How to Organize Files for your Digital Scrapbooking

We will discuss here a bit about how to organize files . . . As you collect digital scrapbooking kits and other digital artwork to use in your digital scrapbooking projects, it won't take long for you to see the need to keep your files organized. There are many ways to go about this - here are a few suggestions to get you started . . .

Over time you will accumulate many files for artwork from many sources.

There are free printable scrapbook pages and digital scrapbooking kits: tools, overlays, fonts and more. Many designers offer digital scrapbooking downloads, available immediately over the internet. There are many free printable scrapbook pages and embellishments available online, both free and for purchase. And if you are so inclined, you can create your own artwork too. And then there are your digital or scanned photo files.

It is easy to understand how quickly your files will accumulate and be difficult to find if you do not implement some sort of organization from the beginning.

When you download scrapbooking papers, elements and kits from the internet, they are generally contained in a zip file along with documentation spelling out the Terms of Use and the Designer and copyright information.

How to Organize Files - Digital Artwork

One suggest method of staying organized is as follows:

Download new files, unzip the download and keep all of the original information in the downloaded folder. This will allow you to easily reference the original information.

Place the original folder inside a folder named with the date of download in a year, month, day format (ex. 090607), followed by the initials of the designer or website source.

When you have completed all downloads for a particular day, burn a back up DVD or CD of your new files.

If your digital artwork was supplied with a preview file showing samples of uses, you may want to consider printing a copy and placing it in a binder to reference your purchases later.

Create additional folders on your computer for each type of file, such as: "bows", "buttons", "trims", "papers", "overlays", "templates", etc. Place a copy of each of your new digital artwork files in the appropriate folder. This will make it easier to scan and find a specific element.

You may also want to consider taking the time to tag your files with appropriate keywords to allow you to search for specific elements.

How to Organize Files - Photographs

Current photographs (digital) can also be organized by using folders labeled with the date by year, month and date, followed by a name of the event, person or some other easily recognized name.

Older photographs and scans can be organized in folders by subject and year if known.

Your Finished Projects

As you finish your projects, you will once again need to think about how to organize files.

Once you have completed your scrapbook pages, please do not depend on your computer's hard drive for permanent storage. Print your projects as soon as possible and burn a back up CD or DVD of your final projects. Label the disk with the date (again I suggest using the YYMMDD format), the subject and I also like to add the file or project size.

For more downloadable files, return to our Purely Digital Scrapbooking Home Page from How to Organize Files page.

SBI!