1) Duplicate files: Most designers include a copy of the product preview, TOU file and sometimes additional advertising pieces in each downloaded file. If a typical kit is 3 downloads, that's often 3 copies of a bunch of files! I organize each kit like this:
Folder "Kit Name
Subfolder 1: Papers
Subfolder 2: Elements
Subfolder 3: Alpha
Loose in folder: folder.jpg (if the kit doesn't come with one, I make one) and the TOU (if there are
multiple previews, I keep one of those too.
I delete any duplicate files (extra TOU, previews, blinkies, etc.) If there is a coupon in the download, and I think I'll use it, I file those in a separate folder called "coupons" so I can easily find it later.
It might not seem like much, but I have found TONS and TONS of duplicate files in my cleaning process, and although I can't tell you exactly how much space it's saved, I'm sure it's at least 1 GB
1b) Duplicate TOU: For designers I especially love and collect lots of kits from, I have a folder with their name on it. Inside this folder are all of the individual kits. Most designers use a standard TOU that remains the same for each kit, or even better, a URL I can go to to read their most up-to-date TOU. If this is the case, I keep only 1 copy of the TOU in that designer's folder. When I DL new stuff from that designer, I check to make sure that the TOU is still the same, and keep the most current/up-to-date version. If I have 10 kits from one designer, I only need 1 copy of their TOU, not 10!
2) PSD ---> Tiff conversion: This has been a HUGE undertaking, especially as a designer because I have TONS and TONS of PSD files for papers, elements and templates of all kinds. Tiff files maintain the layers just like a PSD file, only they end up being about half the file size. No joke. HALF the size. Here is a screen shot of the settings I use in PSE6 to save my Tiff files. I have only done all of my layered paper templates and about 1/4 of my page templates and have already saved over 7GBs of space on my EHD doing this!
3) Kit & Alpha purging: This is a pretty obvious space saver - if you're like me you collect digi-supplies like they are going out of style! I know I have a habit of downloading kits that I will likely never use. For me - these are most often really super girly kits that I love, but as mom to a boy, will likely never use. Delete 'em. There will be more cute girly kits out there if I ever have a little girl to scrap! Another habit of mine is to hold onto every single kit I CT with. While I LOVE the designers I work for, a lot of times I scrap a LO for them with a kit I normally wouldn't scrap with, usually because of theme. If I'm not going to use the kit again, I can delete it. No one is going to know or have hurt feelings. And if it comes down to it, I'm sure your designers would give you the kit again if you found you did need it :D
Alphas are one place I have found I can save a lot of space. There are 3 ways I do this.
1) If designers include both the individual letters and the "all in one" I usually keep just one or the other. It depends on the alpha, but usually the all-in-one since it's usually a smaller file.
2) Delete alphas I won't use. Most kits these days come with an alpha, and I love a good alpha! But not all of them are my style! Sometimes kits have alphas that I know I would never use - there is no need to keep it if I know I won't use it!
3) Delete the kit. If there is an alpha I love but it's paired with a kit I won't use - delete the kit, keep the alpha! I have a folder just for alphas I've collected, and probably 1/4 of them used to be with a kit that I no longer have.
That's all for today, these are just a few space saving tricks that I use, and not every one of my methods will work for all of you, but maybe something will help you out in your space saving adventures!
Do you have any of your own space saving tricks? Share them in the comments! I can always use a good tip or trick!
True ! Amazing how many things are taking up disk space. I also do like in point one : delete duplicate files. Also sometimes kits contains a 600x600 and a 3600x3600 preview. I don't really need the big one so delete. Or a preview and folder file exactly the same.
ReplyDeleteAlso word art in languages that you're not likely to use or maybe don't even understand.
I am also thinking : the same elements with and without shadow ... you can put a shadow on the one without shadow yourself.
And this is indeed a hugh job, but once you get into the habbit, it goes much faster and it's easier.
Ehi Manda! You would not believe I was going to email you yesterday to ask you about the settings you used to save the TIFF files. I think you work with a Mac and not with a pc, not sure though. Anyway, I tried out for myself the different setting combos yesterday and if I save the TIFF file with the ZIP-ZIP setting, neither of my computers show up the preview. So I tried again, in the end to see the previews like they were a JPG file and still maintain a small file I had to use the LZW (image)-ZIP(layer) combo.
ReplyDeleteAs for my tricks, I don't really have that many, and I am lazy enough not to really spend too much time organizing my stuff. Anyway, honestly, I do delete all the piracy blinkies/pics, I know I am not a pirate, don't need to keep them. Then I delete all the designers and store blinkies. If I need them I can find them. Next thing are blog/website links, they are usually stated in the TOUs. And finally all those .DS_Store files that I have no idea what the hell they are about yet!
I should put my hands in my folders again soon and start deleting the stuff I really won't ever use, but I always tell myself I could use that sometime! Like for clothes and bags and shoes... whatever!
That idea to save templates as a tiff is a great idea, I have tons of templates that take up a lot of space!
ReplyDeleteOut of curiosity, have you ever saved a layout as a tiff and then gone back and modified the layout (i.e. you forgot something)? Does it affect the quality of the finished layout?
Using Find Duplicate Files ... great tool to locate duplicates
ReplyDelete