Genealogy Filing Quandaries

Are you ready to get organized?  Even if you are never organized in anything else you do, you must try to be organized in doing genealogy research.  As mentioned in the previous posts, there are 2 major divisions of organization:

• Information that you are looking for, and...
• Information that you find.

And there are 2 general places you need to get organized in before researching:

• Online
• Offline

Today we're going to go over the organizational tips for the information that you find, and how you organize it offline.  There are those who praise the virtues of the file cabinet method, and there are those who swear by the notebook method.  While I'm a proponent of the notebook method myself, I'm really all for whatever method is gonna work for you.  Whichever one you are going to use is good.  You know what you like, and far be it for me to push my system on you.  'Cause if you're like me, the instant someone wants you to do something their way for no particular reason other than they think their way is better, then you'll do the opposite.

Anywho, I actually use a hybrid of the two systems.  How's that for being diplomatic?  I told you I didn't like someone forcing something on me just because they thought their way was superior.  I showed them.  I created a hybrid system.  [Stubborness can breed ingenuity.]  Basically, both systems are the same.  First, I'll explain how they are the same.  And then I'll explain how I've adapted them for my use.

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Overall, you'll want to organize all your paperwork by surname.  So for example, if you are researching the names Smith, Davis, Johnson, and Vaughn, then you'll divide your paperwork first by these names.


Then, within each surname, you'll want to divide your paperwork between the types of paperwork.  For example, Birth, Death, Marriage, Land, etc.  Some researchers would suggest that you don't need this particular level of organization yet, and to keep everything together in the surname division.  My suggestion is to be ready for the paperwork so you don't have to stop later and divide it up.  We already know that we'll be looking for and hopefully finding this paperwork.  And it's best to be prepared.

Now if you plan to use a hanging file cabinet or a plastic file box with hanging file folders, then this would be my suggestion on how to organize it.  Use the hanging file folders and the tabs that came with them to make your surname division.  Using the names above, you'd have a hanging folder for Smith, one for Davis, one for Johnson, and one for Vaughn.  You most certainly will need more hanging folders that aren't marked in between the ones that are marked with a surname so that as you gather information and paperwork, you'll be able to expand each surname.

Now, everyone divides and files the types of documents and paperwork differently.  Again do what's best for you.  I have come up with the following 16 divisions:

• Research Plans
• Reference Materials
• Maps
• Family Charts & Reports
• Correspondence
• Locale History
• Census Records
• Land Records
• Marriage Records
• Tax Records
• Probate Records
• Cemetery Records
• Church Records
• Military Records
• Birth/Death Records
• Immigration & Naturalization

So, you would next label 16 file folders with the above types of records.  And then as you accumulate these records, notes, reports, documents, etc., you can simply place them in the corresponding folder.  Later, you'll need to alphabetize by first name as you accumulate more paperwork until you have so much that it's necessary to dedicate a complete file folder to one person.

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The notebook method is similar, but instead of using a cabinet, you use shelves [or the floor, or any flat service...].  And instead of using a hanging file folder for each surname, you use a notebook for each surname, labeling it on the spine with the surname.  Then you use dividers with tabs for each of the types of records listed above.  Later, additional notebooks will be needed for each surname.  There are 16 different dividers that need to be labeled, so 2 packs of the 8-tab dividers is needed for each notebook.  

I use the notebook method for the most part, but because of the amount of paperwork that  I deal with and my hate of filing [Oops. I mean lack of time for filing.], I've since added a plastic filing crate with surnames, and that helps me to keep things straight until I break down and file [Oops. I mean until I have time to file.].  Why 16 divisions?  Simple.  I'm cheap.  Dividers with tabs come with 5-tabs or 8-tabs.  I originally had 18 divisions, but didn't like having to buy 3 8-tab dividers, so I combined some.  It stills serves me well, though.

So.  It's up to you on how you want to do it.  And while you can certainly start searching for your ancestors before being ready to handle the paperwork you find, it's not advised.  Just pick a way and do it.  It's much easier on you in the long run if you are prepared for your ancestors.  And all their secrets.  And, of course, their stories.

 Any ideas on how you're filing your research paperwork or how you plan to do it?  Any questions?  Let me know in comments below.


~Caroline

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