# Knowledge Organization > Use when the user wants to organize their knowledge, files, or notes across multiple platforms (local, iCloud, Google Drive, Notion, GitHub, Notes app). Triggers: 'organize my knowledge', 'second brain', 'unified folder structure', 'sync iCloud and Drive', 'context graph', 'personal knowledge base', 'everything in sync'. - Skill: `pooriaarab/knowledge-organization` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add pooriaarab/knowledge-organization` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/pooriaarab/knowledge-organization/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Research & Search - Author: pooriaarab (https://skillmd.com/u/pooriaarab) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/pooriaarab/knowledge-organization --- # Knowledge Organization Set up a unified knowledge system across all platforms — local, iCloud, Google Drive, GitHub, Notes — with a single taxonomy and an optional connected-notes layer. --- ## Step 1 — Ask These Questions First ``` 1. What platforms do you use? (local/iCloud/Google Drive/GitHub/Notion/Apple Notes/Obsidian) 2. What's your primary pain? a) Can't find things — no consistent structure b) Ideas siloed — notes don't connect to files c) Platforms out of sync — different folder names everywhere 3. What type of content dominates? a) Documents/files (PDFs, decks, contracts) b) Ideas/notes/writing (knowledge, research, journaling) c) Code and projects (repos, scripts, configs) d) Mix of all 4. Do you have a folder structure preference? a) PARA (Projects / Areas / Resources / Archive — Tiago Forte) b) Flat project folders (one folder per project/brand) c) Johnny Decimal (numbered hierarchy: 10-19 Finance, 20-29 Health…) d) No preference — recommend one ``` --- ## Method Comparison | Method | Best for | Weakness | |--------|----------|----------| | **PARA** | Action-oriented people; lots of active projects | Archive gets messy; bad for pure ideas | | **Zettelkasten** | Researchers, writers, idea people | No clear home for files/docs | | **Johnny Decimal** | People who retrieve more than create; strict types | Rigid; numbering friction | | **Flat project folders** | Developers; one folder per brand/product | Doesn't scale for personal life | | **LYT (Maps of Content)** | Non-linear thinkers; Obsidian users | Requires Obsidian; upfront setup | | **BASB / CODE** | Creatives capturing from everywhere | Heavy process; needs discipline | **Recommended hybrid for most people:** → **PARA-inspired folders** for files/documents + **Zettelkasten-inspired notes** for ideas = best of both worlds. --- ## The Unified Taxonomy One structure, mirrored across every platform. Files live in ONE place; others link or reference. ``` Root/ ├── 0 - Inbox/ ← capture everything first, process weekly ├── 1 - Projects/ ← active work with a specific outcome │ ├── {project-name}/ │ └── ... ├── 2 - Areas/ ← ongoing responsibilities (no deadline) │ ├── Finance/ │ ├── Health/ │ ├── Legal/ │ ├── House/ │ ├── Music/ │ └── Personal/ ├── 3 - Resources/ ← reference material (no action needed) │ ├── Learning/ │ ├── Design Assets/ │ └── Research/ └── 4 - Archive/ ← inactive projects, old docs ``` **Projects naming:** use the brand/product name (`Mozilla/`, `Solo/`, `Beehouse/`). --- ## Platform Roles (Canon vs Mirror) Don't put everything everywhere. Assign each platform a **role**: | Platform | Canonical for | Syncs to | |----------|--------------|----------| | **Local `~/Documents/`** | Code repos, dev tools, active projects | GitHub (code), iCloud (docs) | | **iCloud** | Personal documents, legal, finance, media | Backup only | | **Google Drive** | Shared docs, decks, collaboration assets | Drive links in notes | | **GitHub** | Code, scripts, skills, automation | Local via clone | | **Obsidian / Notes** | Ideas, atomic notes, journal, MOCs | Obsidian sync or iCloud vault | **Rule:** a file has ONE home. Other platforms reference it, not copy it. --- ## The Context Graph (Connected Notes Layer) On top of the folder taxonomy, add a **notes layer** in Obsidian (or Apple Notes) that links everything together. ### Obsidian vault structure ``` Notes/ ← lives in iCloud/Areas/Personal/Notes/ or iCloud vault ├── _inbox/ ← quick captures (process weekly) ├── MOC - Projects.md ← Map of Content: links to all active projects ├── MOC - Areas.md ← links to area notes and key docs ├── MOC - Resources.md ← links to learning notes, books, research ├── atoms/ ← atomic notes: one idea per file, [[wiki-linked]] │ ├── idea-name.md │ └── ... ├── journal/ ← daily notes (YYYY-MM-DD.md) └── templates/ ← note templates ``` ### Atomic note format (Karpathy-inspired) ```markdown # Idea Title One clear statement of the idea. ## Connections - [[related-idea-1]] - [[related-idea-2]] - Source: [[book-or-article-title]] ## Why it matters ... ## Questions it raises - ... Tags: #topic #domain ``` ### Maps of Content (MOC) Hub notes that act as entry points to a topic: ```markdown # MOC - Solo Products ## Active - [[beehouse-strategy]] | [[beeloud-roadmap]] | [[vibeads-notes]] ## Resources - [[solopreneur-principles]] | [[pricing-strategies]] ## Archive - [[artenal-notes]] | [[mobile-saloon-postmortem]] ``` --- ## Setup by Platform ### iCloud Use the `icloud-organizer` skill or script to classify files into the taxonomy. ### Google Drive Use the `google-drive-organizer` skill to restructure into the same taxonomy. ### Local `~/Documents/` ``` ~/Documents/ ├── {project}/ ← one dir per project (flat, no nesting) │ ├── code/ ← git repos │ ├── docs/ ← strategy, specs │ ├── content/ ← marketing, social │ └── assets/ ← logos, design files └── pooriaarab/ ← personal "project" = you ├── finances/ ├── health/ ├── legal/ ├── photos/ └── notes/ ← Obsidian vault symlink or clone ``` ### GitHub Each code project gets its own repo. Personal scripts/tools → `pooriaarab/tools`. Skills → `pooriaarab/skills`. ### Apple Notes / Obsidian Point Obsidian vault at `iCloud/Areas/Personal/Notes/` so notes sync automatically. --- ## Weekly Maintenance Ritual (5 min) 1. **Empty Inbox** — classify everything in `0 - Inbox/` to its PARA folder 2. **Review Projects** — is anything done? Move to Archive. 3. **Process atomic notes** — link new notes to existing MOCs 4. **Sync check** — anything on Desktop or Downloads? Move it. --- ## Cross-Platform Search Once taxonomy is unified, search works everywhere: - **Spotlight** — finds local + iCloud files by name/content - **Obsidian search** — full-text across all notes + backlinks - **Google Drive search** — Drive files only - **GitHub search** — code + READMEs For a unified search layer, consider **Raycast** with Drive + Obsidian + GitHub plugins. --- ## Related Skills - `mac-organizer` — disk cleanup + local Documents structure - `icloud-organizer` — AI-powered iCloud → PARA reorganization (Apple Intelligence, 100% local) - `google-drive-organizer` — restructure Drive into the same taxonomy - `notion-organizer` — Notion workspace → clean hierarchy