Time to Organize & Strategize!

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to get organized? If so, don’t forget to include your genealogy! It is never too late to organize your research and develop a plan for going forward with your genealogy. Taking the time to plan now will save you a lot of time later!

While organization is key to genealogical success, there is no one-size-fits-all approach; rather, each genealogist develops an organizational system that works for them and then sticks with it. The system should be flexible enough to be adapted at a later point but rigid enough to meet your current needs. In fact, you may need to adapt it after you begin organizing your materials, particularly if you have inherited research or other familial artifacts. You will also want to develop a system that works for all your research, both print and digital.

For help with developing a plan and system, we have several genealogical books on organizing. Recently, Family Tree Magazine published The Genealogist’s Guide to Getting Organized. This short book contains some helpful tips as well as “the latest in organizing trends, apps, software, and research solutions.” Speaking of software, you may want to also check out Kerry Scott’s How to Use Evernote for Genealogy and Donna Cox Baker’s Zotero for Genealogy. Also, you may want to explore Organize Your Genealogy by Drew Smith and Planning a Future for Your Family’s Past by Marian Burk Wood. Finally, keep an eye out for Steve Szabados’ Organizing Your Genealogy which will be added to the library collection soon!

While you are reading and developing your plan and system, you can also begin to strategize your next steps and research goals for the year. Having achievable, measurable goals is very important to genealogical success! These goals should be simple and straightforward. As you likely know, it is so easy to get distracted or waylaid by other family history morsels. While you can make note of these for follow up late, you can use your research goal(s) to guide you through the morass to a successful end.

Good luck with your organizing and strategizing! May this be a year of continued genealogical success!