Spaces vs tags: the simple way to organize a second brain
Spaces are collections you can share and search on their own; tags are labels that cut across everything. When to use each, with examples.
· 2 min read
Quick answer
Use a space for a separate area of your life or a project you might share, like Work, Home renovation or Job search; AI chat can be limited to one space. Use tags for labels that apply across spaces, like #read-later or #recipes. A save can be in several spaces and have up to 20 tags.
You don't have to organize anything in MyMemory; search works on everything. But when you want some order, there are two tools, and they do different jobs.
The short version
| Spaces | Tags | |
|---|---|---|
| Think of it as | a shared folder or collection | a label or sticky note |
| Good for | areas of life, projects, teams | topics, status, "to do" markers |
| Can be shared with other people | yes, invite members | no, tags are just labels |
| Limits what AI chat looks at | yes, pick a space | no, but you can filter by them |
| How many per save | one or more | up to 20 |
Use a space when…
- You want separation. Keep "Work" apart from "Personal" so a work question never pulls in your recipes.
- You're collaborating. Planning a trip with a partner or research with a team? Create a space and invite them.
- You want focused answers. Ask AI chat inside the "Job search" space and it only uses those saves.
Use a tag when…
- A label cuts across everything.
#read-latermight apply to saves in every space. - You're tracking a status.
#to-try,#done,#important. - You want quick filters. Show everything tagged recipes and vegetarian, or travel or food.
Tags are cleaned up automatically: they're lowercased, a leading # is dropped, and duplicates are merged, so #Recipes and recipes end up as the same tag.
A simple setup that works for most people
- 3–5 spaces: Work, Personal, and one per big project.
- A handful of tags:
#read-later,#to-try, plus a few topics you care about. - Everything else: don't bother. Search will find it.
You can add tags right from the Chrome extension popup as you save (type a word and press Enter), and choose a space from the dropdown at the same time.