Organize

Relative Bliss

Genealogy of Julie Ann Bliss Hammons

	How To Begin	Forms

	Basic Beginning Organization
	At some point as you collect your ancestors, their histories, hopefully pictures etc., you will find yourself with lots of sheets of paper Even if the majority of your collection is on your computer you will want paper copies, and just as important you will want to be able to find the information you have gathered. You will need to set up some sort of filing system to house the documents you collect. The sooner you begin this the happier you will be. I have explained the system The system I use it found in the article I wrote on filing, you probably have a better one, but it still good to review what systems other people use and often you can adapt and make your own system better. I am forever asking others how they file and store their information, it helps me to refine my own process. A number of genealogy sites also have articles about how to organize your research so that is easily retrievable an example of this is on CyndisList.
	Organizing Online Research Sites
	The easiest way I have found for this task is to set up favorites files when you are online. While you are on the site click Favorites on the "top toolbar" When the choices appear choose "add favorites" If there isn't a folder available you want create one. I have a folder called Genealogy - Under that folder are all the folders with websites that I really wanted to revisit. This main folder contains numerous folders, sometimes called subfolders. For example under Genealogy I have folders for each state I am working in, each surname I am working with, a folder for clients, one for map sites, one for government sites etc., one for database and records sites such as ancestry.com. If I am researching in New York I look at the favorites list to re-check the sites I really like.
	Storing Files on Your Computer
	I have much of my information on my computer. I also make sure to have paper copies, cd's of the information and a back-up of all my files. I also like to share what I have. Once when I bought a new computer I lost some files in the transfer of information, amazing but true. One file that I was missing was a 64 page journal of a great-great-grandfather. Yes, I could have found the information again and re-transcribed it, but I didn't have to. I had shared it with a number of people, and my brother emailed me a copy. Much easier. My system for file storage may at first seem like overkill, but as you collect information and file it, either in a file cabinet, on you computer or both, you'll want to be able to find it again. It is also nice to be able to find it quickly. I have under My Documents a folder called Genealogy. In that folder I have a folder called Julie, (for my family records), one called Del Ray, (for my husband), one for Clients, one for Classes I Teach, as well as others. Yours will depend on how you like to classify things. To locate, for example, the journal of Allen Joseph Stout, I would click - My Documents - Julie's Genealogy - Stout -Allen Joseph Journal. I could have one called Histories where I store all the histories I have collected, but I really have a lot of them, and it makes it easier for me to find all of Allen Joseph's pertinent information in a file with his name on it.