Deb, here are a couple more useful things you can do.
First off i save every
art piece i do as an XCF (except for images i use to help others to understand something, or work that contains only one layer)
I place all my workspace files (XCF) in their own folder.I export the png or JPEG first, and then when i save as XCF Gimp remembers the name so i don't have to type it.
I just created a folder inside another folder on my desktop.
Desktop>Gimp-Files>Gimp-XCF.Many times Gimp has even remembered where that folder is so i don't even have to browse to it.
After that i also add it as a custom folder to my Open list like this.
File>Open>
