Most filing systems fail because they’re either too rigid (everything must fit predefined categories) or too flexible (folders breed recursively until you’re lost in nested hierarchies). NIPARAS solves this by answering one question: What is this thing’s lifecycle?

Now (01) - Actively working on right now. Your working memory file. What’s in flight this week. Pinned to the top because you reference it constantly.

Inbox (02) - Just landed, needs processing. Downloads, screenshots, quick captures. Everything starts here.

Projects (03) - Discrete sprints with defined end states. “Launch blog”, “Plan Japan trip”, “Process 2025 photos”. These finish. When done, outcomes move to Resources or Archive.

Areas (04) - Ongoing responsibilities without end states. Health, Finances, Photography, Career. You’ll never “complete” fitness or “finish” managing money. These are perpetual.

Resources (05) - Reference material. Guides, trip files, research. Organised by topic. This is where completed project outputs often end up.

Archive (06) - Cold storage. Completed projects, old trip folders, historical reference. Rarely accessed but kept for record.

System (07) - Meta. Vault organisation principles, context files for Claude Code, documentation about the system itself.

The numbers keep them sorted. The names tell you where things go. And CLAUDE.md at the root explains the whole structure to anyone (human or AI) who needs to navigate it.

Everything above this line is for humans to read.

Everything below this line is instructions for Claude Code to implement this system for you.

Implementation Guide for Claude Code

INSTRUCTIONS FOR HUMANS: Select and copy everything from this heading down to the end of the post. Paste it into your Claude Code session. Claude Code will ask you clarifying questions and then set up this system for you.

Context

I want to set up an NIPARAS-structured Obsidian vault (or similar markdown-based knowledge base) with:

  1. Seven numbered top-level folders (01 Now through 07 System)
  2. CLAUDE.md orientation file at the root explaining the structure
  3. Clear lifecycle for files - everything has an obvious home based on its state

This structure eliminates “where does this go?” decisions and makes navigation predictable.

Implementation Steps

  1. Create the seven folders:

    01 Now/
02 Inbox/
03 Projects/
04 Areas/
05 Resources/
06 Archive/
07 System/

  2. Create essential files in 01 Now/:

    • Works in Progress.md - Overview of active work (days-to-weeks scale)
    • Working memory.md - Scratchpad for current thinking, conversation dumps

  3. Create CLAUDE.md at vault root:

    # [Your Name] - Claude Code Context

## Vault Structure: NIPARAS

This vault uses numbered folders for predictable organisation:

- **01 Now/** - Active working memory (Works in Progress, Working memory scratchpad)
- **02 Inbox/** - Downloads, staging, unprocessed items
- **03 Projects/** - Discrete sprints with end states (hub pages, not folders)
- **04 Areas/** - Ongoing responsibilities without end states
- **05 Resources/** - Reference material organised by topic
- **06 Archive/** - Cold storage, completed projects, historical reference
- **07 System/** - Meta-documentation, context files, vault principles

## Navigation for Claude Code

When you need domain-specific context:
1. Check if a hub file exists in 07 System/ (e.g., `Context - [Domain].md`)
2. Read the hub file
3. Follow explicit links to detailed pages

See: [[07 System/README - Context Navigation]] for full navigation instructions.

  4. Create 07 System/Vault Organisation Principles.md: Document your specific rules:

    • How Projects differ from Areas
    • When to use folders vs hub pages
    • File naming conventions
    • How attachments/screenshots are handled

  5. Create 07 System/README - Context Navigation.md (optional): Technical guide for Claude Code agents on hierarchical lazy loading. See: https://revealedpriorities.com/posts/hierarchical-context-navigation/

  6. Configure Obsidian (if applicable):

    • Set default attachment location: “Same folder as current file”
    • Configure any folder-specific settings
    • Set CLAUDE.md as startup file (optional)

  7. Migrate existing files:

    • Downloads folder → 02 Inbox/
    • Active documents → 01 Now/ or 03 Projects/
    • Reference material → 05 Resources/
    • Old projects → 06 Archive/
    • Obsidian setup docs → 07 System/

Key Principles

Projects are pages, not folders: Create a hub page (e.g., 03 Projects/Travel 2026.md) that links to resources in 05 Resources/Travel 2026/. The page provides context and organisation that folders can’t.

Areas are folders: Ongoing domains like 04 Areas/Health/ or 04 Areas/Finances/ accumulate notes over time without a defined endpoint.

Inbox gets processed: Don’t let 02 Inbox/ become a dumping ground. Process items weekly: file to appropriate location or delete.

Now is your working memory: 01 Now/Works in Progress.md should reflect what you’re actively working on. Update it as projects start/complete.

System documents the system: When you establish new conventions, document them in 07 System/. Future you (and Claude Code) will thank you.

Questions to Clarify

Before implementing, let me know:

  1. Vault location: Where should I create this structure?
  2. Existing files: Do you have existing files to migrate? Where are they currently?
  3. Domain-specific context: What domains need hub files in 07 System/? (e.g., Photography, Work, Health, Technical Setup)
  4. Obsidian vs other: Are you using Obsidian or a different markdown editor?
  5. Special requirements: Any specific conventions or rules for your workflow?

Once you answer these, I can implement the exact setup for your environment.

Series: Claude Code + Obsidian

  • Part 1: Introduction - What this system is, how to set up
  • Part 2: Why - Why vault-as-filesystem works
  • Part 3: What (this post) - The seven-folder NIPARAS structure
  • Part 4: How - How Claude Code navigates your vault