One of the things I enjoy about my work as a professional organizer is seeing how people live and work. Of course, I love helping them improve their organizational systems. But I love quizzing already organized people about how they stay organized. We’re all so different and I find there’s always so much to learn.
That’s why I loved the cover story of the May/June issue of Family Tree Magazine . The article, called Making It Work, by Denise Levenick, The Family Curator, takes a look at the workspaces of six successful genealogy professionals. Those professional are:
- Photo Detective Maureen A. Taylor
- Writer and editor Sunny Jane Morton
- GeneaBlogger founder Thomas MacEntee
- Genealogy Guys podcast co-host Drew Smith
- Genealogy Guys podcast co-host George G. Morgan
- Genealogy Gems podcaster Lisa Louise Cooke
We see photos and learn the inside secrets behind the workspaces–and work systems–of each of these successful genealogists. In addition, Levenick provides lots of organizing tips and suggestions from these pros. (One of my favorites: “Take a few minutes to file or recycle papers and neaten your desk after each use. You’ll be able to start your next research session with fewer distractions.” ) She also includes a list of online resources. I’m delighted that Organize Your Family History is included in that resource list!
It’s an enjoyable read, full of good advice. A theme among all six subjects was the benefit of eliminating distracting clutter. I know from my experience that putting things away (and having a place to put them) is the key to my productivity at my desk. After reading the article, I was itching to tidy up a bit more!
Incidentally, one way I keep clutter at bay is to subscribe to digital editions of magazine. I receive Family Tree Magazine as a digital subscription. I get an email when it’s available and I download it to read on my computer or iPad. I was able to switch from the print to digital edition mid-year, by simply asking. I love that I don’t have the physical copies of the magazine lying around!
Thank you for the shout-out, Janine. The genealogists I interviewed for this article were so inspiring that I was motivated to put many of their tips into action too!
I bet you were, Denise! My organizing colleagues inspire me all the time. (And I even swap services with some of them!)
Thanks so much for your comment. And for the great article!