Different elements have their own special ways of organizing electrons. This happens because of the number of protons in their centers, or nuclei. The number of protons helps decide how many electrons are around the nucleus. This setup is important because how those electrons are arranged affects how the atom interacts with other atoms.

Let’s break it down simply:

1. Atomic Number: Every element has a special number called the atomic number. This number tells us how many protons (and usually electrons) are in the element. For example, hydrogen has an atomic number of 1. That means it has one electron, so its organization is $1s^1$.

2. Energy Levels: Electrons live in different energy levels, which we can also call shells. Each shell can hold a maximum number of electrons. We use the formula $2n^2$ to find out how many can fit, where $n$ is the shell number. This helps explain how electrons spread out among the shells.

3. Subshells: Inside each shell, electrons also fill spaces called subshells. There are different types of subshells (like s, p, d, and f), and they fill up in a certain order depending on their energy levels. This order is guided by something called the aufbau principle, which tells us the sequence (like $1s$, $2s$, $2p$, and so on).

4. Stability: Atoms want to be stable, which means they try to arrange their electrons in a way that looks like noble gases. This quest for stability leads to different ways electrons are organized in various elements, giving each one its own special chemical traits.