Folder Structure Template (Data OS)

Mirror Mirror | Your data, your systems, your sovereignty.

Cycle: Capture >> Organize >> Protect >> Ship

The Root Hierarchy

Every sovereign system starts with a single root folder. This is your kingdom. Everything inside it follows the same numbering logic so you can navigate blind.

/00_Inbox/
/01_Active/
/02_Projects/
/03_Deliverables/
/04_Licensing/
/05_Media/
/06_Systems/
/07_Finance/
/08_Comms/
/99_Archive/

Folder-by-Folder Breakdown

/00_Inbox — CAPTURE zone

Everything enters here. Screenshots, downloads, voice memos, client emails, random PDFs. Nothing lives here longer than 7 days. This is a landing strip, not a storage unit.

Drop files here from any device or app
During your Weekly Review, sort everything out or delete it
If it has been here 14+ days, it is dead weight -- archive or trash it

/01_Active — Current work only

What you are touching this week. Active client work, live campaigns, open tasks. If you are not actively working on it, it does not belong here.

/01_Active/
  clientname_project/
  internal_website-redesign/
  content_january-batch/

/02_Projects — ORGANIZE by year, then by project

Your project archive organized chronologically. Every project gets a folder the moment it kicks off. Year folders keep things from becoming an endless scroll.

/02_Projects/
  2025/
    rosecourt_brand-identity/
    moonwalking_ep-launch/
  2026/
    witchhaven_website/
    grovehouse_q1-campaign/

/03_Deliverables — SHIP zone (finals only)

What goes out the door. Client-ready, publication-ready, distribution-ready. Two sub-folders keep it clean.

/03_Deliverables/
  Finals/          -- Print-ready, export-ready, signed-off files
  Social/          -- Platform-sized, captioned, scheduled content
  Press/           -- Press kits, one-sheets, media assets

Rule: Nothing enters /03_Deliverables unless it has been approved. This folder is your single source of truth for "what did we actually ship?"

/04_Licensing — PROTECT your rights

Contracts, usage rights, model releases, licensing agreements. If someone can sue you over a file, the proof it is yours lives here.

/04_Licensing/
  contracts/
  releases/
  certificates/
  trademarks/

/05_Media — Raw assets through finished edits

The production pipeline. Three tiers keep raw footage separate from selects separate from finals.

/05_Media/
  Raw/             -- Untouched camera files, field recordings, scans
  Selects/         -- Curated picks, flagged takes, short-listed assets
  Edits/           -- Work-in-progress edits, comps, rough cuts
  Stock/           -- Licensed stock assets (keep receipts in /04)

Rule: Never edit a Raw file directly. Copy to Edits first. Raw is your insurance policy.

/06_Systems — Your operational backbone

Templates, SOPs, automations, config files. The documentation that lets someone else (or future-you) run your operation without a phone call.

/06_Systems/
  templates/       -- Reusable templates (proposals, invoices, briefs)
  sops/            -- Standard operating procedures
  automations/     -- n8n exports, Zapier configs, scripts
  credentials/     -- ENCRYPTED credential references only (never plaintext)

/07_Finance — Money in, money out

Invoices, receipts, tax documents. Organized by year and quarter so tax season is not a crisis.

/07_Finance/
  2026/
    Q1/
      invoices-sent/
      invoices-received/
      receipts/
    Q2/

/08_Comms — Communication records

Client correspondence, meeting notes, and decision records you may need to reference.

/08_Comms/
  meeting-notes/
  client-correspondence/
  proposals/

/99_Archive — Completed and cold storage

Projects move here when done. Entire project folders transfer intact. Nothing gets renamed or restructured on the way in. The archive mirrors the original structure.

/99_Archive/
  2024/
    projectname/    -- Moved intact from /02_Projects
  2025/
    projectname/

Rule: Archive only after final deliverables are confirmed received and backup is verified.

Profession-Specific Examples

Creative / Designer

/01_Active/brand_rosecourt-refresh/
/02_Projects/2026/rosecourt_brand-refresh/
  briefs/
  moodboards/
  drafts/
  reviews/
/03_Deliverables/Finals/rosecourt_brand-guide_v04.pdf
/05_Media/Raw/rosecourt_photoshoot-jan/

Consultant / Strategist

/01_Active/client_grovehouse-audit/
/02_Projects/2026/grovehouse_ops-audit/
  research/
  analysis/
  presentations/
  recommendations/
/03_Deliverables/Finals/grovehouse_audit-report_v02.pdf
/08_Comms/meeting-notes/2026-01-15_grovehouse_kickoff.md

Developer / Engineer

/01_Active/app_witchhaven-portal/
/02_Projects/2026/witchhaven_customer-portal/
  specs/
  wireframes/
  docs/
/06_Systems/automations/deploy_witchhaven-portal.yml
/03_Deliverables/Finals/witchhaven_portal-handoff_v01.zip

Mapping to the Sovereignty Cycle

Cycle Phase	Primary Folders	Action
Capture	/00_Inbox, /05_Media/Raw	Collect everything. Judge nothing.
Organize	/01_Active, /02_Projects	Sort, name, place. Weekly review.
Protect	/04_Licensing, /06_Systems, /07_Finance	Backup, document rights, secure access.
Ship	/03_Deliverables	Export finals. Confirm delivery. Archive.

Setup Rules

Create this structure once. Do not reinvent it per project.
Every file has exactly one home. If you are unsure, it goes in /00_Inbox until your next review.
Number prefixes enforce sort order. Your file browser shows these in the right sequence without configuration.
Never nest deeper than 4 levels. If you need a 5th level, your structure is too complex -- simplify.
Sync this structure across all devices. Your laptop, your NAS, your cloud -- same skeleton everywhere.

Mirror Mirror Data Sovereignty Course | Template 1 of 9

Your data, your systems, your sovereignty.