Make Google Drive Pretty
Every single day it is a constant “Mom, I can’t find my shoes.” Thankfully, thumb drives have fallen by the wayside and I don’t have to try to help my kids find a small stick of their school work.
Get it in Drive!
Google Drive is your online storage for all your files, not just your Google Apps documents. If your Google Drive is a mess, here are 5 ways to make it prettier!
1. Rename Your Folders
Whatever folder I am using a lot right now, I rename the folder and put a zero in front of it. This way it is the FIRST option when I am trying to organize a file. No digging around in multiple folders.
Press N
Single click on a folder or file and press the N key. This will allow you to quickly and easily rename the folder.
Use 2 Folders
Folders are a construct of our own imagination. Folders exist in filing cabinets, not in Google Drive. A “folder” is a label. Clicking on the “folder” in Google Drive pulls up all files with that label on it. A folder is NOT a physical space. This means you can keep the file in 2 “folders,” which really just means you are putting 2 labels on it.
So in My Drive I make a folder that starts with a zero so it alphabetizes at the top. The folder I really want those files in, I make that folder a sub folder by single clicking on the folder and using Shift Z. This ADDS the folder to the other folder, but does not move it. Now I have fast access to this folder at the top level of My Drive, but also easily find those files in the folder I really want them organized into.
2. Make a Folder for Your Folders
I have a lot of folders. The list is long and it’s annoying to scroll through all of them. So I made a folder called “General” and literally dragged all my folders into that folder. Moved them out of sight when I first log into Google Drive. I’m a double click away from seeing all those folders, but if the folder isn’t something I regularly access… it needs to be tucked away.
Tip, single click on one folder. Hold down the SHIFT key and click on another folder. All the folders in between will be selected. Now you can drag a chunk of folders into your general folder.
3. Color Code Your Folders
It is helpful to make folders I use a lot a different color. Right click on a folder and choose “Change color.”
4. Use Emoji’s
You can add emoji’s to your folder names. Go to emojipedia.org and copy an emoji of your choice. Single click on a folder or file and press N to rename. Use Control V to paste the emoji.
5. Toggle to Grid View
Grid view allows you to see a preview of your files. In the upper right of Google Drive, toggle from list view to grid view. The list view icon looks like a box of 3 rows with the left side squished. The grid icon looks like evenly spaced out boxes.
In the search box at the top, type in “untitled.” One of the beauties of Google Apps is there is no save button. Even if you do not save name the file, it still saves. You probably have a bunch of Docs, Sheets, and Slides that are untitled. In grid view, see if they are blank or need to be named.
Press N to rename an untitled file or use the hashtag (Shift 3) to delete the file.
Thank you, Alice! I didn´t know it was possible to add a folder to another folder, without moving it. It´s a useful trick!