Alternative to Visual Studio Solution Folders

Visual Studio provides solution folders as a means to organize items in a hierarchical fashion, especially items that are not part of any one project. This works when existing items are added to solution folders, but not new items. This is because solution folders are virtual - the hierarchy of folders as they appear within the solution is not mirrored on disk. In fact, no folders are created on the physical disk and an item that is added to a solution folder is simply placed in the root solution directory.

To work around the solution folder deficiency I simply created a new project to hold ancillary items. Specifically: 

• Create a new C# class library project called "Accessories".  
• Remove all classes from the new project.
• From the solution configuration manager, un-check the project's build flag for all configurations.
• Add folders and items to the project, setting each item's build action property to "None".

Viola, now the hierarchy of the folders and items within the project will be mirrored on disk.