# Where do you put your johnny decimal system?

**URL:** <https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/t/where-do-you-put-your-johnny-decimal-system/559>\
**Category:** Concepts\
**Created:** [September 23, 2022, 9:00am UTC](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/t/where-do-you-put-your-johnny-decimal-system/559 "2022-09-23T09:00:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![chr](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@chr](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/u/chr)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2022, 9:00am UTC](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/t/where-do-you-put-your-johnny-decimal-system/559/1 "2022-09-23T09:00:12Z")

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Apologies if this has been discussed and I just couldn’t find it.

In what folder or directory is it best to place your main hierarchy? Do you create a dedicated …/JohnnyDecimal/ directory and then start in there? I’ve considered placing such a folder in my User or Documents folder, but I’d probably want it more central if this is my new primary organization structure.

I’ve also considered just adding the numbered files to my “~/” User home, but I don’t know if I love the idea of tossing the AC.ID hierarchy in next to folders the computer needs, like Library, Applications, Network, etc? The main benefit though would be being close to the root, so tabbing or typing directories in Go to File or the terminal would be speedy.

I’m also an icloud drive user, just to add further complexity. I’d like most, but maybe not all, of my system accessible in my cloud storage - while still being easy to navigate to with the keyboard on my main computer…

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**Author:** ![bogenschlag](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/user_avatar/forum.johnnydecimal.com/bogenschlag/32/117_2.png) [@bogenschlag](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/u/bogenschlag)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2022, 10:54am UTC](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/t/where-do-you-put-your-johnny-decimal-system/559/2 "2022-09-23T10:54:54Z")

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I don’t think there it _the_ place.

I use it mainly in `~/Documents`, which on macOS actually resides in the iCloud. I use J.D filename tagging only in other iCloud Drive locations (ie. the iCloud app folders, like Pages etc.).

Personally I wouldn’t put files in `~` but then again I’m one of those freaks with a clean Desktop, too, so YMMV. 😅

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**Author:** ![johnnydecimal](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/user_avatar/forum.johnnydecimal.com/johnnydecimal/32/1759_2.png) [@johnnydecimal](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/u/johnnydecimal)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/t/where-do-you-put-your-johnny-decimal-system/559/3 "2022-09-24T21:29:07Z")

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Like @bogenschlag I have my stuff in ~/Documents, which is iCloud-synchronised.

So that’s currently three top-level folders:

- [101 Personal](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/t/my-personal-system/412)
- 102 Johnny.Decimal
- [104 Learn with Lucy](https://forum.johnnydecimal.com/t/johnny-made-a-new-thing-learn-with-lucy/485)

Then in each of those the usual 10-19 etc.

I also have a Synology which is currently hosting most of _104 Learn with Lucy_, now that I think about it.

Some apps, especially those that cloud-sync, like to keep their own files in their own place. MindNode, for example. I generally just let them do this, using the file name to indicate where the thing ‘really’ belongs. I find this just works better.

If I stop editing a file and manage to remember to do so, I’ll then move it out of the shared cloud area and in to its ‘real’ home.