I to an like several others, I am an organizer. I keep everything in a 3" three ring binder on a book case just behind my chair here in my office. After I put the data into my genealogy software programs, I place the paper in an acid free protective sleeve. Each binders spine is labeled with the SURNAME. The binders are divided inside with a Divider Tab (You can still buy these at Walmart or staples) for census records by county/census year, birth certificates, deeds, tax records, wills, death certificates, correspondence, yDNA testing. Call it being OCD or CDO (in order), but it helps me tremendously when someone asks a question or helps myself if I am looking for a particular document. Now I'm not without some clutter, but my clutter is keep to a minimum until I can no longer stand it and then I clear off of my big dining room table and take those "3" boxes of paper and sort them into surnames and get then into the sleeves and then the binders. If I don't need the paper any longer and/or it is of no value, then I shred the papers I no longer need or want. I also have an external hard drive and several flash drives for my computer and back up everything at least to the external hard drive. I had one computer crash, you can never have too many backup copies of your research. Additionally, I have made a genealogical section in my will to instruct my family where these binders and other genealogy material (books, maps, periodicals) are to be given after my death. So I think I have it all covered. I learned most of my organizational skills early on, back in 1990's, when I joined the Howard County Maryland genealogy society. I didn't just join the local chapter, I absorbed all I heard voraciously and attended every monthly meeting they had and became involved, volunteered, etc.. Even though it wasn't the county I was researching, it was the county I lived in when I began my research. They would have monthly speakers on various subjects and you can learn many research tricks and pointers from being active in your local society. I'll betcha almost every county in the US has one. Just my 2 cents worth. Linda Harden-Lantz -----Original Message----- From: paallegh-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:paallegh-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of jomaben9093@verizon.net Sent: Friday, January 03, 2014 6:43 PM To: paallegh@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ALL] Question on organizing I have a similar question, being over-whelmed myself with boxes and notebooks of papers and information collected through the years. These "treasures" aren't of much help since everything isn't orderly enough to find quickly, or even remember where they are located! I often see too that one e-mail question can be asked and soon more are generated along the same line. Many people learn more readily from visual explanations, too. Those thoughtful replies usually get lost for some of us, as well! Is there any chance that among the seriously knowledgeble genealogists who use this site there could be some who would consider offering a class on this subject (organization! and maybe others) as well, at perhaps one or more local Library, offering a small stipend to be collected for gas expenses and time.) Organization is a matter of great importance and comes as just a suggestion from one who benefits from visual instructions! Thanks to the many helpful members who have provided great varieties of useful help throughout the year....and a Happy and Blessed New Year to all "descendants" working to preserve their family's personal history! Joan    On Friday, January 3, 2014 2:45 PM, Joseph Martin <illinoisgenie@gmail.com> wrote: Thank you, Larry. This sounds like a fine option. Joseph On Fri, Jan 3, 2014 at 1:34 PM, Larry Thompson <lt0168@epix.net> wrote: > Joseph: > Anything up to folio size (11x17) I scan in two passes than stitch the > two parts together in a graphic program. The original gets folded and > placed in the binder. Larger than that the original is placed in a > mailing tube and placed in the corner<g>. You can get larger sheets > scanned for a small fee at Staples or Office Max and placed on a thumb > drive. > > Larry > > On 1/3/2014 1:53 PM, Joseph Martin wrote: > > Larry, > > > > What do you do with original over sized documents that do not fit in a 3 > > ring binder? > > > > Joseph Martin > > Romeoville, Illinois > > > > > > > > > > On Fri, Jan 3, 2014 at 12:43 PM, Larry Thompson <lt0168@epix.net> wrote: > > > >> Sandy: > >> I went paperless about 10 years ago. Purchased a cheap $50 scanner. I > >> have a genealogy directory and under that a separate folder for each > >> surname, one for maps, wills, will transcripts, obituaries and others. > >> As soon as I get a new document it gets scanned and placed in an acid > >> free clear folder and put into a 3 ring binder and never touched again. > >> > >> Larry > >> > >> On 1/3/2014 10:18 AM, Sandy Passman wrote: > >>> Hello all. Happy New Year. > >>> > >>> I have the feeling that my > >>> genealogy files need to be better organized so I am looking for ways > >> that have and are working for others. Mine are in 2 file drawers. They > are > >> just in folders by family line and I have sorted by record - censuses, > >> birth certs, death records, etc (but that breaks down when I get a new > >> record because it tends to get files in the front of the folder). I am > sure > >> I have some duplications that I need to sort out and get rid of. It > always > >> takes me a minute to find anything so I am wondering if anyone has a > better > >> way. > >>> Thank you, > >>> Sandy > >>> > >>> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > >>> > >>> Visit our Allegheny County, PA Website: > >> http://www.pagenweb.org/~allegheny/index.htm > >>> ------------------------------- > >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >> PAALLEGH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >>> > >> > >> -- > >> My genealogy page > >> http://twothompsongenealogies.com/ > >> Allegheny County Maps page > >> http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lt0168/maps/ > >> > >> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > >> > >> Visit our Allegheny County, PA Website: > >> http://www.pagenweb.org/~allegheny/index.htm > >> ------------------------------- > >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >> PAALLEGH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >> > > > > > > > > -- > My genealogy page > http://twothompsongenealogies.com/ > Allegheny County Maps page > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lt0168/maps/ > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > Visit our Allegheny County, PA Website: > http://www.pagenweb.org/~allegheny/index.htm > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PAALLEGH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -- "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela P  Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Visit our Allegheny County, PA Website: http://www.pagenweb.org/~allegheny/index.htm ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PAALLEGH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Visit our Allegheny County, PA Website: http://www.pagenweb.org/~allegheny/index.htm ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PAALLEGH-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message