I don't know why but if stuff is everywhere on my computer I feel less of a desire to create.

 

I get this feeling more from clutter around the work station.

 

Yes. A clean and tidy work area as well. However that's only important at the start of something, once the ball is rolling everything usually blows up and goes to shit, then at the end it needs re-organization before anything else can start.

 

I very much like that feeling, but until I have things backed-Up and Synced, I don't feel totally at ease.
Not that it affects what little creativity I have that much ...

I have tons of stuff but it all has its place.
Tools like FreeFileSync, Bulk File Renamer, DupeKiller, TreeSize Free ( I dislike the view options in TreeSize full version view), Easy context menu....
All those tools make it easier, but the main thing is to have a scheme for naming and a habit for moving things where they should go.
Downloading most things to their eventual archive drive is the way to go, so you do not have to physically move them from one drive to another. (if you can call copying data physically moving..either way it takes more TIME and writes to disk.)

I have a 7 Tb 7200 drive i consider my "work" drive. I download to it and archive on it.
I mirror that drive to a 7 Tb 5400 external using Free File Sync (helps in finding potentials but i first check to see if i have renamed a folder , as i do not use the Real-Time-Sync it offers. That is a GREAT program for checking changes, too..the GUI is helpful with filtering and ways to view.
What i do NOT mirror is my Daw Libraries such as Kontakt, SampleTank, etc.and my "Audio" library.
Those already exist in extracted form on my library drives, and I only keep one archived (compressed) backup.
If i should lose the library drive it would be a pain to extract all to recreate my Library drive, but worse if I lose the archive drive.
There is good info in the archives that i did not copy to the Library folders (many I at least have a text with the relevant release info, but i did not start doing that until I had a lot built ... so i should just drag the relevant text/info files from the .RARs into their proper library folders..
I will do that...
I have those Libraries on my 7200 but will move them to the 5400 external soon. It is so seldom that i need the archives that there is no need to have them on my internal fast drive.

 

triple back up your own work. should disaster strike, it will be the only stuff you won't be able to find again.

 

Less is often more ! Follow your feelings and delete things that you don't use. Then you feel a bit lighter - throw off ballast. The PC runs a little faster again. The perspective is better. You can always re-install, provided you have burned the data beforehand - archive hard drive, etc.