A Simple Journey Through My Obsidian Setup

I first came across Obsidian when I was looking for a new way to keep my notes organized. I wanted something that felt comfortable, both for my eyes and for my personal style. That’s how I ended up using a Gruvbox color theme—a warm, slightly retro palette that keeps me focused during late-night work sessions. Even though Gruvbox was more popular back in 2017, I still find it charming and easy on the eyes.

Discovering the Digital Fish Bowl

Around the same time, I stumbled upon Phan’s concept of a “digital fish bowl.” The idea is to have a space where stray thoughts, random ideas, and quick notes can swim freely before they get sorted into more structured categories. I’ve adopted this idea as a sort of sandbox in my vault. Whenever I have a spark of inspiration or an interesting link to save, I drop it into my fish bowl folder. Later, I can sort through it, move important bits into projects, or archive them for future reference.

The PARA System

To keep everything in order, I rely on the PARA method. It’s a straightforward system that organizes notes into:

• Projects: Notes tied to specific goals or deadlines. PARA - What is a Project
• Areas: Ongoing responsibilities or fields of interest. PARA - What is an Area
• Resources: Helpful references, articles, or guides I might need later. PARA - What are Resources
• Archives: Finished or dormant materials I want to keep but don’t actively use. PARA - What are Archives

This structure makes it easier for me to see the bigger picture. I can tell which notes need my attention right now (Projects) and which notes I can review on a slower day (Archives).

My Key Plugins

1. Digital Garden: This plugin helps me take notes I’ve written and push them directly to a public blog, with very little effort.
2. Obsidian Excalidraw: I love drawing quick sketches and flowcharts, and this plugin lets me do that right inside Obsidian.
3. Obsidian Hacker News: It’s handy for checking tech news without having to leave my note-taking environment.
4. Obsidian Icon Folder: I use simple, clear icons to distinguish between different folders at a glance.
5. Obsidian Tasks: This adds a to-do system right into Obsidian, which helps me keep track of deadlines and reminders.
6. Settings Search: A quick search bar for finding any setting in Obsidian—saves me a lot of time.
7. Templater: This plugin automates parts of my note creation. For example, I can insert the date, format text, or even change backgrounds with one click. Just remember to switch on the “Trigger Templater on file creation” option if you want it to run automatically.
8. Iconize: This allows me to put small icons in folder names without messing up how other apps read them.

Wrapping Up

In the end, my setup is about keeping my notes organized and my eyes comfortable. Gruvbox’s soothing colors pair nicely with the PARA system’s structure, while Phan’s fish bowl idea gives me a space for free-floating thoughts. If you find any of this useful, feel free to adapt it to your own style. The best part about Obsidian is how flexible it can be, whether you love a retro color scheme, need a quick place to scribble down ideas, or want to post directly to your blog. It’s all about finding a method that helps you stay creative and focused, every step of the way.