Organization: Projects & Folders
Organization is optional — until it suddenly isn't. You don't need structure on day one. You need it when volume shows up.
Start With This Assumption
Most AI conversations are disposable. A small percentage are not.
Projects and folders exist to separate the two after the fact, not to slow you down while you're thinking. If you remember nothing else from this page, remember that.
Projects: Hard Boundaries
A project is a top-level container. Think of it as a context boundary, not a task list.
Use projects when you don't want conversations bleeding into each other.
Good reasons to create a project
- Different clients
- Work vs personal
- Separate products
- Long-running initiatives
Bad reasons
- Every small idea
- Every week
- Every experiment
If it doesn't need isolation, it doesn't need a project.
The Active Project (Important)
Only one project is active at a time.
That matters because:
- New conversations get tracked into the active project
- Tags and folders apply inside that context
- Search stays focused
Think of it like setting your workspace before you start working.
Folders: Light Structure Inside a Project
Folders live inside projects.
They're for grouping conversations that naturally belong together — nothing more.
Examples that work
Folders are not a substitute for tags. They're a way to reduce visual clutter.
Creating Folders
When you're ready:
That's the entire ceremony.
If you're creating folders before you have conversations to put in them, stop. You're organizing air.
Assigning Conversations
Conversations don't need to be filed immediately.
They can exist unassigned until you care enough to organize them.
When you do:
- Find them in the Organize tab
- Move them into a folder
- Done
Nothing breaks if you wait.
Moving Things Around
Folders can be reordered with drag and drop.
This isn't about hierarchy. It's about scan order.
Put what you look at most near the top. Change it later if your focus shifts.
What Happens When You Delete Things
Deleting a Folder
Folders are disposable.
Deleting a folder removes the folder but does not delete conversations. They become unassigned again.
Deleting a Project
Projects are not disposable.
Deleting a project removes all folders, all conversations, and all organization inside it. There is no undo.
If you're unsure, don't delete the project. Archive it mentally and move on.
A Simple Structure That Scales
Here's a setup that works for most people:
Projects
- Work
- Personal
- Side Projects
Folders inside each
- Planning
- Active
- Reference
- Archive
Tags handle everything else. You don't need more than this unless you feel the friction.
Tags Do the Heavy Lifting
Folders answer: "Where should this live?"
Tags answer: "Why does this matter?"
If you're trying to solve search problems with folders, you're using the wrong tool.
When Organization Clicks
At some point you'll notice:
- You're not afraid of long conversations
- You don't hesitate to explore ideas
- You trust that useful work won't disappear
That's when projects and folders earn their keep. Until then, ignore them. They'll be there when you need them.