. Organizing Computer Journal Files

What is the best way to organize personal journal files on your computer?  Should you have a system suited to your needs?  And, if so, which one?

I would like to suggest that this organization is extremely important for journal entries to both be preserved and also to be easily retrieved upon demand.  For myself, I have a folder entitled “mcr Journal” on my personal computer and underneath that I have “mcr 2010 Journal” sub-folder.  In that sub-folder I have the word processing file entitled “mcr 01.10”.  Remember, using initials and abbreviations makes for simplification in notating files, photos, and other documents.  In this case, mcr stands for Marie Calder Ricks and 01.10 stands for January 2010.

When I have finished with this monthly journal file, it will be edited and printed so I will also have a hard copy to keep in a binder.  I can usually put twelve months’ worth of printed journal entries in one 1-1/2” thick binder. When February comes, I create a new computer file entitled “mcr 02.10”, which stands for Marie Calder Ricks, February 2010.  This is also kept in the “mcr 2010 Journal” sub-folder.

At the end of the year I will have 12 files, one for each month; these twelve files I will keep in the “mcr 2010 Journal” folder which will be inside the “mcr Journal” folder.  Over a period of time I will have a “mcr 2010 Journal” folder, a “mcr 2011 Journal” folder, and etc.

I like very much when I write in my journal to back up that computer file right after I make my entry.  I have found that the feelings and expression of my heart are very hard for me to rewrite.  By backing up consistently, usually on a thumb drive, or a CD, I do not have to worrying about losing my journal entries.  I can now relax while I’m writing, enjoy what I’m recording, and people will have an accurate record of what’s going on in my life.

Think carefully about how to set up and organize your computer journal files.  I know that having a computer makes it much easier for all of us to record our feelings, our experiences, and the impressions that come to us.  It is important that we seriously do so for our children, our grandchildren, our close relatives, and even those that are not related to us will one day read our history, wonder about us, and will want to know how it really was for us.

So create a personal “journal” folder, a specific journal folder for the year, then create files where the daily entries can be kept for a month.  If you do this, any single day’s entries, any month’s file, any year’s folder of files, will be neatly ordered and easy to retrieve.  Then, with journal entries backed up every time you make an entry, monthly journal entries that are edited, printed and put in a binder on a regular basis, you will be set.  Having this hard copy of your journal will allow you to also put other items such as thank you notes, pictures, and important articles in your printed journal for the ready use and enjoyment of your family.

Take good care now, and remember, organizing your personal journal computer files will make them easy to retrieve and a breeze to add to each and every day.

Find more helpful ideas in my House of Order Handbook.