Ok. So you got Evernote installed on your computer, your phone, and you have a scanner so that you can start moving all of your paper into Evernote. 

Now what? How do you manage all of the stuff you’re putting in Evernote? 

Let’s keep it simple; two things you need to do: 

1. Set up your default folder 

My default folder is called “@ To be categorized” (the reason for the @ symbol is to keep it at the top of your alphabetical list of folders). When you create a new folder on the desktop version of Evernote, you have the option to make the folder your default folder. You can also set your default folder for web clippings in your preferences.  

This is the folder into which any and everything you put or scan into Evernote will go…if you don’t assign it to a different folder to start with. 

2. Create an initial list of categories

I’ve used Evernote for quite a while now, so I have a very extensive list of folders for organizational purposes. Some might argue that you don’t need many folders because of the OCR and search capabilities in Evernote, but if you categorize your documents, it’s easier to share those groups of documents, especially with your accountant. 

There’s no need to feel like you have to have all the right folders to start with; you can always add more as you go. 

Here’s a screen shot of some of my folders: