My vault decisions

It is interesting that even though each one of us think and process information in a different manner, it is sometimes required that we document what we have for both: future understanding of it and more often to share it with other people.

So, thinking more about my vault documentation rather than about sharing — but here I am — this is how I organize things and why they are as they are.

The previous, more complex version of it is described at my Obsidian. That version goes into templates, dashboards and shows some file layout. But it isn't focused on the “why” things are as they are. Both notes complement each other.

First things first

The most important thing is: Obsidian is a tool. It isn't a perfect solution to everything. It shouldn't be used for everything.

As a tool, it is better used for some things, it might work for some other things, and it shouldn't even be considered for another set of things.

Use it based on its strengths. Know its limitations. Check Obsidian - getting started if you don't know what it was designed to do.

Connecting notes

As outlined in other posts, I have different uses for all three things that Obsidian allows me to use in a vault to connect my notes: folders, tags and links.

I've written about it in more details in another article: Connecting information and notes.

My option is to use tags for status, folders for contexts, and links to connect information with the aggregated context.

Always think on what you want to achieve, then design how you'll collect the information to achieve it.

Folder organization

Folders are universal through many apps and programs. They can have different names and show up differently, but they are basically the same everywhere.

Some software create folder abstractions, while some other replicate them and allow using tags to place items into multiple places.

Folders, on the other hand, allow a physical item to be at a single place only. With that, some people feel anxious about it and prefer a more loose organization method.

I've been refining my folder usage for a long time (since last millennia, around 1994 when I started studying more complex things…) and I've got to a point where I have them replicated everywhere and in multiple contexts.

My folder structure in my disk is similar to what I have in Obsidian. The same for my tags in Gmail. Or my folders at my computers at work. Or my mobile. Or the albums in my Google photos or Samsung gallery…

Using the same structure reduces decision stress and allowed me to have an almost automatic decision flow as everything is the same everywhere.

That coupled with a good search — via Obsidian search, Onedrive search, Gmail search, etc. — makes it an universal solution to me. Portable everywhere and in every tool / software I use.

Once again, at Connecting information and notes you can get an overview of things.

Obsidian vaults

I've written about vaults, number of vaults and how I use them in more details at Obsidian Vaults.

I'm a firm believer that most cases demand and are better supplied with a single vault.

The article above mentions some exceptions where you might want using multiple vaults.

Design for usage

But… what should I have in my vault?

Think about relevant things for your life, for your school, etc. Anything you need to think about, to remember, to experiment with.

Taking notes is a particular thing and each person has a different use for their note repository. Or repositories.

Take a look at Why taking notes is important for some extra thoughts and reasons to take notes. And, as stated there, sometimes the act of writing is enough in itself. You don't need even reading your notes later…

With regards to usage, once you decided on what you want to get from your vault, think about what you'll need to get it.

Add properties, use links, structure your vault taxonomy so that you know how things should behave and where things go.

Don't go for what YouTubers say it is right, but go for what is right for you. Start simple, and if it works, increase complexity as time goes by.

Don't make Obsidian a place to procrastinate and waste time. You can do that with some sports, other software, reading books… it will all make a better use of your time. Due to its customizability, it is very easy to get lost trying to do something instead of using Obsidian as the tool it is.

Compilation of best practices

Above you got some of the things I consider best practices.

And I've written more about the at Notes Best Practices.