its own), Dogs (with a sub-folder for my current dog Peyton), House, Family (with sub-folders for 4 different family names) to name a few.

 

As I work on the psp file of the layouts, they are saved in the PSP Layouts folder in a "to be sorted" folder. The finished jpg files are saved in a "to be uploaded" folder in the Layouts folder. And, a 600x600 sized copy of the jpg is saved in a "to be sorted" folder in the 600x600 folder. When I upload the files to my printing website, I then move the files to the correct theme folder in all 3 folders. Then I have empty "to be uploaded" and "to be sorted" folders. I found that putting the layouts in the "to be uploaded" folder helped me keep track of what layouts need to be uploaded since I did in the past print a layout or 2 more than once because I didn't realize it had already been printed!

 

With this system, I have the pspimage file in the case that I find I have to make changes. I can then resave the file as a new jpg to be uploaded. That is why I don't upload for printing immediately either! I have the 600x600 folders because I have kept a spreadsheet tracking what kits/templates I use since 2008 and I put the small image file in there for each layout. And, if I need to share a layout with a gallery, I have the right size file right there!

 

Yes, saving the pspimage file takes up disk space but external hard drive storage isn't that expensive these days. I have some project albums that are "complete" so those folders get moved to a backup external hard drive to free up space on my hard drive. And, the large jpg and small jpg files for the albums are also moved to the backup. In other words, the files on my computer are mainly for current projects.

 

Hope this makes sense!

[Marie-Claire]

Thank you Rene. You explained this clearly. I had in mind not to keep the 600x600 images, but  it's a good idea what you're using them for. Thank you for taking the time to explain your way of working, I can do something with it.

[Rene Marker]

Marie-Claire, it has worked out great still having them. All of my ABC layouts were actual layouts done 10 years ago. Since I still have the 600x600, I haven't had to go through the process of resizing them to add them to the threads. And, honestly, the 600x600 don't take up that much space.

[Susan Ewart]

Marie-Claire, this too, is an ongoing always evolving issue for me.  I have a different way currently, but want to incorporate Rene's idea for the finished work, with subfolders so I can find (for example) all the Bootcamp layouts or whatever else.  I like the idea of having the finished work all in one spot.  I like also having the workshop/bootcamp/etc files (that we download for the course) in another location.

 

Here is my current system.  Under "Digital Scrapbooking" I have various folders, "02 Workshops, Finished etc" is where the finished layouts AND the course file.  second shot shows the subfolders in the Workshop folder.  This is great if I want to do the workshop again, I have all the downloads right there.  BUT, I also have my finished work there.  And it is not working for me.  I have to keep going through too much stuff.

 

That's where Rene's system looks really enticing, to have just the finished/jpgs/600's etc in a Main folder under (for me) the Digital Scrapbooking.  I would be so much easier to find just the finished work without all the other files to go through.  It's a goal for 2023.  Also, to keep track of which fonts I used so I dont accidently delete a font and not be able to go back to that layout to tweak it.

 

It's a lot of work but I it's going to make it easier once I do it.  Also, I know that you have to try a new system and live with for some time and decide if it's working for you or not.  What parts are working, what isnt.  It's always changing as I learn how I work.  I'm tired of feeling unorganized, because I cant find something.

[Rene Marker]

Susan, I have other organization besides my layouts as well.

 

I have my main folder that is called Digi Scrapping. Then I have folders in there including the Digital Layouts folder I described above. Other folders are for images and digital kits I've purchased over the 15 years I've been scrapping. A more recent folder is called "PSP Info".

 

That folder is where I have various folders with information about using PSP. I keep my zip files for Cassel Scripts in one folder. Then there is a folder for "Scrapbook Campus". That is where I have my workshop folders and folders for the downloaded pdf files for master classes. For any layouts from the workshops, they end up in the Digital Layouts folder. I like having all my layouts together.

 

I had about 12 to 13 years of digital history before I came to the campus so my organization was geared for that.

