The topic I wiped my entire Obsidian vault, and I regret not doing it sooner is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
I used Obsidian for months without running a cleanup. After a while, I ended up with folders, files, and plugins I hardly ever used. Most of what I added felt like it was only there for decoration. Eventually, looking at my setup became painful with all that mess, and that’s when I snapped. I had put it off long enough and decided to save what was important and wipe whatever was left. When I was done, it looked so clean and organized, and that’s when I regretted not doing it sooner.
Before I wiped my Obsidian vault, the sidebar looked too cluttered with folders on subjects I wasn’t working on anymore, such as Network Throttling. I had created too many folders, and the folder names were too generic, like “Windows?” What about Windows? I felt like I was playing a guessing game because I would click on the folder I thought had the notes I needed, only to find a half-finished note.
After I wiped my vault, I didn’t have to stare at so many unnecessary folders. I could open Obsidian and find the note I needed in the sidebar. I didn’t have to open any folders just to see what was in them, or read notes that I thought had what I needed but didn’t in the end.
Before, opening Obsidian was like that kitchen drawer I didn’t want to open because I knew the mess that was waiting for me. Even if I didn’t need to look for anything, I still had to look at the mess that I had made. Looking at all those folders only reminded me of unfinished projects I still hadn’t cleaned up.
I can’t describe the relief I felt after the wipe. I no longer had to deal with the “Oh right, I have to clean up that mess” feeling. Now that I was looking at a cleaner setup, Obsidian felt lighter, instead of adding one more mess to my day. I didn’t realize how tired I was of seeing that mess until it was gone. I was getting to a point where that saying about adding one more straw that broke the camel’s back was right about me. But this time, I had a better idea of what not to bring back.
I guess what I didn’t realize was that I wasn’t really starting from scratch. I already had experience using Obsidian, and what’s even better is that I now know what not to do. I made my folders as specific as possible, and if the folder needed a general name like Windows, I would immediately create notes for specific topics. for example, I created notes for:
I also stopped adding “just in case” notes that I thought I would need.
The same goes for plugins. I removed the ones I hadn’t touched in weeks, and if I were to ever need them again, it’s not like I can’t reinstall them. I also made my folders easier to spot by giving them colorful icons, so the sidebar doesn’t look boring. Not only are they easier to find now, but they also add some color to Obsidian. Once I tossed wishful thinking out the window, my setup looked and felt a whole lot better.
Wiping your entire Obsidian vault may sound extreme to some, since there is a chance you can accidentally erase important information. This is especially true if you have a massive vault to deal with. There could also be notes or plugin settings you think you don’t need, and then after the wipe, you realize you needed them after all. Sure, you could back up the vault, but mistakes can still happen if you copy the wrong folder or don’t check the backup before deleting anything.
I’m not saying a backup will fail, but I would still want to open the copy first and make sure everything that’s important to me is actually there. Even with Sync, I’d still want a copy somewhere else before deleting anything from the vault. That small risk alone may be enough for many users not to do it.
I understand why wiping an entire Obsidian vault sounds extreme. There is no chance on the face of this earth that I would have done it if I hadn’t created a backup of the files I needed. My notes weren’t the problem; it was all the clutter I created the first time around. I got so excited trying out as many plugins and features as I could that, by the time I noticed, I had created more of a mess than a usable vault.
The first time the idea of wiping my Obsidian vault crossed my mind, it felt too dramatic. But the more I looked at the mess, the more it felt worth it. I saved everything I didn’t want to lose, and just went with it. I’m not saying that this is what you have to do to clean up your vault; there are other options. But this is what I chose to do, and I don’t regret it one bit. The only thing I do regret is not doing it sooner.
Obsidian is a free local-first note-taking app that stores everything as plain Markdown files on your device.