Computer Tips for the Home User
by Linda Griffith, The Organized Option
When I sat down to write this article, my intent was to talk about the rapid technological advancement within the computer industry. We’ve all been frustrated by how quickly our newer computers become “old” technology so, instead, I decided to share three unique tips that wouldn’t become “old” for many years to come. I hope you enjoy them!
Back Up Your Data 
Computer safety is much more than virus protection—it’s also about backing up your computer data. I want to talk about backing up your computer. Most of us had our computer crash while we were in the middle of typing a word processing document. And, since we hadn’t saved the document first, it’s forever lost.
As frustrating as this is, imagine the panic you’d feel if you’d lost everything on your computer without backing it up first. I’m talking about fire, theft, or a catastrophic computer crash that proves irrecoverable. Although you can now purchase inexpensive external drives and back up your computer to that, you’re still susceptible to these losses.
My preference is using an off-site secure back up company. So if I experience fire, theft, etc., the company will provide me with a copy of everything that had been on my computer at last back up. I back up my computer daily, but you can set them to back up as frequently as you wish. There are lots of companies out there that provide this service--just do an internet search to find them. Most offer a free 15 or 30 day trial (if you don’t have the internet, this particular type of service won’t work for you).
I personally like www.mozy.com. Downloading their software is easy and you receive 2GB of storage for free. Anything over 2GB is $4.95 per month (using their Mozy Home service). You select the files you want to back up (financials, music, digital photos, videos, word processing documents, spreadsheets, web design pages, etc.) and how often. Their software and your computer (which must be on) does the rest!
Organizing Your Files and Directories
I organize my computer’s file directories just like I organize the files in my regular filing cabinet. I prefer to file using generic titles. For example, let’s say your car insurance is through Allstate. Instead of naming your file “Allstate”, I would create a main directory called “Insurance”, and have sub-directory files behind that which are labeled “Auto”, “Home”, “Life”, “Medical/Dental”. I duplicate it exactly on my computer for the files and/or emails.
Also, whenever I type a word processing document or spreadsheet, I open the Footer and type in the name of the file and where it’s located on my computer. Using the above example, it would show “C:\My Documents\Insurance\Auto\070110 Allstate” and I would change the font size down to an 8 so that it’s not too obvious. This is a quick and effective way to always remember where you’ve saved your electronic document.
Paperless and Photoless
Another option you can choose is to go completely paperless, utilizing the new scanners that are available. You don’t even need a regular file cabinet if you scan your documents as a .pdf. The same can be said for photos. I’m in the process of converting my parent’s old photographs before the paper disintegrates. By converting them into digital format, I’m also able to use Photo software to eliminate red-eye, crop photos, or enhance fading.
Linda Griffith, owner of The Organized Option, is a Professional Organizer & Speaker based in Phoenix, AZ. Linda helps sewers, crafters and home-based business owners achieve clutter-free, efficient work areas and regain their lost creativity. A national speaker, Linda's presentations blend practical how-to organizing tips with motivation and humor. She is also a regular columnist on organizing topics for The Country Register. Linda can be reached at (480) 755-3991, or through her website, www.organizedoption.com, where you can sign up for her FREE monthly e-newsletter.