Got told my "emergency backup" was just a messy folder...

Last month a client asked for my template files and I sent them a link to my "Sick Day Backup" drive. They wrote back saying it looked like a junk drawer from 2018. I spent a whole afternoon organizing everything into clear folders for each client. Now if I wake up with a fever I can just grab the right folder and send it over without thinking. Anyone else have a client call you out on your messy system?

3 comments

3 Comments

samreed16d ago

Calling it a "junk drawer" is Exactly what my 2019 backups looked like.

samreed15d ago

Really though iris_barnes87 is right about the messy folder thing. I had this one client back in late 2019 who wanted a specific logo version from three years prior and I found it buried in a folder called "random_stuff_dont_delete." That folder was an absolute disaster but it saved me from having to recreate the whole thing from scratch. I've tried being super organized with dates and project names but I always end up with a few "misc" folders anyway. Maybe it's just my brain but having that chaotic pile means I actually have to dig through and remember what I've got instead of just filing it away forever. So yeah, call it a junk drawer if you want but it's kept me employed more than once.

iris_barnes8716d ago

Respectfully, I see your junk drawer as more of a survival kit. @samreed those old backups might look messy but they kept me going when a client last minute needed a file from years ago. Organized folders are great for peace of mind, but that chaotic pile has saved my skin more times than I can count. I still keep a messy folder on purpose for things I might forget - it forces me to actually look through stuff instead of just labeling it and moving on. Sometimes a little mess means you're actually using what you have.