Windows Folder Structure

To create the topmost folder in the structure, click on "New folder." (Click on any image for a larger version.)

Windows operating systems (OS) all have default places that stuff goes into. For instance, in Windows XP, a document you write goes into the "My Documents" folder automatically; in Windows 7, it's the Document Library. That works fine if you have a few, or a few dozen, documents. But what if you have hundreds, or more? The situation can quickly become unmanageable; how do you find that PowerPoint presentation you need by 2 p.m., or the recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini amongst the thousands on your hard drive? That's why you need to learn how to develop a logical folder structure. It will save you loads of time, and make your computer life better.

For this step-by-step tutorial, we'll build a sample folder structure for our photos. To begin, go to your Start button, then Computer, then find your C: drive. For most people, this is their computer's primary hard drive, and the place you'll create the folders. Double-click the C: to open the drive. At the top of the window, you'll see the word "New folder". Left-click to make the new folder. (Note: these screenshots are from Windows 7. I will note the differences with Windows XP where applicable.) For both OSes, a shortcut is to right-click in a blank area of the C: drive, scroll down to "New" in the popup menu, and left-click "Folder" to make a new folder.

In Windows XP, go to Start/My Computer/Local Disk (C:). Then, under "File and Folder Tasks" on the left, click "Make a new folder".

The first folder is named "Photos". Not original, but you won't wonder what's in it.

Give your topmost folder in the new structure an easy-to-identify name; it's not a good idea to get fancy. The default name Windows gives it is "New folder." Not very descriptive, and likely to be no help at all when you're searching for something. You can right-click the folder name and select "Rename" from the popup menu, and give it a better name; you can alternatively use this keyboard shortcut to save a bit of time. As you can see here, I've renamed the folder "Photos."

So now we have a new folder on the C: drive, named Photos. Next, we'll create a sub-folder.

Your photos are now smartly organized and easy to find. No more wondering where you put Uncle Fred's wedding pictures from last year!

Notice in this screenshot how it placed the SpaceMountain photo at the bottom. That's because Windows automatically places the pictures in alphabetical order. Also, notice again at the top of the screen (outlined in red) that you now have a logical, easy-to-use folder structure: C:/Photos/Vacations/DisneyWorld. This will make it much, much easier to find the photos, documents, spreadsheets, etc. scattered all over your hard drive.

I strongly encourage you to make some sample (or real) folder structures. It's a skill that's easy to forget if you don't try it out a few times. Once having done it, though, I'm confident you'll organize your entire hard drive this way.

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