For months as I got into my genealogy research projects, I had been searching for the best, maybe even the ONLY way to organize my digital files and paper.  I purchased books and courses and viewed online articles and videos.  They had different ways of doing it with some ending up with the same result.  

This should have made making a decision about which way to do it easy, especially if the process came from a genealogy expert.  Right?

Uhh…no.  

Though one specific method or process works for some, it doesn’t for others.  If anything, all of that advice from genealogy experts can be downright overwhelming.

Ultimately, here’s how I manage my genealogy research:

Digital

• Research logs and reference resources in the form of Google Docs and/or PDFs are kept in Google Drive.
• Trackers for DNA matches, surnames, census data, citation logs, logs of where photos and other genealogy-related files are kept and other types of genealogy-related charts in the form of Google Sheets are kept in Google Drive.
• Photos and other genealogy-related digital files are kept in multiple places:
  • Electronic files organized in folders and subfolders on my main genealogy laptop’s hard drive which are backed up on 
  • The Seagate Photo Drive
  • Albums created based on ancestor in my ForeverⓇ storage account.
  • Genealogy software

Paper

At the start, I found this 13-step color-coded filing system for Ancestry research to be helpful:  https://beginmystory.com/13-step-color-coded-filing-system-ancestry-research/  This system proved to be a simple way to start organizing genealogy papers.

I ended up using up some jewel-tone Pendaflex hanging folders and file folders I had lying around rather than using the red, yellow, green and blue folders suggested in the Begin My Story article.  I just adapted what I had to that system and kind of tweaked it to what worked for me.  

• Family group sheets, pedigree charts and printed-out items of interest are kept in paper  files of different colors to distinguish families.
  • These files are kept in IRIS desktop paper file organizers by family on wire shelving units.  
  • Labels are attached to the IRIS desktop paper files front and side so that they can be easily identified at a glance.
• My main working research project on an ancestor is kept in a binder.
  • Papers may include working family group sheets, pedigree charts and printed-out online articles and maps, email correspondence and anything else pertinent to the ancestor.  Some of these are kept in sheet protectors if they require a lot of handling.  
  • This binder is kept on my workspace desk to use during active research.  It can also be placed in one of my project desktop containers if I need to clear the workspace to work on something else.
  • Later, these can be transferred to the ancestor’s paper file upon project completion.
• Working research projects in progress are also kept in separate binders to distinguish families.  The binder is kept in an IRIS desktop paper file organizer for that family until it becomes the main working research project.  File folders are not yet created at this point.  The paper kept in the binder includes printed out incidental findings that come via new DNA match information or delayed messages from genealogy websites.  
• Reference material coming from online article print-outs or course hand-outs is kept in separate binders to distinguish genealogy-related topics.  Examples:
  • Reference with topics divided into sections using binder dividers with labeled tabs
  • Location/Language with locations and the languages associated with the location divided into sections
  • People – religions and ethnicities divided into sections
• Books and magazines are kept on shelves with magazines placed in desktop magazine holders that fit the shelves.  Books used for a research project are kept separate from the rest on a different shelf.

As you can see, when information and records are coming from different places and are in different stages of a genealogy research workflow process, they require a number of storage locations.  It took me a while to figure this out through trial and error.  

I can’t tell you that my way of managing genealogy research is THE best way.  But, here is what I learned that I can pass on to you:

• Genealogy research management depends on your own personal genealogy workflow.  Identifying your workflow process is key and the first step you should take.  Then, build your own management system based on what works for you.  
• Once you have your management system created, be consistent with its maintenance.  Put digital and paper where they belong right away.  Back up digital files on a schedule.