As I revealed in the post To Print or Not to Print?, I have a penchant for printing out documents I find online. I’m trying to get myself to download, rather than print online documents, but for the moment, I’m doing both. (I consider this a transition period.)
In any case, when you’re in the habit of printing papers out, you have to figure out how to store them so you can find them. When it comes to organizing genealogy papers, there are two popular options: file folders or binders.
I’m curious, if you’re a paper person, which do you use–and why?
I fall squarely in the file folder camp. This is true for me for all my papers, and here’s why. I think it’s just so much easier to file into a folder than it is into a binder. And the easier it is to file, the more likely it is you will file.
If you’re using binders to organize and store your papers, there are many steps:
- Pull the binder off the shelf
- Open it to the right place
- Open the rings
- Either punch holes in the paper or put in a sheet protector
- Close the rings
- Move all the open papers in front of it over the new paper
- Close the binder
- Put away the binder
By contrast, with file folders, there are fewer steps:
- Open the file drawer
- Locate the file
- Open the folder (which might or might not entail taking it out)
- Drop the paper in the folder
In my experience as a professional organizer, papers meant to go into binders tend to pile up. (Actually, I do that–I keep my dog’s vet records in a binder, for some reason, and I have a large stack of papers that need to be punched and put in the binder.)
But I know some people love to use binders for genealogy research.
Please share: What’s your favorite way to store and organize your genealogy papers?
I tried binders, but have ended up with folders in a cabinet. Works best for me.
Thanks, Vicki! We’re both in the file folder fan club.
Janine, must I pick only one? I have binders full of places, sorted by states & counties. I have file cabinet drawers with folders for people, one drawer for each grandparents’s lines. OF course, I have many folders on my laptop too…
Colleen, thanks for reminding me that folders and binders aren’t mutually exclusive when it comes to handling paper. I think it’s really interesting that you use binders for places and folders for people. Thanks for sharing that!
I just started reading your blog. I like to think I am very organized but I am really always just a few steps from actually being there.
I vote for binders. I number my paper records to correspond to my research log so I like to keep them in order. Binders seem to work better although I agree they do add a little extra work.
Vic, I think you should give yourself lots of credit for being organized! If you’re keeping your paper records numbered and indexed in binders, you’ve got it going on! Thanks for visiting the blog.
I have gone back and forth. I started with folders, but had someone really “sell” me on binders, so I bought binders and put the documents in protective sheets . For my purposes I felt like the binders were too bulky. I like being able to grab a file and take it with me, (or a portion of the file) with me when I head out to research. (I have the info entered into my database, but just the same there are times when I want to be able to scrutinize the documents themselves as I find other information.) When I pulled things from the binders, for some reason it took me a while to return them to the binders, and I certainly wasn’t going to take an entire binder with me. I know there are benefits to both, but I like folders best.
Nice blog by the way! I found you via Geneabloggers and decided to drop by for a visit.
I’m with you 100%, Michelle. Binders are great for those who love them. The extra effort it takes to file into them makes me less of a fan. I love the easy access of folders. I keep mine in a rolling file cart, so I can just roll the cart to my desk when I’m starting a research session and everything is so accessible!
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog and commenting. I hope you come back!
I use folders, too. Folders are color coded for family groups that are in my direct line. I group collateral relatives in a hanging folder, also color coded. But I don’t like the loose paper that mounts up in my direct line folders. I am going to use prongs to attach my papers to my folders. Yes, it requires punching, but I’ve misplaced papers too often to continue that practice. Besides, my nearest library with a genealogy department does not allow binders in the research area. You can lock them in your locker, but you have to bring in smaller working files. My folders will be perfect, and I won’t lose anything!
I hope the prongs work out well for you, Diane. I’ve used them in the past (not with genealogy) with limited success. But your rationale seems sound! Thanks for commenting.
