Keep Genealogy Research Organized...or Lose Your Mind

By now, if you have started on your ancestry journey, you have accumulated some research materials and documents. One of the biggest hurdles a family historian can come across is how to organize their information in the most efficient, sensible way. Organizing straight out of the gate is crucial. Genealogy research can snowball and before you know it, you are surrounded by documents, pictures, notes, books, etc.

Being unorganized means you could spend extra time looking up information you already have or spending too much time looking for a record you know you have somewhere buried in your pile. Everyone has their own method for organizing. Some prefer that most, if not all, of their research be on their computer. I am all for this, but it is critical that you have a backup…and a backup to your backup. I have everything I can on my computer via downloaded documents or scanned documents and pictures. However, I also print a good majority of my records out and have hard copies and/or originals. I also have all of my information on a disk or flash drive and have given that to a relative. That way should anything happen to my computer or my home then I have someone else who has all of my records.

Computer records

Keep records together in one main file. Underneath that one main file, divide records into even more files. For example: I have a folder called “Jen’s Ancestry” and in that file I have more files under headings such as “Holmes Family Census Records” or “Kuhn Family Photos”. If I need to divide out even more than I may even have sub folders under those headings.

Be consistent with naming your files. When you accumulate a ton of files you can still get lost in your computer files searching for that one census record. Label your files any way you want, but stay consistent. I find that labeling files with a last name followed by a first name and then type of file and date (if applicable). For example: an 1870 census record for my ggg grandfather, Charles Holmes would read HolmesCharlesCensus1880.

If I am labeling a picture with multiple people in it I may save the file under a couple different folders or I will save the picture under the head of the family that represents the majority in the picture.

Utilize Excel spreadsheets. I use Excel to keep track of obituaries, census, death, and marriage records. I have one spreadsheet for obituaries and keep track of each and every obituary I find. I record the name, date of obituary, and source (newspaper name and place, or online source). When I wonder if I have an obituary for a certain person it is easiest for me to open the spreadsheet on my computer and in a few seconds see whether I have that record or not. This is even faster than searching through the folders on my computer.

Hard copies

In collecting data you will certainly have hard copies…whether they are original or copies. Binders with tab dividers often work best. Again, you can experiment and see what works best for you. You might find have file folders works best instead. Test of different methods if need be. I use binders and divide out my family into sections. Often how many binders I have is determined by how much information I have on each family. As you can see in the picture above of my binders I have a “Kunze” binder. That family used to be combined with another family because I had very little information my Kunze side. Now that I have more data, I decided to separate that family out and create a new binder for it.

Inside I have dividers for “Birth Records”, “Marriage Records”, “Death Records”, “Family Histories” (military, newspaper articles, stories of their lives), and “Pictures”. A few of my binders have a couple of other categories including “Maps” and “Other Sources”. The category “Other Sources” is mainly just family trees or information from people online that I have yet to verify. This keeps notes separate that I have not confirmed to be true.

Genealogy software

Lastly, but probably the most important, is software to keep you organized. I personally use Family Tree Maker. When I started my research two decades ago, genealogy was not nearly as popular so the choices were limited. About 15 years ago I went with Family Tree Maker and have stuck with it since then. I have been curious if I should upgrade, but Family Tree Maker has been a great tool for me thus far.

I did find a great link that compares 2018 genealogy software that is worth checking out if you are still wondering what to use. Top 10 Reviews has a handy chart to compare the software out there.

I am constantly using my software and I would be lost without it, so do your research first and figure out what is best for your needs. I may do a further review of genealogy software in the future. However, I am not familiar with most of them so I feel your research would be as good as mine. I have heard good things about Family Historian and Legacy.

Family Tree Maker is easy to use. I can easily add a source and attach photos and documents. I can print out different versions of family tree charts/pedigrees. There is also a relationship calculator in Family Tree Maker. You can click on an individual, go to “Calculate Relationship”, find yourself, and hit “Calculate” and it can tell you exactly how you relate to that person in your tree.

Find what works for you

In the end, it all comes down to what works best for you. Not all methods work for every genealogist. My husband has very few binders. He has all of his information on the computer. Me? I prefer hard copies. Hard copies also make it easier for me to take one or two binders to my parent’s house and share with relatives at family gatherings. They can easily pass them around and look through them.

Believe it or not- I do not have a laptop (just my desktop). Crazy for a genealogist, I know. I am hoping to get one soon. It would make going to libraries and doing research outside my home so much easier. However, if you do not have one either don’t despair. If I have done it for 20 years without one then you will be fine. Just have dedicated notebooks and stay organized while away from home.

Keep different ways of organizing a priority and your research will be much more streamlined and less time consuming.