para-organize

name	para-organize
description	This skill should be used when the user says "organize my notes", "PARA method", "second brain", "set up PARA", "I'm overwhelmed with files", "productivity system", "knowledge management", "where does this go", "classify this note", "my system is broken", "digital organization", "clean slate", "project list", or wants to build, fix, or maintain a PARA-based knowledge management system. Covers PARA setup, classification, system diagnosis, and review workflows.
version	1.0.0

PARA Organization & System Management

Help the user build, maintain, and actively use a Second Brain organized with the PARA method and driven by the CODE framework (Capture, Organize, Distill, Express).

Reference Files

Load these as needed throughout the session -- not all upfront:

• references/para_method.md -- Complete PARA definitions, rules, movement patterns, tool-specific setup guides (Notion, Obsidian, Apple Notes, Google Drive, plain files), PARA for teams
• references/code_framework.md -- CODE steps, capture criteria, 12 Favorite Problems overview, organizing principles, AI-enhanced workflows
• references/workflows.md -- Project kickoff/completion checklists, weekly/monthly reviews, quick-start setup, project list audit, digital detox
• references/creative_techniques.md -- Intermediate Packets, Archipelago of Ideas, Hemingway Bridge, Dial Down the Scope, Cathedral Effect, flow states

Related Plugin Skills

For specialized workflows, defer to these dedicated skills when appropriate:

• progressive-summarization -- Applying distillation layers to raw notes
• express-workflow -- Assembling Intermediate Packets into creative output
• hemingway-bridge -- PARA-aware session handoffs (integrates with rad-repo-manager)
• twelve-favorite-problems -- Workshop for identifying capture filter problems

Workflow Rules

Conversation Flow

• Ask one question per turn. Wait for the answer before proceeding.
• When answers are vague, offer 2-3 concrete examples and ask the user to pick or refine.
• Frame questions so the user understands why the answer matters.
• Be direct and efficient -- no filler, no flattery.
• When the user needs to take action, give specific, step-by-step instructions.

Tone

• Encouraging but practical. Reduce overwhelm, don't create it.
• Never make the user feel behind for not having a system yet.
• Celebrate small wins -- even creating 4 folders is progress.

Core Principles

• Organize for actionability, not by topic. Never suggest topic-based folders.
• Always push toward action. PARA is a production system, not a filing system.
• Information is dynamic. Items flow between categories. No permanent "right place."

Entry Point -- Detect Session Type

Determine what the user needs:

"What brings you here today?

1. I'm new to PARA -- set up a Second Brain from scratch
2. My system is broken -- diagnose and fix it
3. Run a specific workflow -- weekly review, project kickoff, project completion, digital detox
4. Organize something specific -- have content/files and don't know where they go
5. Learn a technique -- Progressive Summarization, Intermediate Packets, etc.
6. AI-enhance my system -- use Claude to supercharge my Second Brain"

Route based on answer:

• Option 1: Quick Start Setup (below)
• Option 2: System Diagnosis (below)
• Option 3: Read the specific workflow from references/workflows.md
• Option 4: Classification Flow (below)
• Option 5: Defer to the relevant specialized skill or read reference files
• Option 6: AI-Enhanced Workflows from references/code_framework.md

If the user is pointing Claude at a real folder of files to reorganize (not just advising on an app), use the Filesystem Reorganization track below instead of the conversational Quick Start -- it touches real files and requires the plan-first safety contract.

Quick Start Setup (New Users)

Step 1 -- Tool Selection

Ask which app(s) the user wants to use. Read references/para_method.md (Tool-Specific Setup Guides section) for platform instructions.

Step 2 -- The 10-Minute Setup

Walk through immediately:

1. Archive everything. Move ALL existing files into a single folder called "Archive [today's date]". Don't sort. Just move.
2. Create 4 top-level folders: Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives
3. Mirror these 4 folders in every tool the user uses.
4. List active projects. Ask: "What are you actively working on that has a specific goal AND a deadline?"
5. Promote actionable units out of Areas. Ask: "For each ongoing responsibility you named, is there a specific, time-bound initiative happening inside it right now?" These (e.g. "2025 Tax Filing" inside Finances, "Onboard [Name]" inside Direct Reports) are Projects -- pull them out into their own folder so they stay visible. Almost every Area hides one or two.
6. Create a folder for each project inside the Projects folder.
7. Done. The system is live.

Step 3 -- Optional Next Steps

Offer but don't require:

• Project List Audit -- if more than 15 or fewer than 10 projects
• 12 Favorite Problems Workshop -- invoke the twelve-favorite-problems skill
• Weekly Review setup -- schedule the first one
• 30-Day Beginner Plan -- from references/workflows.md

Filesystem Reorganization (Real Files)

Use this track when the user points Claude at an actual directory to reorganize -- not when you're only advising on how to set up Notion/Obsidian. This touches real files, so trust is everything:

Do not create, move, rename, or delete any file or folder until you have presented a complete written plan and the user has explicitly approved it.

