• Make your computer easier to work with.mouse image by Bosko Martinovic from Fotolia.com
  
  Windows XP is a highly customizable operating system, which allows you to tweak and tinker with your system to make it work better for you. This customization will let you hone your workstation or beautify your home desktop, improving efficiency and making your computer more user friendly. Most these customizations are simple procedures that will scarcely take more than a minute to accomplish.
  
  

Add a Shortcut to Desktop

• You can add folders and files to your desktop by right-clicking them and choosing "Send to" and then "Desktop." Once you've done this, you'll be able to access them with a simple double-click, saving you the time of navigating Windows Explorer or My Documents to find a file each time you want to view or edit it.
  
  

Unlock the Taskbar

• Typically, the Windows XP taskbar is at the bottom of the screen. For some users, it might be faster to locate the taskbar elsewhere, be it at the top of the screen or one of the sides. To do so, right-click on your taskbar and uncheck "Lock the Taskbar." Afterwards, you can drag and drop the taskbar into its new location. Once you're happy with where it is, right-click it again and check "Lock the Taskbar."
  
  

Add Picture to Folder

• You can name every folder on your system to distinguish between them. To make telling the difference between folders even easier, you can assign each one a unique image. Right-click on your folder and select "Properties" from the drop-down menu. Click on the "Customize" tab and then the "Choose Picture" button. Select the picture you want to use and then click "Open" followed by "OK." Now your folder will display the selected image, making it easier to identify at a glance.