Genealogy Chat

nudging

Hi all I am going to bookmark this for future reference as I need some advice on filing as it is starting to get out of hand! Diana

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful suggestions, my paperwork is in a case and very mixed up. Have everything else in two files, my mums side and dads side, but keep getting mixed up, because no idea how to sort the generations. Will TRY and get them in some sort of order now. Thanks again Marilyn

There is some brilliant information here for a newbie - thanks to everyone who has given their ideas. Amanda

I'm feeling v virtuous today because the weather has been so cr*p that I have spent the day filing and have found a couple of useful leads that I had forgotten about, buried in some notes I made in the 1980s! I now have two big lever arch files - one for Dad's side of the family, one for Mum's. All I need now is a box file for thigs like guide books and other stuff you can't punch and then I'll be home and dry. One thing I don't do after I started sharing an office with my husband - I don't write notes on scraps of paper. I have a hardback notebook and everything, however trivial, goes in that. I can take it out with me, there's a hard surface to lean on built in, and I know that I will be able to find that all important note if I go through the book. But everybody's different - in the end it's what works for you. Sheila

What a great thread - and some good ideas - some of which I will pinch if that's OK! I keep mine in ordinary A4 folders. One for mum's side, one for dad's, one for my partners family and one for my son's. In mum;s file there are several card indexes so I have Mocock (her maiden name) then Mocock relatives - all the ones that married into the family one way or another - traps all the siblings etc. Same with White (her mother's maiden name) and White relatives, etc. As the relatives side become full and I gather more info on preceding generations so they get their own index card plus their own relatives slot. Each main name has family printouts from my PAF files and I keep all census info in the notes section on the PAF sheet which is really handy as it carries across the generations - or across to a sibling record sheet. At the front of each folder is a collection of plastic wallets in which I put all my notes - people who may or may not be related - strays, little snippets - that I don't want to file away but can't add - yet. I have one drawer of a filing cabinet - a hanging file for each name in which I put stuff that I do not want cluttering up the A4 files. I also keep photos of churches etc in the main family section - otherwise I have a lever arch file of 'places' which is full of notes, piccies etc. Filed alphabetically so I can find stuff quickly. Then, I have a spreadsheet - each name - columns going across the page with BMD, census dates etc. This is my ticklist - so I know which bits I have not found - it also has 2 columns - one for my PAF file and one for my GR file so that I can check that they are all on both trees. (They're not usually but at least I know!). Nuisance to keep updated but handy when pootling around censuses to have it by me in case I spot something and am not sure if I already have info. Lastly, have my quick reference - a small address book - where I list names - then who they are connected to - so 'Bengough' has 'Haysey' and 'Mocock' next to it. 'Killick' has 'Packham' next to it. Otherwise I come across an obscure reference to someone and cannot remember who it is and even if it's in my family or my partner's family. Little ref book is really handy as a memory jogger and takes up no space at all! Happy filing people!! Jill

nudging to read later!

thanks to whoever it was that said about the a-z index card system for people. i have started mine but it is taking sooooooo long as i am checking census as i go and keep finding wifes aND EXTRA KIDS ETC. i'm now on box 3! rest of paperwork is in a4 folders or the paper trays on my desk waiting to be put in folder.

I don't know who nudged this up. But thanks!! Loads of useful ideas to consider. And very timely - my 'system' was begining to 'crash' - meaning, the pile of stuff on my desk was in danger of toppling over! Time to organise, methinks. Bx

Some great ideas on here.....now i have sorted the files, I have yet to do the little note books and scan the certs etc....the safe is a good idea and they are really cheap nowadays! My hubby will think that i am losing my mind!!!!!!!!!!! So much easier since i sort it all out... So glad that i wasn't the only one getting bogged under with it all.... Sally (sally in Sydney!)

I also advocate keeping a back up of your information, just in case the worse happens and your pc expires. Tricia

Sally I use the Lever Arch Files and Family Group Records. I keep my Direct Relatives separate from others. When it comes to Certificates I scan the originals and print a copy out. I keep the original certificate in an Acid Free Envelope in my safe and the copy is kept in a display folder for ease of reference. Joy

I feel quite ashamed you organised lot. Mine are in Folders and Boxes and Drawers and Files and Pocket Organisers and Box Files etc etc etc One day I will be as organised as all of you probably better ha ha ha

I started off with just the one file .....now I have one for each family name, i.e. maternal and paternal and their respective parents. Each family name is divided into individuals with photographs, certs etc. and the divider decorated with scrapbooking images depicting their trade, weather they lived in town or country etc. I've also got a lot on disk so info is well covered should I lose any either way. I'm also about to start an index card system hoping that it will be quicker to check on a person rather than drag the whole file off the shelf. Wish I could say I'm organised though......still have drawers full of 'don't knows' and files much the same not to mention the odd scraps of paper surrounding the computer. I keep saying, 'next yeat I will....................'

Having learnt the hard way and lost quite a bit of info off my computer - I urge you to make a back up copy of what you have on your computer and a hard paper copy too. I couldn't imagine the heartache of losing everything you've researched and the thought of starting again would be just too much. It was bad enough my losing my genealogy and some other folders of emails but if the hard driver goes on your computer everything is lost.

Get a scanner. Scan all your docs. Give each a unique ref. start at 0000001 and move up. Save the image as 0000001.gif. Store the images on your hard disk or a rewritable cd with the folders and sub folders looking like your tree. If you look at 3839872.jpg, you can find the paper original easily as it will be between 3839871 and 3839873 Make sure you copy the CD every 5 years or so before it disintegrates

That's a good idea!! My metal filing cabinet is fire proof, but I wouldn't like to say how long for?? After all, metal melts!! Does anyone know if the certs are printed on acid free paper?? Merry

Hi all, but like I said on one thread before, its ok putting certs into acid free files ect but god forbid if there was a fire !! I'm going to but a metal file box from stationary box, to put inside my wooden file cabinet for all my certs;; they have cost quite a bit of money after all;; Babs

hi merry monty. You have made some points there, thank you. I shall bear that in mind. deb

Deb, The only trouble with throwing something away is that if someone else queries how you have a particular fact (or even you yourself wonder, ages after you found the original info!) you may not remember how you found it or worked something out! However, if you record all your source info then it may not matter so much as you would be able to ''re-find'' the source, though it might take longer! Probaby best to keep stuff that's not easy to find again and get rid of stuff that is easy to re-trace. If you have a tree program where you can record notes about things you have discovered that might help too. Merry