Sorting out your digital files
A full laptop, three different clouds, two old external drives and an unlabelled USB stick: that is the normal situation. Here is a simple method to get back in control without deleting everything.
Gather before you sort
Sorting files scattered across five places never works: you always find another copy somewhere and end up too scared to delete anything.
First step: pull everything into one place, unsorted. A single "To sort" folder holding ten years of mess is already a huge improvement over ten years of invisible mess.
Three piles, not ten categories
Elaborate filing systems get abandoned within two weeks. Three piles are enough.
- Irreplaceable: photos, videos, official documents, personal writing. This is the only pile that truly matters.
- Useful: invoices, warranties, ongoing paperwork. Keep for a few years, then discard without guilt.
- Replaceable: software, films, music, downloads. Delete freely — all of it can be found again.
The 3-2-1 rule, realistic version
The official rule says three copies, on two different media, one of them off-site. In real life, most families have exactly one copy, on a device that is eight years old.
Aim for at least two copies in two different places for the "irreplaceable" pile only. That is achievable in one evening, and it is what prevents permanent loss.
Think about whoever opens all this next
The real test of digital tidiness is not your own comfort, it is whether someone else can navigate it without you. Plain folder names, a shallow structure, no personal shorthand.
Add a text file at the root explaining in ten lines what is where. It is the highest-return action in the whole process, and almost nobody does it.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay for online storage?
For the irreplaceable pile, yes: it is the simplest way to hold a copy off-site. For everything else, an external drive is plenty.
What about old hard drives and USB sticks?
Copy their contents before they fail: a drive left unused for years often dies the first time you plug it back in. Then destroy them physically rather than giving them away.
How long does this take?
Gathering takes one evening. Sorting then happens in thirty-minute sessions. The classic mistake is trying to finish it all at once and giving up.
Solexi does not replace a legal will, a notary or a lawyer. Solexi helps you gather, organize and pass on your information.