# Obsidian Starter Kit - Folder structure ## Introduction On this page, I describe the folder structure in detail, level by level. This way you’ll get to know the organization system and will see more clearly how everything is linked. **The goal of this page is NOT to explain the HOW or the WHY, but only to discuss the WHAT. Check the rest of the guide to find more details about each part. In particular, check out the Theory section**: [[Obsidian Starter Kit - Theory]]. ## Top-level ### PARA method folder structure At the highest level, the Obsidian Starter Kit uses a folder structure based on the [[PARA method]] of [[Tiago Forte]], the creator of the “Build a Second Brain” course: ![[Obsidian Starter Kit - Folder structure - top level structure.png]] - **Projects**: A place to describe your current projects and link to related notes - **Areas**: The different areas you focus on in your personal and/or professional life - **Resources**: Where you can store anything other than notes (e.g., screenshots, PDF files, templates, scripts, ...) - **Archives**: past projects and legacy content (i.e., outdated information) Check out the following page for details: [[Obsidian Starter Kit - Theory - PARA method]]. ### Journal folder In addition to the folders corresponding to the PARA method, there is also a **Journal** folder. This folder is dedicated to the _time-bound notes_: the daily journal and periodic reviews. **WARNING:** If you rename this folder, you’ll need to adapt the configuration of the Periodic Notes plugin ### Resources folder The “Resources” folder is where you can store attachments, [[Excalidraw plugin for Obsidian]] drawings, scripts, templates, Canvas drawings, etc. **WARNING:** DO NOT rename this folder or its sub-folders. Otherwise, you will break the templating system used for journaling and periodic reviews. You will also break the configuration under Settings > Files & Links (e.g., for folder exclusions and attachments) ### Meta folder The Meta folder is dedicated to **life management**. It’s where you can keep track of things such as: - Your personal goals - Your physical and mental health - Tracking well-being and personal development - Your routines - Things you have on top of your mind at the moment - Things you are waiting for - Things you are expecting from others - Things people should give back to you - ... - Tasks - ... Its structure is simple enough: - **10.01 Personal**: your personal information - **10.02 Routines**: your routines - **10.03 Maintenance**: utility notes to perform some maintenance on your Obsidian vault - **10.04 Tasks:** track your TODOs You can find more details about it here: [[Obsidian Starter Kit - Meta folder]]. ## Areas Most of the content goes into the Areas folder. It is where you can store: - **31 Fleeting notes**: Notes that you won’t keep for long or that will be transformed and moved elsewhere - Given that fleeting notes are not supposed to accumulate, that folder should remain flat - You should regularly review the content as explained in the page about the [[Obsidian Starter Kit - Theory - Zettelkasten method]] - **32 Literature notes**: Notes that you’ve captured as-is from books, articles, courses, videos, etc - Literature notes are structured as follows: - **32.01 Literature inbox**: Temporary storage for literature notes (transit zone). Aim for inbox zero. You should regularly review and empty this inbox - **32.02 Content**: Most of the literature notes should be stored in that folder. **It should remain flat. Don’t waste time creating sub-folders** - **32.03 Book notes**: Your book summaries, highlights, etc - **32.04 Expressions**: Expressions you like - **32.05 Quotes**: Quotes that inspire you - **33 Permanent notes**: Your own content. Whatever goes is must have been produced by you. This is where most of your notes will live - Permanent notes are structured as follows: - **33.01 Knowledge inbox**: Temporary storage for permanent notes (transit zone). Aim for inbox zero. You should regularly review and empty this inbox - **33.02 Content**: Most of the permanent notes should be stored in that folder. **It should remain flat. Don’t waste time creating sub-folders** - **33.03 Articles**: Your own articles (drafts and published ones) - **33.04 Books**: Your own books (drafts and published ones) - **33.05 Quotes**: Your own quotes - **34 MOCs**: Maps of Content. These are indexes for your content. You can add as many as you need - **35 Contacts**: Contacts are people you know, either personally or professionally - **36 People**: People are people you don’t know but are of interest to you (e.g., authors, notorious people, scientists, speakers, etc) - **37 Meeting notes**: Personal or professional notes. Use this folder to keep track of whatever you discussed with your contacts, decisions that were taken, and actions that were assigned If you have read the theory guides (cfr [[Obsidian Starter Kit - Theory]]), and the [[Obsidian Starter Kit - Theory - Johnny Decimal system]] page in particular, then those numbers shouldn’t surprise you.