How to merge multiple PDFs in under 1 minute

I used to overcomplicate this.

Every time I had 5–10 PDFs from different sources, I'd spend more time organizing them than actually using them. Rename files. Open each one. Double-check page order. Realize I missed something. Repeat.

The fastest workflow I've found is:

• Put all PDFs into one folder first
• Sort them in the order you want
• Merge them in a single action
• Quickly scroll through the final file before sending it

The page order check is the step I used to skip, and it's always the one that comes back to haunt me.

Another small thing: if you're combining scans, contracts, receipts, or screenshots, clean up obvious duplicates before merging. A 20-page PDF becomes a lot easier to work with when 5 of those pages aren't accidental copies.

Most of the time the actual merge takes seconds. The real time saver is spending 20 seconds organizing the files before you start.

Anyone else have a PDF habit that sounds obvious but somehow saves way more time than it should?