How I handle mongoose schemas & models.

app.coffee

require.dir = require 'require-directory'
config = require './config'
mongoose = require 'mongoose'
schemas = require.dir module, './models/'

# connect to mongo
models = {} # I often do "global.models = {}" instead
for key, schema of schemas
  mongoose.model key, schema
  models[key] = mongoose.model key
mongoose.connect config.CONNECTION_STRING

models.product.find {price: {$gt: 1.99}}, (err, products)->
  console.log products

# TODO: build your app here

product.coffee

#NOTE: this file is stored inside the /models/ directory

mongoose = require 'mongoose'

ProductSchema = new mongoose.Schema
  description: String
  price:
    type: Number
    min: 0

module.exports = ProductSchema