What is the PARA method?

PARA is an organizing framework by Tiago Forte that sorts everything by actionability into four buckets: Projects (active efforts with a deadline), Areas (ongoing responsibilities), Resources (reference material), and Archives (inactive items). FileMayor automates it for the files on your computer.

Is there an app that automates PARA for my files?

Yes. FileMayor is a free, local-first tool that scaffolds the four PARA folders and sorts files into them by actionability signals — recency, file type, folder names, and project markers — auto-archiving anything you have not touched in months. Every move is reversible via a journal.

Does FileMayor send my files anywhere to do PARA sorting?

No. The deterministic PARA sorter runs entirely on your machine and makes no network calls. Optional AI refinement (via Claude through the MCP server) shares only file metadata — names, sizes, paths — never file contents.

Is FileMayor affiliated with Tiago Forte or Building a Second Brain?

No. PARA is a method created by Tiago Forte. FileMayor is an independent tool that automates it for files on disk and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Tiago Forte or Forte Labs.

The PARA method

PARA, automated.

Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives — the method that organizes everything by actionability instead of topic. FileMayor builds it into the engine: scaffold the four folders, sort by actionability, and auto-archive what’s gone stale. One command. Fully reversible. Nothing leaves your machine.

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PARA is a method by Tiago Forte. FileMayor automates it — not affiliated or endorsed.

The four buckets

Sort by actionability, not file type.

Projects

Active efforts with a goal and an end. One folder per project. When it ships, it leaves.

FileMayor routes here: Recently modified work, and folders named like client-*, *-launch, project/. Code & media projects move intact.

Areas

Ongoing responsibilities you maintain with no end date — Finances, Health, Home, a role.

FileMayor routes here: Files whose names or folders match maintained domains: taxes, invoices, insurance, health, contracts…

Resources

Topics and reference material you may want later. Templates, manuals, books, assets.

FileMayor routes here: Reference-type files (books, fonts, design) and anything under reference/, templates/, docs/.

From mess to PARA, reversibly.

Install once with npm install -g filemayor (Node ≥20), or grab the desktop app.

# scaffold Projects / Areas / Resources / Archives + config
filemayor init --para

# sort this folder by actionability (preview, with reasons)
filemayor para .

# execute — every move journaled and reversible
filemayor apply

How it works

It shows its reasoning, then asks.

Scaffold

filemayor init --para creates the four folders, each with a plain-English README that teaches the method, plus a tuned config.

Sort by actionability

filemayor para . classifies every file from recency, type, folder names, and project markers — and shows the reason for each move.

Review the plan

Nothing moves until you say so. Active projects move intact; ambiguous files are set aside for review, not guessed.

Apply with an undo

filemayor apply executes and journals every move. Changed your mind? filemayor undo reverses the whole session.

Two modes

Honest about what a tool can infer.

Whether a file is an active Project or an ongoing Area is sometimes a real judgement call. FileMayor doesn’t fake certainty it doesn’t have.

Deterministic
The filemayor para command. Fast, free, private, transparent — every move labelled with its reason. Ideal for the bulk pass and auto-archiving.
Semantic
Through Claude via the MCP server, the AI judges true actionability per file and proposes buckets — then hands moves to the same reversible engine. You confirm; it applies.

Common questions

PARA, answered.

What is the PARA method?: PARA is an organizing framework by Tiago Forte that sorts everything by actionability into four buckets: Projects (active efforts with a deadline), Areas (ongoing responsibilities), Resources (reference material), and Archives (inactive items). FileMayor automates it for the files on your computer.
Is there an app that automates PARA for my files?: Yes. FileMayor is a free, local-first tool that scaffolds the four PARA folders and sorts files into them by actionability signals — recency, file type, folder names, and project markers — auto-archiving anything you have not touched in months. Every move is reversible via a journal.
Does FileMayor send my files anywhere to do PARA sorting?: No. The deterministic PARA sorter runs entirely on your machine and makes no network calls. Optional AI refinement (via Claude through the MCP server) shares only file metadata — names, sizes, paths — never file contents.
Is FileMayor affiliated with Tiago Forte or Building a Second Brain?: No. PARA is a method created by Tiago Forte. FileMayor is an independent tool that automates it for files on disk and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Tiago Forte or Forte Labs.

Give your files a system that stays tidy.

The buckets are easy. The upkeep is what defeats people — so let FileMayor do it. Free on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

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