For the most part, I’m a folder person. I do however, have planned a trip to see my family in Texas. I’m setting up a binder with dividers to take with me. The binder will have key info on family members. While I am still researching some people, I have a lot of info on others and these are the ones that will be in the binder to show my family.
Thanks for your comment, Robyn! I think that’s a great use of a binder–they really do make papers portable and secure while you’re transporting them. I hope your family enjoys seeing your research!
I use 3- or 4-ring binders (with copysafe page protectors) as permanent storage for the main documents in my family history collection. It’s the best way to protect them from damage, and I’m less likely to file things in the wrong place. For short term storage (eg, for documents awaiting data extraction and analysis) I use folders or small boxes.
Thanks for sharing, Judy. It sounds like you’ve developed a system that works well for you!
Love all of the info and tips!!! What is the Copysafe page protectors you refer to?? I use 4 drawer File Cabinets, binders and Computer. Our home burnt to ground with my family loosing everything when I was a freshman in High school, we retrieved nothing! I am stuck on the idea that if I were in another fire or even Tornado, surely I could retrieve one of the things before mentioned. Please advise and Thank you!!!
Tama, I don’t know whether Judy will see this, since she made her comment a couple of years ago. She is in Australia, I believe. I think she’s referring to what we call page protectors in the US, the clear plastic sheets that you can slip a piece of paper into so that the rings go through the protector, not the paper. (In other words, you don’t have to put holes in the paper.) They’re not meant to protect exact disaster.
One of the reasons I’m glad I have shifted to digital data storage for my genealogy documents is that I don’t have to worry about losing them due to fire or flood or tornado. (I back up on a hard drive and in the cloud daily.)
I hope that’s a little bit helpful!
My question is if you have a group photo (more than one person in the picture), which page protector do you file that photo in? I have mine binder protectors set up by individual names but have group photos and sure where to file them. Thank you
Debi, that’s a really good question. And one of the reasons I don’t organize my genealogy in binders. Perhaps someone will respond, but this is a post from a long time so maybe not. You could join the Facebook group The Organized Genealogist and ask there! Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
I have to be a binder person as when we moved into our home we inherited a study that is completely shelved on every wall, including above our desk. When I suggested to my hubby that we could take out a few and put in some cabinets he replied that I’d overspent on my new kitchen so no arrghhhh
Argh is right! I’m sure you can make binders work for you, but I wonder whether there might be other options, like a freestanding file cabinet or file boxes (maybe one per surname of family unit) that could rest on the shelves. My files are stored in a rolling file cart that I tuck into a closet.
I’m a binder person, I did have a 4 drawer filing cabinet with hanging files in it for a while, coloured coded. Spent a fortune on stationery! But I found that when I needed to get more than one family out on the desk, it was just impossible to work so I switched to binders (we call them folders in Australia :o) ). They’re sorted by surname, chronologically and I can pull down a binder of that family name and find all the families I need in one spot. Now I am interested in your non-paper method, that should take me the rest of my life to implement but not sure where to start………probably looking at my current digital filing system I suspect.
Wendy, I didn’t know that what we call binders are called folders in Australia. Thanks confusing! I’m glad that you have a system that works well for you!! As far as eliminating paper goes, I think looking at your digital filing system (which could mirror your paper filing system perhaps) is a good start.
If you’re serious about wanting to reduce paper, I’d encourage you to put together a work flow process and start implementing it for new paper that comes into your life. If you see that it’s working for you, then you can start scanning, naming, and electronically filing the paper in your binders, little by little. What you want to avoid is being in a position where you can’t find a document you need, so doing small chunks of the backlog at a time is a good idea, in my opinion.
I hope that’s helpful. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Janine! Well…you had me there for a moment when I saw your question on Facebook just now, as, in Australia, I call Binders Folders as well! And folders are Manilla Folders!
As it happens, I have both, even though I really prefer to keep everything on my computer. I set up Folders for each main family branch, with all the ‘final’ documentation. I have found that these are great if you have family visitors and want to share the family tree. They are able to browse through in a way that they just can’t on a computer.
