I will be back with my system - need to take some screen shots - but am curious. How DO YOU organize?
Oscraps
How Do YOU Organize Your Documentation?
- Thread starter Susan - s3js
- Start date
scrap-genie
Well-Known Member
Susan, I look forward to your info as I'm not sure what you mean by organize your documentation.
I am always baffled by these questions... as the answer depends on the person and the stuff that needs organizing... in case of heritage/genealogy the most obvious answer would be either chronologically or by person/branch of the family... depending on how much material exists. I also find that the best way to stay organized is to spend time organizing. Doesn't matter what your system is, once you've spent a chunk of time trying to sort it, more often that not you'll realize you don't need a sofisticated system because you know what you have and where it is and a logical - and uniquely your - way presents itself.
In my case, I have three folders - my childhood, my mom's side and by dad's side with the latter further divided into three more folders for his childhood and then his grandmother's and grandfather's families. Because that's what I have. In those folders I have photos (I scanned the back side too so I know what's written on them and have a handwriting sample to scrap as well), an excel file with the family tree, and some word files with notes that I have collected over time.
As for the photos I have taken over the years once I started by own family - those are in Google Photos so are searchable by date/place/person etc... including color I think, lol... I also have backup copies on external hard drives - the earlier photos are organized by place and then I switched to yearly folders with monthly subfolders (which are further divided into trips/events when needed).
In my case, I have three folders - my childhood, my mom's side and by dad's side with the latter further divided into three more folders for his childhood and then his grandmother's and grandfather's families. Because that's what I have. In those folders I have photos (I scanned the back side too so I know what's written on them and have a handwriting sample to scrap as well), an excel file with the family tree, and some word files with notes that I have collected over time.
As for the photos I have taken over the years once I started by own family - those are in Google Photos so are searchable by date/place/person etc... including color I think, lol... I also have backup copies on external hard drives - the earlier photos are organized by place and then I switched to yearly folders with monthly subfolders (which are further divided into trips/events when needed).
Hi, Jean. I'm talking about documents like birth, marriage, and death records, census returns, correspondence, family Bible records, military records. etc. - that is, all the little stuff that proves out the relationship. I didn't include pictures (photos, paintings, etc.) because I suspect we each of us organize those the same for genealogy as for scrapbooking or close to it. I have attached a PDF of how I do mine.
scrap-genie
Well-Known Member
Thanks for clarifying, Susan @Susan - s3js . I have a mental divide between the words documentation and documents.
Everyone has a different system from what I can tell. I divide by family, then subdivide as documents increase. In the old days it was in 3-ring binders or file folders. Now it's digital and the record type is usually the first part of file names for me and stored within a family folder.
Everyone has a different system from what I can tell. I divide by family, then subdivide as documents increase. In the old days it was in 3-ring binders or file folders. Now it's digital and the record type is usually the first part of file names for me and stored within a family folder.
I also file by family. I have a folder for my mother's maternal line and another for the paternal. likewise for my father, then organized as above. I meant to say that earlier but got in a hurry. My apologies, all!