Genealogy Chat

There are many useful ideas on this thread but whatever method you choose you will probably need to be flexible and be ready to change methods not just once but many times. I have organised mine in the big ring files with colour dividers in the past, but when I then collected so much info that the ring binders broke, spilling their contents continually and became too heavy to lift to higher shelves, I changed to using the smaller files, and as well as division by surnames I also divide the ancestry into their centuries and their various villages. towns and cities, so I have files for Bloggs + Brigstock+ 1700's and Bloggs+Barnwell +1800s and Bloggs + London+1900's etc. Doing it this way has made me concentrate on a particular name, place and era which is working well for me at this present moment. I used to keep the certs separate, but now I like to keep all the certs with the person I have, so Joe Bloggs bap 1798 has his bap cert from parish in his village file with his marriage cert of 1839 and childrens certs with his will and gravestone photo and army history. One child becomes grandfather so another file is then created taking out that person's B Cert. Organising family history gets more intricate the more information you have. There are no easy ways of doing it and you will change direction many many times. Janet

Perhaps i need to take note. I started to keep information i had collected, then once i was convinced it was correct and had been added to my tree on my computer............. i put it in the bin. Anything i am not sure of i keep it to go bacl to later. Is it worth keeping all the paper info? Please give me advice as i need to elarn from other as still quite new to this. thanks deb

Everyone is so organised!!!!! I have a filing cabinet (one drawer - hubby puts household bills and other boring stuff in the other one). In the drawer are about 30+ hanging files. Each one is allocated to a surname with a tag on the top edge so you can see the names easily. There is no system to the names allocated. Just if I start to get a lot of paper in one file, I take the file out and go through what's in it.........try to separate into two different surnames (usually possible) and allocate a new hanging file to the separated material. This is much easier than putting stuff in ring binders, because it doesn't matter what size the pieces of paper are and you don't have to go looking for the hole punch, or sweep up after your child has taken the bottom off it ''to see what would happen''!! I have no written trees, summary sheets, or anything like that drawn up for anyone - I used to, but realised I didn't use them for anything!! I also have no reference numbers/letters for anything and absolutely nothing is colour coordinated (except my bra and pants, obviously!), All the data I have is on my 'puter and all documents, newspaper clippings, articles, photos, absolutely EVERYTHING is scanned and attached to the tree on my family history program. I never go into the cabinet, EVER....except to file something away. If I want to see something I just look on the puter file! I have no hard copies of any census data - it's all on the 'puter (703 pages to date!). I have a hanging file of birth certs, another of marriage and another of deaths in alphabetical order. Also a file of wills in alphabetical, but again, I NEVER look at any of this because it's all scanned and attached to the various files on my family history program. Obviously, everything on the puter is backed up in several different ways.......if this was lost it would be a huge job to reconstruct!!!! If a meteorite hits this room and I survive, I will take up knitting....... Merry

I must add to all those who are thinking of starting to sort it all out.....do it! I have taken all these wonderful tips and I go straight to where I need to go now....instead of plodding through huge files.... Thanks to everyone, with their suggestions... Sal x

I have a wonderful system!!! Other than my 'master-file' which has an information sheet for each family member, I have an enormous heap of paper on the dining room table. I have to clear it up if we have people to a meal and can never find anything important when I need to, even though I know it is there. When I grow up (I am still waiting after 57 years!) I am going to get organised and have a wonderful workroom with lots of shelves and file things properly then I am sure that I will be able to find anything I want in an instant. Some hope!!!

What a nice thread- and so encouraging.! Particularly like the idea of 'one sheet at a time'. I have so much that the prospect of even starting is as daunting as that of starting to decorate the stairwell and landing! But with these suggestions - ok - I'll crack on with the fam.hist.! Rosi

Hi all, I too use arch-lever folders, I have 4 on the go at the moment. In these I keep all the records, ie census records etc. for one family name, filed in generation order. I have made up trees for the male line, which I named 'surname tree 1' then when I side track to the female connections, those trees are named with the same surname then 1A, 1B etc.. I also keep a card index with pink, blue and white cards. Pink for girls, blue for boys and white for unknowns that might be.. On these I record their BMD, parents, siblgings and their children.These are filed under their given names, so i can find a 'John' or 'Mary' quickly. Does that make sense?...lol Having had computer problems in the past, I dont like to only store all the info I have on mine!! Scared I shall lose the lot!! Sue

Just want to say that these are ALL brilliant tips, however, as time goes by and you find out more and more and find more and more relatives and MORE and MORE possible relatives, things still seem to get MORE and MORE complicated. I have ALL these systems in place, I have the fan charts, the ring-binders, the coloured folders and the arch files, + the a-z note books (in 4 different colours for the 4 main lines), then subdivided into red and blue colour codings for each colour (male + female of course), + all the bits of paper with scribbled notes. From time to time I reorganise everything to incorporate all the extras I have found - This takes up more time and space that I actually have to spend on finding people. - THEN - when I do find myself 'on a roll', as I did the other day when I found more than 50 new relatives in 1 day - it takes me a week to add them all onto GR and onto FTM. OH !!! - THE JOYS OF GENEALOGY!!!!! - I LOVE IT. !! Dea xxx P.S. - I think I mean, fllow all the tips but there is no easy answer - ENJOY!!!

