There is no need to feel embarrassed. It has happened to every single one of us. There is not one genealogist whether advanced or beginning, alive or dead that was prepared for the piles of stuff that one accumulates when researching family trees. Sure, this obsession of ours started innocently enough with one single piece of paper, a pedigree chart, but that one single piece of paper has multiplied and replenished itself more than once. This growing pile of information will be worthless to us, unless we have a workable filing system. The following system that I am going to discuss is my personal filing system. The main thing to remember about a filing system is that what may work for you, may not work for someone else. It is best to devise a filing system conducive to your research strategies and goals. The following system is one that I devised and use, and one that I would recommend that you try.

To begin with, I use letter sized hanging file folders. I would recommend that you avoid using legal sized anything mainly because the materials you would use for legal sized filing cost more than the letter sized. You will need something to put these files in once you complete them, whether you have a filing cabinet or a plain old milk crate. For the hanging file folders, I make a label with the surname that I am researching; afterwhich, I take a plain manilla folder and label it with the couple's names as well as their ahnentafel numbers. For example: Charles Graham AUSMUS/Vicki Jeanette MASON 2/3. Each couple on my pedigree will have their own file, which will later be filed in the hanging file folder labeled with the surname. So, there are 8 Ausmus couples on my pedigree, so there will be 8 manilla folders within the hanging file folder labeled AUSMUS.

Once you have labeled the manilla folders with the couple's names on them, take a research log and glue it or staple it to the inside of the folder. I would recommend that you do not staple it because staples can rust, and this could damage the records that are inside this folder. The research log will be invaluable as you research. On this research log, you will want to record ALL records that you have searched, whether you gleaned information from them or not. The purpose of this is to avoid backtracking as you conduct your research. Another document that the manilla folder will need to have in it is a family group record with that particular couple's children and vital statistical information.

I would recommend that you not put your original documents inside these folders, even if it is as recent as 10 years ago. Always make a xerox copy of the originals and keep your originals in safer place.

Some people chose to color coordinate their hanging file folders. Some use pink for their maternal lines, blue for their paternal lines, and yellow for their collateral lines. I personally do not color coordinate. It can get expensive to color coordinate, so I just use what I have. One thing that I do that helps me to remember if they are maternal or paternal is to write an abbreviated pedigree through that surname on the outside of the hanging file folder. For example:

Paula Ann AUSMUS
Charles Graham AUSMUS
Charles Clair AUSMUS
John Calvin AUSMUS
Henry Franklin AUSMUS
John C. AUSMUS
Henry AUSMUS
Philip AUSMUS
Johan Peter ASSUM

After you have created the folders for each couple, put them all into the hanging file folder labeled with the surname. Do this for each surname that you are researching.

Like I said at the beginning, my system may not work for you. But, it is important to develop a system that is conducive to your research!

Happy Researching!!