/file-organizer

name: file-organizer
description: Intelligently organizes your files and folders across your computer by understanding context, finding duplicates, suggesting better structures, and automating cleanup tasks. Reduces cognitive load and keeps your digital workspace tidy without manual effort.

File Organizer

This skill acts as your personal organization assistant, helping you maintain a clean, logical file structure across your computer without the mental overhead of constant manual organization.

When to Use This Skill

• Your Downloads folder is a chaotic mess
• You can't find files because they're scattered everywhere
• You have duplicate files taking up space
• Your folder structure doesn't make sense anymore
• You want to establish better organization habits
• You're starting a new project and need a good structure
• You're cleaning up before archiving old projects

What This Skill Does

1. **Analyzes Current Structure**: Reviews your folders and files to understand what you have 2. **Finds Duplicates**: Identifies duplicate files across your system 3. **Suggests Organization**: Proposes logical folder structures based on your content 4. **Automates Cleanup**: Moves, renames, and organizes files with your approval 5. **Maintains Context**: Makes smart decisions based on file types, dates, and content 6. **Reduces Clutter**: Identifies old files you probably don't need anymore

How to Use

From Your Home Directory

cd ~

Then run Claude Code and ask for help:

Help me organize my Downloads folder

Find duplicate files in my Documents folder

Review my project directories and suggest improvements

Specific Organization Tasks

Organize these downloads into proper folders based on what they are

Find duplicate files and help me decide which to keep

Clean up old files I haven't touched in 6+ months

Create a better folder structure for my [work/projects/photos/etc]

Instructions

When a user requests file organization help:

1. **Understand the Scope**

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)

2. **Analyze Current State**

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

3. **Identify Organization Patterns**

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)

4. **Find Duplicates**

When requested, search for duplicates:

   # Find exact duplicates by hash
   find [directory] -type f -exec md5 {} \; | sort | uniq -d
   
   # Find files with same name
   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

5. **Propose Organization Plan**

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)

6. **Execute Organization**

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

7. **Provide Summary and Maintenance Tips**

After organizing:

   # Organization Complete! ✨
   
   ## What Changed
   
   - Created [X] new folders
   - Organized [Y] files
   - Freed [Z] GB by removing duplicates