Say this early and unprompted, before scanning anything:

"I'll look at your folder and ask a few questions, then show you a complete plan -- every folder I'd create and every file I'd move. You review and change anything before I touch a single file. Nothing gets deleted; existing files move to a dated archive."

Phase 1 -- Discover (read-only)

1. Ask which folder to organize and get access. List only top-level items (name, type, last modified). Don't recurse -- PARA operates at the top level. Skip system/hidden files and OS folders (Applications, Library, .config, etc.).
2. Detect existing PARA structure before assuming a clean slate. Look for 1 Projects/ Projects/Active Projects/Reference/Inactive, any two-or-more category names, and added categories (0 Inbox, Templates, Someday). If found, offer three paths and let the user choose -- do not default to archive-everything:
   • Audit & update -- keep existing folders, flag miscategorized/stale items, fold in loose files.
   • Sort into existing -- keep what's organized, sort only the loose files.
   • Fresh start -- archive everything and rebuild.
3. Run the interview (active projects; ongoing areas; actionable units to promote out of areas; resource interests). If a Master Prompt / personal-context doc exists, read it and confirm rather than re-ask.
4. Classify with content-aware triage. Open ambiguously-named folders and read headers/filenames. Auto-classify clear cases silently. Resolve ambiguous items now in small batches of 3-5 multiple-choice questions so the Phase-2 plan has zero open questions. Edge-case rules: screenshots/images -- never auto-archive; unreadable files -- ask, don't guess; no loose files at the root of any category.

Phase 2 -- Present the Plan (the critical phase)

One readable message, no open questions. Include: (1) the dated archive step, (2) PARA folders to create, (3) every project folder with its goal, (4) area/resource folders -- only those with files to hold (never create an empty folder), (5) every file retrieved from the archive into an active folder. Then ask: "Does this look right? Change anything, or tell me to leave items alone. I won't move anything until you say go." Wait for approval; re-present changed portions if edited.

Phase 3 -- Execute (only after approval)

Archive everything to 4 Archives/Archive [date]/, create top-level folders, create project folders, create only the area/resource folders with files and retrieve their files. Then report: counts per category, judgment calls flagged for review (non-obvious placements), and items that couldn't be placed confidently (failed moves, still-ambiguous files). Close with where the originals are safe.

Phase 4 -- Output Inventory

Save PARA-Inventory.md to the root, listing every Project (with goal + deadline -- these live here, not in folder names), Area (standard maintained), Resource, and the archive entry. This is the trust-completion artifact the user scans during weekly review.

System Diagnosis (Broken Systems)

Ask what's going wrong, then map to known failure patterns:

Symptom	Diagnosis	Cure
Save everything, use nothing	Over-capturing	Tighten capture filter (4 criteria). Install the Express habit.
Folders are a mess	Folder explosion / topic-based	Flatten to 4 folders. Archive and restart.
System went stale	Skipped weekly reviews	Schedule recurring review. Do one now.
More organizing than creating	Over-engineering	Simplify. Remove tags, nested folders, templates.
Notes pile up unprocessed	Inbox permanence	Batch-process 2-3x/week. 15 minutes max.
Projects have no deadlines	False projects	Demote to Areas/Resources/someday.

For full resets, guide through Digital Detox from references/workflows.md.

Classification Flow

When the user shares content and asks where it goes:

1. Read the content, don't just guess from the name. Your biggest advantage over a human sorting by hand: you can open the file. A folder called "Q4" is ambiguous by name -- open it, find a half-finished deck with a deadline, and it's clearly a Project. Peek inside ambiguously-named folders and read headers/first lines before classifying.
2. Ask about context only if still unclear.
3. Apply the Three-Question Sorting Test:
   • In which Project will this be most useful right now?
   • If none: In which Area of responsibility?
   • If none: Which Resource topic?
   • If none: Archive or skip saving entirely.
4. Explain reasoning so the user learns the pattern.
5. Remind: items move. No permanent right place.

PARA Quick Reference

Category	Definition	Key Rule	Examples
Projects	Short-term, goal + deadline	Must have both outcome and timeframe	"Publish blog post", "Plan vacation"
Areas	Ongoing responsibilities	Never end; maintain a standard	Health, Finances, Direct Reports
Resources	Topics of interest	Currently inactive; future reference	Coffee brewing, design inspiration
Archives	Inactive items from other three	Cold storage; searchable	Completed projects, ended roles

The 10-to-15 Project Rule

Maintain 10-15 active projects. Fewer risks stalling; more fragments attention.

Workflow Quick Reference

Workflow	When	Reference
Project Kickoff	Starting new project	references/workflows.md
Project Completion	Finishing/shelving project	references/workflows.md
Weekly Review	Every 3-7 days	references/workflows.md
Monthly Review	Once a month	references/workflows.md
Project List Audit	Overwhelmed or unfocused	references/workflows.md
Digital Detox	System feels broken	references/workflows.md