I quite successfully adopted an aproach from GTD methodology. The main pillars are three different folders:
1) INBOX - unprocessed input, usually files downloaded from the web or saved attachments.
2) PROJECTS - here, I create subfolders, one subfolder for one Project. In the subfolders, there are files I actively work on, like doc files.
3) REFERENCES - here, I store files I am not working on, like ebooks, texts, photos, etc.
So, in the slide example, I would not lost the file location, since I know it will be in the folder Projects\Write-Essay-On-Teaching. If the project is finished, I remove the directory (and put final output into Refenrences, if necessary).
I realized, at least in my case, that the main problem causing mess on the HDD was related to the fact, that unprocessed, working-on and reference files were stored together by topics.
1) INBOX - unprocessed input, usually files downloaded from the web or saved attachments.
2) PROJECTS - here, I create subfolders, one subfolder for one Project. In the subfolders, there are files I actively work on, like doc files.
3) REFERENCES - here, I store files I am not working on, like ebooks, texts, photos, etc.
So, in the slide example, I would not lost the file location, since I know it will be in the folder Projects\Write-Essay-On-Teaching. If the project is finished, I remove the directory (and put final output into Refenrences, if necessary).
I realized, at least in my case, that the main problem causing mess on the HDD was related to the fact, that unprocessed, working-on and reference files were stored together by topics.