I have a folder with many sub-folders for my designs.....when I download a design I put the web-site after the design name so I can see at a glance where it came from....much like you I didn't start organizing when I first started so I'm still behind.....I'm sure you will get some really good answers.

The Cuties are really smart in finding their links to designs.
Mine are getting better organized only now.
Another thing I do is save the folders with the design site and also login name + my passwords because, although they are not many (some don't allow the log in name).Until you visit enough times to remember it.
Happy Sorting!
From Bev

If you search through this site I think most of the sites are listed here somewhere. I have enough problems organizing my designs without keeping the sites as well. Lyn

I file my designs under the sites name eg. All my patterns from Cute, goes into a file named Cute. etc. This works for me.

on some ddesigns I put it right in the file name. like the flowering font we are collecting now, the file name is ( flowering cutey) I know that it is this site another is (st patty amazing) I keep all my alpha's together so putting the name of the site in the file is easier for me. I keep them in the main folder until finished then move them to there aproppate file after completed. if it is a sinlge design I just type in it the name as I am dl.

I think the best tip would be to start keeping track as soon as you start collecting freebies, but sadly I think most of us didnt.

My next tip would be to create a system that you'll remember for naming your designs and stick with it for every file you DL: I personally collect alphas into individual folders eg the flying butterfly font is "Flying Butterfly alpha - CA" (CA=Cute Alphabets) and all the designs within the folder dont get renamed. However say I have a butterfly (like today's freebie here) then I rename it to add "CE" at the end of the name, so I know it came from Cute Embroidery. Designs from Sewforum have SF added to them, DBC = Designs By Cuties. There are times when I cant remember what the abbreviation is for tho lol. This is what works for me and I know there will be plenty of suggestions. I wish I'd started doing this 18 months ago, then I'd know where every design I have came from - Digitisers dont always include their info with a file which is a shame because I have a memory like a sieve lol xXx :)

I have my folders by the www address (like CuteEmbroidery, DesignsBySick, etc.) so I know where they came from. I have two different versions for each - one that says Paid and one that says Freebie (so if I ever find corruption in a file I can go back to the site owner and ask for a replacement on a paid one). I use the Ann The Gran Catalog Xpress (just like Buzz Tools) to organize by theme.

I too keep designs by the digitizer in a folder, with each file identified by the name or number the digitizer uses for the design. I have sub-folders - such as flower, animals, etc. This does help in knowing where we got it, and the design identification if some should ask where we got someting. Sometimes I do forget what I am looking for, and then do a search either by name of portion of the name, if I remember it. LOL