file-organizer

File Organizer

When to Use This Skill

What This Skill Does

Instructions

When a user requests file organization help:

Ask clarifying questions:

- Which directory needs organization? (Downloads, Documents, entire home folder?)
- What's the main problem? (Can't find things, duplicates, too messy, no structure?)
- Any files or folders to avoid? (Current projects, sensitive data?)
- How aggressively to organize? (Conservative vs. comprehensive cleanup)

Review the target directory:

# Get overview of current structure
   ls -la [target_directory]
   # Check file types and sizes
   find [target_directory] -type f -exec file {} \; | head -20
   # Identify largest files
   du -sh [target_directory]/ | sort -rh | head -20
   # Count file types
   find [target_directory] -type f | sed 's/.\.//' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn

Summarize findings:

- Total files and folders
- File type breakdown
- Size distribution
- Date ranges
- Obvious organization issues

Based on the files, determine logical groupings:

By Type:

- Documents (PDFs, DOCX, TXT)
- Images (JPG, PNG, SVG)
- Videos (MP4, MOV)
- Archives (ZIP, TAR, DMG)
- Code/Projects (directories with code)
- Spreadsheets (XLSX, CSV)
- Presentations (PPTX, KEY)

By Purpose:

- Work vs. Personal
- Active vs. Archive
- Project-specific
- Reference materials
- Temporary/scratch files

By Date:

- Current year/month
- Previous years
- Very old (archive candidates)

When requested, search for duplicates:

# Find exact duplicates by hash
   find [directory] -type f -exec md5 {} \; | sort | uniq -d
   # Find files with similar names
   find [directory] -type f -printf '%f\n' | sort | uniq -d
   # Find similar-sized files
   find [directory] -type f -printf '%s %p\n' | sort -n

For each set of duplicates:

- Show all file paths
- Display sizes and modification dates
- Recommend which to keep (usually newest or best-named)
- Important: Always ask for confirmation before deleting

Present a clear plan before making changes:

# Organization Plan for [Directory]
   ## Current State
   - X files across Y folders
   - [Size] total
   - File types: [breakdown]
   - Issues: [list problems]
   ## Proposed Structure
   [Directory]/
   ├── Work/
   │ ├── Projects/
   │ ├── Documents/
   │ └── Archive/
   ├── Personal/
   │ ├── Photos/
   │ ├── Documents/
   │ └── Media/
   └── Downloads/
   ├── To-Sort/
   └── Archive/
   ## Changes I'll Make
   1. Create new folders: [list]
   2. Move files:
      - X PDFs → Work/Documents/
      - Y images → Personal/Photos/
      - Z old files → Archive/
   3. Rename files: [any renaming patterns]
   4. Delete: [duplicates or trash files]
   ## Files Needing Your Decision
   - [List any files you're unsure about]
   Ready to proceed? (yes/no/modify)

After approval, organize systematically:

# Create folder structure
   mkdir -p "path/to/new/folders"
   # Move files with clear logging
   mv "old/path/file.pdf" "new/path/file.pdf"
   # Rename files with consistent patterns
   # Example: "YYYY-MM-DD - Description.ext"

Important Rules:

- Always confirm before deleting anything
- Log all moves for potential undo
- Preserve original modification dates
- Handle filename conflicts gracefully
- Stop and ask if you encounter unexpected situations

After organizing:

# Organization Complete! ✨
   ## What Changed
   - Created [X] new folders
   - Organized [Y] files
   - Freed [Z] GB by removing duplicates
   - Archived [W] old files
   ## New Structure
   [Show the new folder tree]
   ## Maintenance Tips
   To keep this organized:
   1. Weekly: Sort new downloads
   2. Monthly: Review and archive completed projects
   3. Quarterly: Check for new duplicates
   4. Yearly: Archive old files
   ## Quick Commands for You
   # Find files modified this week
   find . -type f -mtime -7
   # Sort downloads by type
   [custom command for their setup]
   # Find duplicates
   [custom command]

Want to organize another folder?

Best Practices

Folder Naming

File Naming

When to Archive