Then, I have a filing cabinet with manilla folders for each family name, (more of them than the Binders), and here I keep documents such as original letters, maps, copies of source material, everything that would be too bulky and perhaps confusing to be in a Binder.
Unfortunately I also have paper piles, but I am really trying hard to work through them. Mostly they are hand-written notes by me, and I am trying to get them into an electronic format, rather than put them in the Manilla folders.
Thanks so much for sharing your process, Chris! That binder/folder thing for England and Australia (and probably other Commenwealth countries) always trips me up.
I guess it depends on exactly who the person is to me.
Direct ancestors tend to get a binder because I am very visual and I can arrange the documents in date order which gives me a time line. I put the documents in plastic sheet pages and the first page is a list of what I already have in the binder, so I don’t have to flip through it to see if I have that particular document.
For non-direct ancestors, I have manila files with their name and dates on it filed alphabetically in a file cabinet. I have paternal and maternal drawers.
I also have files that are simply last name as I find things that I believe belong to my family tree but I am not quite sure but I don’t want to misplace or loose the record.
I am in the process of scanning in the paper documents from the binders and personal files into files in the computer which is a huge work in progress as I inherited many moving boxes of letters, photos, documents from my grandma, my mom, and one uncle. I am also trying to transcribe all the letters so that the original letter is with transcribed letter. Both my grandma and mom had a “short hand” for discussing family members that no one else will understand once my generation is gone since the initials and comments won’t make any sense.
I also use a photo label software that allows me to label directly on the photo or highlight things in documents – but keeps an original. I guess it is redundant in some ways, but I like having an original photo and one that is labeled.
Thanks for sharing your method, Ellspeth. It’s so interesting to me that you use binders for direct-line ancestors and folders for collateral relatives. I can see how that could work!
I’m impressed with the enormity of the project taking on–not only organizing and scanning your inherited documents but also transcribing them. That’s fantastic. Best of luck to you!
Hi Janine,
It is a huge project and I have been at it for years, but each document or photo labeled is progress.
I like the binders for direct ancestors – for me it provides a visual time line. Plus, if I am taking a binder to an older relative to interview everything is right there in front of us. Sometimes just being able to see documents or photos helps a person remember and then I end up with more info. Plus the other person usually enjoys just looking at the items and remembering.
El
Hello Janine, I just found your site as I googled “organizing my genealogy”, and am really enjoying reading the comments here. I have 40 years of gen. research I am trying to organize and downsize. I now have most of it on my tree at Ancestry and Family Tree Maker, and in 9-10 file tubs. Being fairly new to getting it all organized and not very tech savvy, Q1 are my Ancestry/FTM files considered “electronic files” as stated in comments, or is that something else entirely? Q2 I’m wondering what happens to my Ancestry files if I opt out of the subscription (have to see if I own the rights to my Tree and if I can get it on CD) Q3 Binder or Files? Big question and the one which led me to you. I desperately need to down size (now in a “tiny home”) and thought to put everything into a big Binder…decorative, like the old world family Bible, with tree and copies of documents, so I can more easily share with family on visits and pass it down to the younger generation. HOWEVER, I cannot find a binder which holds more than 500 pages. WHAT DO YOU BINDER lovers find available so as not to have to have dozens of binders? Would really love to keep it down to two. Thanks for your feedback!
Hi, Debra. Thanks for your comment. With regard to your first question, the electronic files I’m referring to are those that are stored on your hard drive. My understanding is that unless you download the files from Ancestry you will not have access to them if you drop your Ancestry subscription. That’s why I always download them. You may want to verify this with Ancestry.
With regard to your question about giant binders, I don’t know that you’ll receive much in the way of comments because this post is seven years old. But I can tell you that while I don’t use binders for genealogy, as a professional organizer I feel a very large binder would be unwieldy to file into and also heavy and difficult to transport for other people to view. I’d encourage you to consider having at least four binders, one for each family line (i.e. surname of your grandparents).