How to organize genealogy files

Elyse Doerflinger is a college student and experienced genealogy blogger and speaker. She has recorded a series of YouTube videos featuring step-by-step instructions for setting up a genealogy filing system and staying on top of the paper piles. Browse videos by Elyse for more simple, effective filing tips.

And, as you investigate all the many possibilities, use a simple system that helps you stay in control of your research so you can spend your time finding — instead of filing — your ancestors. Stay Single — One surname, one locality per sheet for easy filing. No Repeats — Avoid errors; write legibly the first time.

Another option for filing your documents involves sorting by location. Amy Johnson Crow often discusses how she organizes in this fashion. You separate all files by location and then by record type or resource. In many cases, myself included, they have 6 months or less. In fact, I had half a day with my mom's apartment. You'll receive action plans, cheat sheets, and encouragement. If you leave a mess, your genealogy researcher will have a higher chance of being thrown out or burned for fuel.

Are you scared enough now to take action? To learn more genealogy organizational types, reach the following blog posts, or watch the videos mentioned. Organize and Label Your Photo Collection. How to Downsize Genealogy Files. How is Your Genealogy Organized? How to Organize Mountains of Family Photos video. Paper charts never crash! Of course, software and other electronic tools are also effective for organizing and sharing genealogy.

We really liked the following suggestion on our Facebook group , describing planned winter genealogy projects:. Then new family sheets updated, project ancestors photo books for each grandchild, and then the old brick walls the history book and getting all the photos shared to the family Facebook group page. A hybrid approach that involves sharing genealogy on paper and on a shared family Facebook group is a great idea.