Alejandro Arce — home Thinking in Public
No. 108 · AI

Let the AI organize your desktop

Line illustration: a tidy row of labelled folders and one scattered pile of loose papers, with a single paperclip as the only accent.

Do you have OCD for having things organized? Do you like to organize for fun? So do I, and so does AI.

Ask your AI to organize everything on your desktop. You don't even need a fancy prompt, just give it the task and have it go forward. The task: Organize everything on my desktop into folders.

Ask it to show you the plan before it moves any files.

How to do it safely

Start with a copy. Duplicate the desktop into a folder called "Desktop backup" first. If you dislike the result, you drag the files back.

Read the plan before you approve it. Check the folder names and look for files it plans to move that you use every day. Tell it to leave those where they are.

Then say yes and let it work. A cleaner desktop takes a few minutes, and the same prompt works again next month.

What to ask for

Tell the AI how you want the folders arranged. By project, by year, by client. Ask for a folder called "Review" for anything it cannot place, so nothing gets guessed. Ask it to list the files it plans to rename, since a renamed file is harder to find than a moved one.

When the folders look right, ask it to write down the rules it used in one short note. Next month, give it the note with the same task and the desktop stays organized.

Hand it the desktop.

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