Simple Vault 2025

I've been using Obsidian on and off for years to manage personal knowledge. This post outlines my vault's structure, key plugins, and general thoughts on the tool.

Overview of the Simple Vault

The Simple Vault distills concepts from various knowledge management frameworks into a streamlined structure and workflow tailored to my needs. It prioritizes a flat folder structure, leveraging Maps of Content (MOCs), workspace layouts, and templates for organization.

I avoid traditional tags for topics or subjects, instead using them to indicate note status. This keeps my tagging system lean and focused on workflow.

Vault Tags

Tags reflect the status of original or fleeting notes:

• #draft: Unformed notes, often just a title.
• #edit: Notes formed but needing refinement.
• No tag: Mature notes moved out of the inbox.

Note Properties

Each note includes these metadata properties:

1. tags: Indicates note status (as above).
2. created: Links to the daily note for the creation date.
3. aliases: Alternate names for referencing the note.
4. index: Links to the note’s primary index (e.g., a Map).
5. related: Links to related notes or adjacent indices.

Directory Structure

I keep the folder structure flat to encourage linking and reduce backend maintenance. Folders serve specific purposes:

• Attachments: Non-note files (e.g., PDFs, MP3s).
• Daily: Auto-generated daily notes.
• Inbox: New notes and web-clipped content (via Obsidian Web Clipper) awaiting processing.
• Maps: Notes with dense link networks, acting as indices for related notes.
• Notes: Processed or evergreen notes, moved from the inbox and indexed.
• Templates: Default folder for Obsidian templates.

Top-Level Organization: Maps of Content

Instead of nested folders, I use Maps of Content (MOCs)—or simply Maps—as the primary organizational layer. Maps are highly linked notes that index related content. A new Map is created when a note’s “related” property becomes overcrowded, signaling it’s ready to serve as a hub.

Using Obsidian’s bookmarks and Dataview tables, I group Maps dynamically without relying on rigid folder hierarchies.

Key Map Categories (PARA+)

Inspired by Tiago Forte’s PARA system, I organize Maps into these categories:

• Inbox: Lists all inbox notes (drafts, clipped content) for review and processing.
• Projects: Notes tied to time-bound projects with deadlines.
• Areas: Ongoing notes (e.g., daily notes, high-level Maps) that require regular pruning.
• Resources: Reference materials (e.g., wishlists, contact lists, vault metadata).
• Archives: Evergreen or “done” notes, including clipped articles or personal notes no longer tied to active projects/areas.

Meta Maps

• Drafts: Tracks notes I’m actively writing or editing.
• Maps: A “Map of Maps” indexing all other Maps—the vault’s highest-level index.
• People: Tracks relationships and contact details.

Graphs

Filtered graph views provide quick insights during research or vault analysis, highlighting connections between notes.

Plugins

I keep plugins minimal to maintain simplicity, focusing on core and community plugins that enhance my workflow. Below are the essentials, with a nod to plugins I’ve used for past restructures.

Core Plugins

• Bookmarks
• Command Palette
• Daily Note
• Page Preview
• Templates
• Workspaces

Community Plugins

• Calendar: Visualizes daily notes.
• Dataview: Powers dynamic tables for grouping and querying notes.
• Footnote Shortcut: Simplifies adding footnotes.
• Omnisearch: Enhances search across the vault.
• Templater: Automates note creation with custom templates.

Previously Used

• Note Refactor: Helped restructure notes during vault updates.
• Tag Wrangler: Assisted with tag management during overhauls.

Reflections

The Simple Vault strikes a balance between flexibility and structure. The flat hierarchy and Map-based organization keep the focus on linking ideas rather than managing folders. Tags-as-status and PARA-inspired categories streamline workflows, while plugins like Dataview and Templater add power without complexity.

Obsidian’s versatility is its strength, but it can tempt over-engineering. Sticking to a minimalist setup has made my vault sustainable and effective for long-term knowledge management. I will continue to refine and update this page as I do the same for my Simple Vault.

updated 1 month, 2 weeks ago.