diff --git a/claude-plugins/plugins/base/skills/state-hygiene/SKILL.md b/claude-plugins/plugins/base/skills/state-hygiene/SKILL.md
index 417e0484..276f1f49 100644
--- a/claude-plugins/plugins/base/skills/state-hygiene/SKILL.md
+++ b/claude-plugins/plugins/base/skills/state-hygiene/SKILL.md
@@ -29,10 +29,13 @@ duplicated.
 ## Keeping a notes file lean
 
 - Split into a **live file** (only what's currently active/gated/relevant -
-  this is what you re-read every turn, keep it short) and an **archive**
-  (resolved/closed work, moved out of the hot path, never deleted).
+  this is what you re-read every turn, keep it short) and an **archive
+  subdirectory** (e.g. `state/notes-archive/`) for resolved/closed work,
+  moved out of the hot path, never deleted. Don't drop archived files
+  loose at the top level of `state/` alongside the live files - a
+  dedicated subdir keeps `ls state/` showing only what's live.
 - Archive in **dated, per-topic chunks** - `YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>.md` - not one
-  ever-growing archive blob. `ls` on the archive dir should read like a
+  ever-growing archive blob. `ls` on the archive subdir should read like a
   timeline.
 - When you finish a piece of work, collapse its entry in the live file to a
   one-line "done" summary and move the full detail into a new dated