Hi Joan, I gather that your question is how to actually physically organize all those notebooks. There is no right or wrong way to do it. What matters is that it makes sense to you and that you can find the notebook you want in an instant. To me, the next level of organization would be chronology by generation within each family line, like the Ahfentofel system. But that's just me. Whatever you choose as your second guiding principle must make sense to you. To some extent, the answer depends on your style of shelving. If you have freestanding modular shelving units, you could organize each family line chronologically in their own cases, and start a new case at the point when you and Larry marry and for your descendants records. If you have wall-mounted shelves, you can do the same sort of thing by using separate shelves for each family line. For cross-referencing of lines and generations, you could place notes on a family group sheet in the front of each binder, listing which other binder(s) to see to pick up the line(s). You also could place colored dots on the outside of the binders to signal which other line intersects at that point, such as when there is a marriage. For example, your binder is white and you could paste a black dot on the spine to signal that you connect to the Meddaugh line and a blue/green dot to signal your Mother's line. Your children's black binders would have a white dot on the spine to signal that their matrilineal link is Beebe. That process would be consistent with your existing color-coding system. Be sure to get some type of dot or label that is super-sticky if you do this, so they don't fall off. Whew! Sounds like quite a task. Whatever system you choose will be the right one. Just have fun with it. Tink At 05:51 AM 8/22/10, you wrote: >Hi list, >I have an organizational problem that I need help solving. > >First, of all let me tell you that I am one of those three-ring notebook >types that likes to sit in a nice comfortable chair and browse through >their genealogy rather than sit at a computer and do it. > >Second, I also enjoy printing other individuals work and comparing them >to others and myself. > >Third, I prefer to color code the families. For example my fathers side >the Beebe's are white notebooks while my mother's side is blue. My >husbands side is black and gray, red. > >Now with that said here is the situation. > >Each generation has their own note book. That I am directly related to. >Which by the way is either 13 or 14, I forget. I use white notebooks >for my Beebe line my fathers side and blue/green for my mother's side > > For example In notebook # 1 I go all the way back to 1585 with >Thomas Beebe. In that notebook is included is wife/wives, and all their >children. As well as a list of all the people that have researched that >particular line. > >Note book # 2 follows with Thomas son and family and all the people >that have researched that particular line. > >This continues with the same process all the way up to me Joan Beebe. >Now I don't have a problem with the Beebe line as to how to organize >them because they are all males all the way to my father C. Arthur. >Sure I have aunts and uncles but I know how to organize them and which >shelf to put them on. them. But I do have when I merge my mothers side >the Schwartz > >And again when I married my husband Larry Meddaugh. His family is >gray's for Jackson, his grandmother, red for Jennings his other >grandmother, Black for his grandpa Meddaugh and a different color for >his grandma Jennings 1st and second husbands. Are you confused yet? > >white ( surname Beebe) and black surname Meddaugh get married and the >notebook color becomes black with white stripes meaning Beebe and >Meddaugh have become one. > >Our childrens notebooks are all black because their surname is Meddaugh >( which was Larry's side) > >But where do I place my husband's parents and grandparents on both side >of his family? > >Do I do it like this? After my direct line is all organized and I am >listed as the last white notebook, then do I put Larry's and my union >after that or do I start with his father's side the Meddaugh's, that go >all the way back to `1400's ,Jacksons,) Then on his mother's side >Jennings, Green, Dimon. then our JOINT family? or what? > >See I told you I was confused and I be you guys are too. > >Hope you can help. > >I have a total of 200 + notebooks. Some have pictures while others have >straight genealogy, others have histories of the various towns, a list >of cemeteries, articles, census,military, other towns in Tioga Co. >Rail Roads, farming, and a whole lot more. Luckily I don't have a >problem organizing them. > >Thanks for your help > >a very confused Joan Beebe, Meddaugh >____________________________________________________________ >Notre Dame Certificates >100% Online Programs in Negotiation Leadership and Mgmt. Enroll Today! >http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4c711e566405223fef8st06duc > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >NYMADISO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >the quotes in the subject and the body of the message