Most Outlook users create new folders to store emails. But not everyone realises that you can add much more than just email folders. There are six different new folders types in Outlook as follows: (1) Calendar items, (2) Contact items, (3) Journal items, (4) Mail and Post items [that's the one most people use by default], (5) Note items and (6) Task items. By using these you can create the most logical folder structure for your way of working.

"Well, that's all fine and dandy," I hear you say, "but what possible use could someone like me have for this funky funktionality?" Well, here's what I do. I keep several different Task folders for different areas of my life. I have my primary 'Tasks' folder (just like everyone else) where I keep my work 'to do' list. But I also have a 'Home Tasks' folder where I put personal reminders of things I need to do outside of work and a 'Blog Tasks' folder where I store any thoughts, ideas or tips that I come across and think might be of interest to you, dear reader. I know of others who have an 'Offline Tasks' folder for those 'to do items' that can be done in a plane, train or automobile. Of course, I could just stick everything in my primary Tasks folder but I prefer to have separate places to help keep me focussed on just one project at a time.

You could also create a new Contacts folder for contact information that you don't want to clutter your primary Contacts list. Perhaps former work colleagues, social club contacts, that odd couple you met on holiday three years ago or the satanic people you really should send a Happy Halloween card to this year could benefit from being stored in their own contacts folder.

Creating new folders is as easy as falling off a log:

  1. In Outlook, go to the File menu, point to New and then click Folder.
  2. In the Name box enter a name for the folder ("Bad people who borrow things and never return them", for example!)
  3. Here's the pseudo-clever bit: In the Folder contains box, click the type of folder you wish to create
  4. In the Select where to place the folder list click the containing location for the folder. Click OK.

Once created, you can see your new folder in the navigation pane on the left hand side of the screen while in the respective view (e.g. Go menu then Tasks (or CTRL-4) and your new Tasks Folder will be listed, although not selected, in the navigation Pane). Or just pop into the Folder List view (Go, Folder List - or CTRL-6) and all your folders will be visible.

Now, dear reader, go forth and multiply your folders.