Tired of explaining the same things in every chat? A Project is a folder where the AI keeps your instructions and files for one part of life. Open a chat inside it and the AI already knows the background.
How Projects work
- Instructions: a few lines telling the AI who you are and how to help in this area.
- Files: documents it can refer to, like the school calendar, your family’s recipe list or your shop’s price sheet.
- Chats: every chat you start inside the Project uses both.
Claude’s free plan includes Projects (up to five, per Anthropic’s help pages). Grok has Projects too, at grok.com and in the app. Menus move around as these apps update, so if you can’t find it, ask the helper: “How do I create a Project here?”
Three Projects worth making
1. Family
Instructions: paste your family profile.
Files: the recipes everyone eats, the school year calendar, the activity schedules.
Use it for: meal plans, the weekly plan, birthday parties.
2. Homeschool or school
Homeschool Project instructions Claude
You're helping me teach [child's nickname], age [age], grade [grade]. They learn best by [hands-on / reading / talking it out] and struggle with [subject]. We use [curriculum, if any]. When I ask for help, explain it to me first, then give me hints, never just the answers. Keep activities under [30] minutes.
Files: the curriculum’s table of contents, a list of what you’ve covered.
3. Your future shop
Make this now, even if it’s empty. By Module 5 it will hold your product ideas, your style notes and your listings, all in one place.
Shop Project instructions Claude
You're helping me build a small business selling [what, or 'I don't know yet'] to [who, e.g. busy moms]. My style is [warm, simple, a little funny]. My colors are [colors]. Be honest when an idea isn't strong. Keep a running list of decisions I've made when I ask you to.
What not to put in a Project
Projects hold onto files. Keep out anything you wouldn’t want stored: medical records, IDs, account numbers, work documents you’re not allowed to share, and other people’s private details.
Keep them tidy
- Update the instructions when life changes (new school year, new baby, new product).
- One Project per area. Too many and you won’t know where anything is.
- Delete files that are out of date, so the AI isn’t working from old information.
Try it tonight
Create a Family Project in Claude, paste your family profile as the instructions, and add one file (a recipe list or the school calendar). Start a chat inside it and ask, “What’s coming up that I should prepare for?”
