3 Quick Tips for Organizing Google Drive

Use "NEW" and select "Folder" to
create a new Folder in Drive

    Between created files, shared files, student work, uploads, photos, and all the other stuff that seems to find its way into our Google Drive, it sure is easy to let things get out of control.  Keeping track of your files in Google Drive is a fairly simple, but incredibly valuable skill for teachers and students.  Here's the three top tools I use in Google Drive to keep things where I can find them.

1) Create Folders
    Use the "New" button in Google Drive and select "Folder."  Name the folder, then drag and drop files you'd like organized into that folder.  Want to separate files even further?  Then use the "New" button again to create a folder within a folder.  For example, if I have a "Math" folder, I might create more folders for 1st hour, 2nd hour, etc.


2) Color code your Folders
   I'm a visual guy, and color-coding my Google Drive folders makes it easy for me to notice my folders.  Find the folder you want to color, right-click, then choose "Change Color."  There are 24 different colors to choose from- have fun!

Right-click a folder to change its color

3) Starred
   There are a few files I access consistently, or need my attention for a short time.  In those cases, I will "Star" the files by right-clicking the file and choosing "Star."  Those files are then automatically stored in the "Starred" menu on the left side of the screen, ready to be accessed.

You can add a STAR by right-clicking a file, or open the file and click
the star next to the title.  The folder icon next to the star will allow you
to move the file to a folder in Drive.

    No longer need them in the Starred?  Simply right-click the file again, the choose "Remove Star."  The file will be removed from the Starred menu.





     Creating folders, color-coding them, and using Stars has really cleaned up my Drive and kept things easy to find.   Just a few minutes of organizing has saved me countless hours of looking for files. And remember, if you still need help finding a file, Google has a search bar at the top of Drive which will only search for files using the search terms you type in.