November 2021 - Is your Google Drive a hot mess?

 Quote of the Month - November 

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” — Michael Altshuler

Is Your Google Drive a Hot Mess?

My Google Drive is or was embarrassing. I had made attempts to be organized and as a result, it was WAY more disorganized. I figured "hey if I make this folder then I will certainly remember to put things in there and then go back to it when I need those things". Well, I was lying to myself. I had dreams of being organized. But what I was missing was lessons from Marie Kondo and the Home Edit ladies. Which is this: 1- Thank the document, slides, whatever for their service, and declutter, and 2- create a system that is user friendly and colored in rainbows. Luckily, Google Drive has features that make this easy. This month's I am going to give you tips to keep your Google Drive organized and user-friendly with inspiration from the organization gurus.

Tips for Organizing Your Google Drive

The KonMari Method and the Home Edit share similar principles in their methods. Commit yourself to organizing, looking at all of the stuff that you have, putting stuff in categories, and discarding anything you no longer use or no longer "sparks joy". The following tips will help your Google Drive "spark joy" once again. (However, just one thing... I am not an organized person and one of my tips would make Marie, Clea, and Joanna cringe. But that's ok!)

Tip 1: Actually through your Google Drive I had some time earlier this summer to look through my Google Drive. It was time. Every time I opened it I cringed, search for what I was looking for, and closed it so I didn't have to look at it again. When I actually looked at it I noticed there were some folders that were empty, some folders had duplicates, and some folders didn't make any sense. By starting here you are setting yourself up for success. You are acknowledging that your Google Drive needs to be cleaned up. Then start deleting the stuff you no longer need or want.	Tip 2: Color Code and Naming Conventions Did you know that you can color-code your folders in Google Drive? The Home Edit is BIG on using rainbows for organizing. It is visually appealing and the colors help identify where things go quickly. See the tutorial below to learn how to change the colors of your folders. Also, use a common naming convention to find things quickly. For example, I started using "School Year" folders two years ago. For example, I name the folder 2021-22 School Year and then I put everything I create that year into that folder. I started doing this two years ago and it's been a lifesaver! I can now go into that folder and find the activity I worked on in the past. And, for fun, you can add emojis to your titles to give your Drive a little flair! Copy and paste emojis from this website.	Tip 3: Staring Folders and Priority Drive If I need to find something quickly I will add it to the Starred label. For example, my BEES Evaluation folder has a Starred label. Drive Priority identifies files that you use frequently and places them at the top of your Google Drive. You can choose to have this feature on or off. Personally, it makes me feel more disorganized. I keep it off.

Tip 4: Hot Mess Folder So, maybe you don't want to delete everything. Maybe you have some files that may become useful someday. And maybe these files bring you joy. That's where the Hot Mess Folder comes into play. I was recently reading Alice Keeler's blog post where she describes the purpose of this folder. The Hot Mess folder is to take control of your Google Drive and give you a fresh start. It's where you put those files that you may not know what to do with just yet. The ones that bring you joy.