[Susan Ewart]

I have that too Rene.  There is about 15 main folders in the Digital Scrapbook, the ones I showed is one of them, actually it's the 2nd one.  I numbered them because I didnt want them alphabetical, I put the ones I use the most at the beginning.  I keep the ZIP files too, Resource type ones are in a different folder than than  Scrap Supplies and my fonts have a zip folder as well. I made the mistake of renaming my extracted fonts folder and my front program couldnt find it. thankfully I figured it out pretty quickly.  I normally love to organize...physical stuff that is.  I find it relaxing.  Digital stuff is not as easy for me.  I think years of experience will help in making it organized for the best work flow and ease of finding what I'm looking for.  I spend too much time looking for something I need, that's how I know it's not quite working for me.  I love to hear/see how people organize their digital stuff.

[Rene Marker]

These days I keep all the zip files for kits that I buy from the digital stores. I know many people unzip their purchases and delete the zip files. Not me! I will admit that I don't have the zip files for my earliest purchases since at the time I didn't see the need to keep them. But in the last several years, I had several times that I was scrapping other photos from events that I had scrapped just one page when I was on a creative team in 2012. I wanted to coordinate the additional pages and didn't have the kits on my computer but I had the zip files on an EHD! So now I have coordinating layouts that you would never know I didn't scrap them at the same time.

 

I just make sure those zip files are on 2 separate external hard drives (in case one fails). Never know when you might need them!

 

I have a couple of folders for my digital kits. One is called "DSKMU" (digital scrapping kits most used) and the other is "Other Dig Scrap Kits". All my current stuff is in DSKMU. Stuff from designers that have retired or stores that closed down are in the other folder. In my DSKMU folder, I have a folder for the store, for example _The Lily Pad, Disney Type Kits and Sweet Shoppe Designs are the main ones I use. Putting the underline before "The" has it sort first. That is the main store I shop at. In that folder, I have a folder for each designer and within that folder are folders for each kit. I am what is known as a "one kit scrapper" in that I don't mix things from various designers so keeping all the kits together works for me. I know people that actually separate the stuff out by the type of item such as buttons, flowers, papers etc. They mix and match on their layouts so that works for them.

 

Another little trick that I use is that when a designer retires a kit, I rename the folder with a "z-" in front of the kit name. It then sorts to the bottom of the folder. Some places require the use of current products in their challenges so this makes it easy for me to know not to use that kit. And, if the designer actually retires, I put the "z-" on their folder and move it to my Retired Designers folder. Another advantage to not separating kits is the ability to move it to a different folder when needed. I've had to do that several times when designers have moved to a new store.

[Marie-Claire]

Susan I have exactly the same system as yours but as you say one has to search many folders each time

Rene's way could indeed be a solution for that.

It is indeed a great work, but starting now with the new creations is a good start.

And as you say, I also like to organize physical things, but digitally organizing everything in an effecient way is not that easy.

That's why my question here, because I'm quietly getting a bit nervous  ? thinking about how I would do that best.

[Rene Marker]

Marie-Claire I've reorganized many times over the years. I still tweak small things but I finally found something that works for me. The layouts were the area that has been reorganized the most. At one time I dumped them all in one folder. And, I wasn't very good with the naming.

 

When I was on a couple creative teams, I named the layout by kit name. It worked at that time but as I organized physical albums and decided to put the digital layouts in separate folders for each album, I was having a hard time finding some of the digital files for the physical layout... until I remembered they were done for creative team work. I've renamed all of those files!

 

Since I only scrap for myself these days, I finally got settled into a system that works for my way of scrapping. If you do have to change your organization later, don't feel bad about it. Most people end up reorganizing several times. The important thing is to find something that works for you. I know my way won't work for everyone but if anything helps others, I'm more than glad to share. Because I've taken tips from others and applied it to my files.

[Marie-Claire]

Thank you René, we can always learn from each other, that's how it is. Especially from people who have been working on something for years.

 

Members who want to share other systems or tips perhaps? ?

What is easy for one is not always the same for the other