Nudge for Lea

Sally, because i have only gone back 4 generations i keep my certs in colour coded plastic wallets,i have blue for the male line(my dad) and pink for the female side(my mum).the first cert i entered was my dads B/C then marriage cert then death cert, then i entered his fathers B/C marriage cert and death cert then his mothers B/C and death cert, then his both grandparents, so on and so forth and the same with the female side, i can find a cert easily, i also can keep track of who is with who and what side of the family they come from.I also do the same with my notebooks, I have a notebook for each side and then one for websites, when i find a new line to follow or i am not sure of the connection i turn the book around and start from the back(it works for me), one word of warning don't put original documents in plastic wallets as this ruins them, all mine are copies so i am ok, good Luck ....MOE!

HORRRRRRAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!! I have just finished my first beautiful file and it looks lovely!!!! I am using ideas from everyone really.....but the system that Teresa uses is how i have set up my file....using a 31 boxed pedigree chart with dividers and numbering the dividers 1 - 31 and keeping all the certs and census' at the back all together..... Using an A - Z book with all the details....loved the idea of having a map showing where they lived at the front so nicking that off Nell.... And the acid free covers for photos and certs etc are a must as I have noticed that some of my certs are fading already. So far so good....I have done nearly half of my first large foolscap folder so only just over 2 and a half to go!!!!!!!! Not to worry, plenty of time....the hardest bit is over....sussing out how to go about it!!! Thanks everyone, you've all been a great help. Sal x

Hi all... Sue thanks for that....I am busy right this minute trying to sort through it all!!!! Sally in Hornsby!

Dear Sally I went to my local Officeworks and bought a packet of presentation folders (about $15 for a pack of 10), that have a pocket in each side when you open them. I allocate a folder for each surname on my tree. In each of these folders I include a pedigree tree beginning with the first person using the surname on the front. As well as the pedigree chart I include copies of all my 'working' family group records. By working I mean those yet to be completed. In the front pocket I keep a 'to do' list on which to jot further ideas for this line. In the back pocket I keep information on correspondence and research. When I'm satified I've finished a family group I print out a lovely copy and taked it out of the folder and place it in a leave arch file along with all the relevant data for that family group. With regards to women and which folder they should be placed in; until they're married I keep them under their maiden name, then any other information after their marriage goes into the folder marked with their married surname. Hope this is of some use. Sue from Newcastle, NSW.

Hi...I have a folder system, but also have an index box A-Z with a file card for every name in my tree. On each card Name d.o.b. date/place of death parents partner children on reverse there are any ref nos. these are useful for quick ref if looking up info at libraries etc.

A Sorting Tip: For all those who find the prospect of actually DOING it too overwhelming. Pick up ONE piece of paper and make a file for it, using the 'Dominant' name. Carry on till you are fed up. But, every time you pick up a bit of paper after that, make sxure you put it into one of the files you have just made, or make a file for it. Eventually you will be left with a (hopefully) small pile of rubbish - old envelopes, bits of torn paper etc. Dont throw these away, but gradually transfer either them, or the information, into the correct files. It really doesnt need to be a marathon effort, you can do it over weeks or even months - I dont 'create' a family folder for anyone until Ive actually got some hard evidence. Happy shuffling! Olde Crone

This is a really brilliant thread - loads of useful tips, thank you everyone. I have 6 v.large 4xring binders at the moment and I know that will expand pretty rapidly, if I'm lucky lol Julie, thanks for that Bailey website with all the useful charts to download. The forms look really useful and, strangely, I too am researching Bailey - my paternal line. Jan xx

nudge for len

Lynn...where in sydney are you? PM me....

I know how hard it is..... I will definately let you all know the outcome!!!!!!!!!!! When I know it! It is so hard, I am putting off the thinking of it...but tomorrow morning.....I will do it!!!!! Sal x

Hi Sally, Would you mind letting me know what works best for you, then I will try it ! My info is in such a mess. I don't know where to start. Best wishes, Lyn .... also from Sydney