Starting Genealogy - Step 1 - What's in that pile?

The first STEP is to go through everything you currently have and get that organized!  That pile will continue to grow grow grow and if you don't get it under control in the beginning, you will get overwhelmed and discouraged.   Organization means different things to all people.   So --- this is what I have been doing.

Step 1
Gathering all the stuff I currently have in one place (as I go through that box, I am)
Separating them into "family groups"
Making copies of the original documents and putting everything into a 3-ring notebook under the "PENDING" tab (so I can then start the process of transcribing the information into my Genealogy Database).

Ultimately I want to have a process that looks somewhat like this.  As I work through the process, I will continue to adjust what works best for (me).

• Photocopy the new source document
• Identify the source (type a footnote citation on the front margin of the photocopy)
• Write my own document filing number on the back of each photocopy
• Log the document number, and summarize events-people you found on all appropriate research logs
• Transfer every piece of new data from the source to the appropriate family groups
• Enter new source footnotes for every piece of data on the source into my database on the family group
• Add a preliminary assessment of the data's reliability in the footnote comment field
• Print the updated family group sheet (at the end of my working session)
• File the updated family group and source photocopy in the appropriate place in the 3-ring notebook

Rinse and Repeat

Yes, it will take time but just think how good you will feel at the end of the day!

Family Matters! 

Enjoy the journey,
Bobbie