The Python Script That Organizes My Downloads Folder Better Than I Ever Could

If you’re like me, your Downloads folder is where files go to disappear. PDFs, images, .zip files, random installers all dumped into a digital junk drawer. Every few weeks, I’d waste an hour “cleaning up.”

So, I decided to stop playing janitor. Instead, I wrote a Python script that auto-organizes my Downloads folder every time I add a new file. Now, PDFs go to “Documents,” images to “Pictures,” videos to “Media,” and even code files into a “Projects” folder.

No clicks. No dragging. No excuses.

Step 1: The Core Idea

The goal was simple:

• Watch the Downloads folder.
• When a new file arrives, move it into the correct folder.
• Organize by file type (and optionally by date).

Instead of manually sorting files, I wanted my laptop to behave like a neat freak roommate.

Step 2: The Code

Here’s the full script I still run on my machine:

import os
import shutil
from watchdog.observers import Observer
from watchdog.events import FileSystemEventHandler
# Set up folders
DOWNLOADS = "/Users/yourname/Downloads"
DESTINATIONS = {
    "Documents": [".pdf", ".docx", ".txt"],
    "Pictures": [".jpg", ".jpeg", ".png", ".gif"],
    "Media": [".mp4", ".mp3", ".mkv"],
    "Projects": [".py", ".ipynb", ".js", ".html", ".css"],
    "Archives": [".zip", ".rar", ".tar", ".gz"],
}
class FileMover(FileSystemEventHandler):
    def on_modified(self, event):
        for filename in os.listdir(DOWNLOADS):
            src = os.path.join(DOWNLOADS, filename)
            if os.path.isfile(src):
                ext = os.path.splitext(filename)[1].lower()
                for folder, extensions in DESTINATIONS.items():
                    if ext in extensions:
                        dest_folder = os.path.join(DOWNLOADS, folder)
                        os.makedirs(dest_folder, exist_ok=True)
                        shutil.move(src, os.path.join(dest_folder, filename))
                        print(f"Moved: {filename} → {folder}")
# Run the watcher
event_handler = FileMover()
observer = Observer()
observer.schedule(event_handler, DOWNLOADS, recursive=False)
observer.start()
try:
    while True:
        pass
except KeyboardInterrupt:
    observer.stop()
observer.join()

Step 3: How It Works

1. I used the watchdog library to monitor folder changes in real-time.
2. When a new file is detected, the script checks its extension.
3. It matches the extension to a destination folder (like “Pictures” or “Archives”).
4. the destination folder doesn’t exist, Python creates it
5. The file is moved automatically.

That’s it. A digital Marie Kondo for files.

Step 4: Taking It Further

After running this for a week, I extended it:

Date-based subfolders:

from datetime import datetime  today = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d") dest_folder = os.path.join(DOWNLOADS, folder, today)

• Now, all files are organized not just by type, but by the day I downloaded them.
• Cloud Sync: I set some categories (like “Projects”) to auto-sync with my GitHub repos or Google Drive.
• Smart Filtering: With mimetypes, I added handling for less obvious file types (like JSON, CSV, SQL dumps).

Step 5: Why Not Just Use Finder or Explorer?

Sure, Windows and macOS both let you sort and search files. But:

• They don’t auto-file things for you.
• They don’t create date-stamped subfolders.
• They don’t send your project files to GitHub automatically.

This script turned my Downloads from a landfill into a well-organized digital library.

Step 6: Deployment

I didn’t want to run the script manually, so I:

• Set it up as a background process using launchd (macOS) or Task Scheduler (Windows).
• Alternatively, used a systemd service on Linux.

Now it runs 24/7 — silently cleaning up after me.

Why This Matters

This might feel like a “small” automation. But here’s the truth: small daily friction kills productivity. Every second I used to waste digging through Downloads is now saved. Over months, that’s hours of regained focus.

And the best part? My digital life now sparks joy.