I have 4 portable file boxes with handles that I keep all of my files in and a notebook with plastic sheets to keep birth, death and marriage certificates in. That way, I can grab the file boxes in a hurry. I keep all of my photo albums deep in a hallway cabinet, not up in the front of the cabinet. When our house caught on fire back in 1997 every bit of my genealogy survived. It all had soot on it and I spent months cleaning it all up but it survived. I also send my Family Tree Maker database to myself via e mail and save it in my saved e mail just in case something happens to my computer. I have AOL and I save it to "Saved on AOL". That way I can retrieve it from anywhere that I am. I also upload my database to a web site with photos and documents so that I can always print them off again or burn them to a CD and get the photos remade just in case something happens to my originals. >From someone who has been there! Julie ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.