…light structure, not perfection
goal:
make notes findable and linkable
tools:
- Obsidian (core)
- Mammouth CLI (assist restructuring)
workflows:
-
move notes from
Inbox/→ topic folders -
add:
- tags
- links
- basic titles
- visuals eg. mindmaps, pictures test whiteboard.canvas
-
manage folders
- move or consolidate notes
- cross link notes
- assimilate past notes from past tools
-
optionally:
-
use Mammouth CLI:
“categorise and tag this note”
-
output:
- atomic-ish notes
- linked concepts
- early structure
current folder structure
+---.obsidian
ª +---plugins
ª +---chatgpt-md
ª +---obsidian-livesync
+---00 - personal stuff
+---10 - myjourney
ª +---Attachments
ª ª +---Attachments 2
ª +---on ai
ª ª +---and my workflow
ª ª +---and thought leaders
ª ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---models galore
ª ª +---vibe coding
ª +---on bikes
ª ª +---and bike tech
ª ª +---and future
ª ª +---and my bikes now
ª ª +---and my desired bikes
ª ª +---and rides
ª ª ª +---2025
ª ª ª +---2026
ª ª ª ª +---attachments
ª ª ª +---attachments
ª ª ª +---gpx
ª ª ª +---planned
ª ª +---and thoughts and learnings
ª ª +---assets
ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---Attachments 1
ª ª +---lcc
ª +---on cooking
ª ª +---assets
ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---doctors kitchen
ª ª +---resources
ª ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---store foods
ª ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---vegetarian
ª +---on current news
ª ª +---attachments
ª +---on economics
ª ª +---and thought leaders
ª ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---attachments
ª +---on gardening
ª ª +---attachments
ª +---on getting healthier
ª ª +---and thought leaders
ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---emerging ideas
ª ª +---gadgets
ª ª +---kettlebell routines
ª ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---key health concepts
ª +---on history
ª +---on life people purpose
ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---concepts
ª ª +---exploitation
ª ª +---faith and humanism
ª ª +---for young people today
ª ª +---thought leaders
ª +---on managing knowledge
ª ª +---from books
ª ª +---from youtube videos
ª +---on money
ª +---on politics
ª ª +---attachments
ª ª +---concepts
ª ª +---of bikes
ª ª +---the left
ª ª +---the right
ª ª +---thought leaders
ª +---on science fiction
ª +---on tech today
ª ª +---attachments
ª +---on travels
ª +---yet to come
+---20 - ourfuture
ª +---homes
ª +---attachments
+---90 - templates
+---Attachments
+---ChatGPT_MD
ª +---chats
ª +---templates
+---Z - ai
chatgpt suggestions to above
This is a solid, pragmatic, and very human approach to digital note management! Here are some thoughts, suggestions, and a mini-checklist based on your already great structure and process.
Key Principles from Your Note
- Light structure, not perfection: Focus on making things findable and usable over tidying for tidying’s sake.
- Atomic-ish notes: Not every note needs to be strictly atomic, but smaller, focused notes are more inter-linkable.
- long notes to be appropriately sectioned…
- then CLI can potentially split and update the original note can be parented with (preview) links to child notes
- Linking/concept mapping: Build up structure via backlinks and tags, not just folder location.
- this will help in visualising with graphs
- Assisted categorization: Using Mammouth CLI or similar to help add organization and metadata.
- Visual thinking: Use mindmaps, whiteboards, graphs and images to complement written notes.
Tactical Suggestions
1. Inbox to Structure Pipeline
-
Automate recurring steps where possible with Obsidian plugins or CLI:
- Tag new notes with
#needs-classificationor#inbox. - Use Mammouth CLI for batch categorization (test automations on a safe copy first).
- Tag new notes with
-
During inbox triage, ask:
- Can/should this note be split?
- What concepts/entities are in here? (add wiki links)
- Where would I expect to find this later, or what would I search for?
- Which other notes does this relate to directly?
2. Linking & Tags
- When you add a note, always link at least one related concept (your topics, e.g. on bikes, personal health).
- Consider a minimal mandatory tag set, e.g. journal, idea, quote, project, meeting
- Add a
[[See also: ...]]or “Related notes:” section to your note templates for fast manual association.
3. Early Structure
- Don’t worry about folder “purity”–Cyte and related plugins can help organize later if you keep up with links/tags.
- Regular (monthly or quarterly) “gardening” sessions: clean up duplicates, consolidate folders, update links.
4. Visuals
- Use Obsidian Whiteboards for visual overviews and relationships.
- For complex topics, dedicate a single MOC (“map of content”) note with links out and a whiteboard overview.
- Experiment with Excalidraw or Mermaid for quick concept diagrams.
5. Evolving Structure
- If you notice “folder sprawl”, batch-and-archive old folders in nested /Archive subfolders.
- Keep an occasional review note (with timestamped logs) of your system’s strengths and pain points.
Sample Processing Checklist
- Capture new note in Inbox
- Title, add date (template/shortcut)
- Tag (topic, note type)
- Identify key concepts and link or note for linking
- Move to appropriate folder
- (Optional) Add to whiteboard/MOC if relevant
- Mark as processed
(Optional) Folder Structure Adjustments
- Personal stuff and Personal journals overlap: consider if you want these merged or separate.
- Long folder names (e.g., 10 - myjourney/on bikes/and rides/2026/) could be restructured if they get unwieldy, otherwise use as is for chronological hierarchy.
Final Thought
Your approach balances structure and flexibility – exactly what you want for long-term digital note-taking. Most important: keep the friction low so you keep using it! Let links and tags do the heavy organization work—folders are just one layer.
If you want concrete scripts, templates, or plugin recommendations for Obsidian or automation with Mammouth CLI, just ask!
If you have a specific challenge (e.g., too many folders, tag confusion, slow search), let me know and I can suggest tailored tweaks.