Efficient ways to organise files and folders on your Mac
Organising the space in which you work, and keeping your desktop organised always helps you concentrate better on the tasks you need to solve.
The same applies to the workspace in the gadgets we use for work. This is why the organisation of files and folders on a Mac is an essential factor in effective operation and our productivity. Therefore, to avoid losing valuable information, wasting time searching for it, and as a result, decreasing productivity, we will look at the best ways to organise your Mac dock and the best way to organise files.
Use folders for organising documents
Proper organisation starts with creating folders. To do this, right-click in the Finder and choose New Folder. Alternatively, you may also use the Shift+Command+N combination. Thanks to folders, you may group your files into categories, so in the future making it easier to find the documents you need.
For example, you can create folders by dividing them into business projects you are working on.
You can also create thematic folders to organise docs by type or topic. For example, you could have a separate folder for music or videos, and another for documents or photos.
What is Smart Folder Mac?
With a Smart Folder Mac, you can automatically collect files based on specific criteria. This makes it easier to find and organise documents.
This way, you can create a smart folder that automatically collects files created in the last week or month, or collects all Word documents. This is especially useful for those users who deal with a large number of documents.
To create such a Mac folder, you should choose File, then New Smart Folder in the Finder, and then configure the search criteria.
After creating different folders, you may also need to transfer files on your Mac. So, you may be wondering how to move files on Mac. This process can be done in different ways. On specialised sites, the move files on Mac process will be given with detailed instructions for your ease of understanding. You will get to know the drag and drop function and others. Moving can be simplified by the ability to copy file path Mac and use it to quickly move or copy documents to the desired folders.

Tags for better organisation
With tags, you can add colourful markings to files and folders. This makes it easier to identify them and find them later. Tagging allows you to quickly find and sort your Mac files by category. That is, you can use green colour for work documents, orange one for personal documents, and yet another for media files.
To add a tag to a file or folder, right-clіck and choose a tag from the menu. You can customise tags in the Finder preferences.
Use the stack and organise shortcuts
Mac offers a feature that automatically groups files on your desktop by date, type, or other criteria. This is called the Stack feature, and it lets you quickly find the documents you need and keep your desktop neat. You can also create shortcuts on your desktop for the folders and applications you use most often.
Creating backups
Backing up your files is an essential part of data security. Your Mac offers several ways to back up your documents.
Time machine
This is a built-in Mac feature. It allows you to automatically back up your docs. All you need to do is set up Time Machine in System Preferences and connect an external drive to store your backups.
Cloud services
Using Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox allows you to back up your files in an easy way and access them from any device. This provides an additional layer of security for your data.
Storage optimisation
It helps free up space on your Mac and keep it running efficiently. You can optimize by using built-in tools and deleting unnecessary files.
How to use the built-in tools:
- Open About This Mac
- Storage
- Open Manage
- You’ll see optimization recommendations.
- Delete unnecessary files
Regularly deleting outdated, unnecessary files and programs will free up space on your hard drive. This will make your computer run much more efficiently.
Popular Mac desktop organisation аpps
Clean
This program automatically moves all files from your desktop to a special folder on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Unclutter
It lets you store notes, documents, and the clipboard in a hidden window.
Hazel
It automates the organisation of files on your Mac.
Summary
If you want to work productively, your Mac must be not only technically sound, but also organised. To do this, you should organise your files and folders properly. You can use both regular folders and smart options. Also, don’t forget about backups. Storage optimisation and regular desktop cleanup will also be helpful. All of this will help you avoid clutter and keep your Mac and your personal life running efficiently.
Love tech? Are you an older gamer? Read more…

If you’d like to receive a regular mini-magazine direct to your inbox with a selection of editorial features to read at your leisure, please sign up for our newsletter. We also run the odd competition and offer and whatnot, and newsletter members get the heads-up first.


The InfiniDesk app helps me keep my Mac desktop organised – quite a novel approach giving you multiple desktops