Unzipping files & somewhat organizing them

Hi Jennifer @littlekiwi I download > unzip and leave it in my download folder. Delete the zip file.. then when I scrap with the product, I then, once I have made my pages, file/move the product to the correct place under TLP>Designer on my EHD. (Of course I then delete the file that is in my download as I already moved it (copied) to my EHD.)

Done. Simple.

 

I'm not sure whether the way I do it is less tedious or not. Probably not, but it works for me.

I have one file per store (there are 3 where I'm active). In each I have under files: download, designers (with underfiles for each designer) and challenges. Zip files are downloaded to the download file. If it's for a challenge, like a template, I move it to the challenge file.

I usually unzip immediately, but sometimes (like sales), it gets a bit much. Then I put on a pod or an audiobook and just unzip for a while. I sort the unzipped files into one file per kit, then I keep them in the download file until I've used it once. Once used, I move the file to the designer's file. This way, I keep track of what's new & what I should use.

 

Lately, (maybe for over a year now), I've been using a "new stuff" folder instead of moving it to designer folders.
So, unzip, combine kit stuff into a single folder - leaving alphas in a subfolder. Move the kit folders to "new stuff". I do pull these items into lightroom and tag the previews (not any thematic tagging, just by paper, element, kit, alpha).

Then, this folder got so big, I create a "current stuff" folder and moved my new stuff into it so that new stuff was really my newest stuff.

I do also have designer folders, eventually everything from current and new should go there, but right now, this is working well for me.

When I did my guest polly stint, I would create folders for the upcoming releases as subfolders in new stuff so I could keep them separated and know when stuff was due.

 

I guess I'm a little different because I don't see why a "download file" is needed at all. When I'm ready to scrap, I download the zips directly to that designer's folder. Then I unzip to a new "kit name" subfolder within the designer's folder and delete the zips. Then I don't have to move anything or go to some separate download file somewhere.

As for the extra steps like deleting extras and tagging, I sometimes won't delete the zips until I've done that -- as a little reminder that it still needs to be done. That way, if I don't have time for the extra steps, I can always skip it for now. A more efficient way of doing it might be to just leave the extra files in and then do some sort of global search later of your scrapping stash and delete all of them at the same time.

 

I have a store/designer/kit folder setup. When I download I make a folder for the kit in the designer folder and download the kit right in that folder. Then I unzip right there where I want it and move all items except the alpha folders directly under the kit folder (so there are only alpha sub-folders). And delete all the sub-folders created when unzipping.

After I have downloaded all purchases and unzipped them, I copy the kit folder to 2 different external drives. Yes, the zip file as well. The larger of the 2 external drives has a folder for zip files with sub-folders for designers I have a lot of content for and a store folder for the others. When I copy the kit folder to this hard drive, I move the zip files to the folder for zip files. On the smaller hard drive, after I move the kit folder I delete the zip files. Only after all of that is done do I delete the zip folder from my main drive on my computer.

And, yes, just last week I had to find a zip file and unzip it because I accidentally saved over a psd template file.

 

I have awful internet too! I usually download and unzip while the others are downloading. I have the store, designer, kit system also. But I started making a folder for the month and anything I download in January goes in there. Once I've used it or am ready to clean up folders, I then move the kit to the correct designer. I do not like things piling up in my downloads folder. If kits that need unzipped start to accumulate {sometimes I do things around the house while downloading and just check periodically to start the next download} I will create a folder for the zipped files to live in until I get to unzip them. I usually do my unzipping and tidying up while watching tv. Everything is backed up in Dropbox and also on an external drive. Once a month sometimes sooner if I have a lot of kits to back up I will back up to my external hard drive. I do delete my zipped files immediately after unzipping.

 

@littlekiwi you can chage the location. I'm not using Chrome though so I don't know the steps to tell you. If you click on the downloads icon in your toolbar there should be download options and you can change the location or have it ask every time you download where you want it to go.

 

Right but I select where I want it to download rather than just defaulting to the downloads file.