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Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

How They Do It: Denise May Levenick

February 7, 2017 By Janine Adams 15 Comments

Here is the second installment in my How They Do It series, which I inaugurated last month with a Q&A with Thomas MacEntee. In this series, I’ve reached out to genealogy luminaries whom I admire and asked them to talk about how they organize their own genealogy research. I’ll post a new installment the first Tuesday of every month.

This month, we get to learn from Denise May Levenick, The Family Curator, author of How to Archive Family Keepsakes and How to Archive Family Photos. Denise is also a frequent contributor to Family Tree Magazine, as well as a popular teacher and lecturer.

How They Do It: Denise May Levenick

How long have you been doing genealogy?

I checked out my first census record in 1976 as part of a course in Personal and Family History at the University of Idaho, and I was hooked! That course gave me the opportunity to revisit my grandmother’s family history papers and photos, but I didn’t really pursue genealogy until my sons graduated from college and I had more time. It was a long hiatus.

What’s your favorite part of doing genealogy?

Discovering the back-story of a document or an unexplained detail about an ancestor is my favorite aspect of genealogy. I loved discovering that my grandmother was an accomplished seamstress! It gives me an extra connection when I work on quilts for my family.

Do you consider your genealogy research well organized?

Is my research well-organized? My research is one thing, my research papers and files are another. I feel pretty comfortable about both, and I can usually find what I need. But, there’s always room for improvement!

What type of software do you use for organizing your genealogy research?

I’ve used or tried almost every genealogy database program – PAF,  Family Tree Maker Legacy, RootsMagic, Reunion, MacFamily Tree, and some I can’t remember. Since moving to a Mac in 2000, I use Reunion most of the time. I keep all my work in the Notes section and export GEDCOM files as needed to use features in other programs on my PC. The best advice I ever received was to invest time and effort in the Notes section of your software rather than the individual event line data. It’s served me well when I moved around as my needs changed.

Do you keep a research log? If so, what format?

Oh… research logs. Yes, I do. I had a beautiful journal log that I left somewhere, and now I use a form log online that I can access from my desktop at home or my laptop. I still use a paper journal log, but most work is duplicated on the digital log too. I’m a “form person.” I love creating tables and forms for different projects and included dozens of worksheets and forms in both my books.

Do you have a tree on Ancestry? If so, is it public or private? Why?

I have both kinds of trees on Ancestry. Public as cousin bait, and private for my works-in-progress. I don’t want my speculative work to be copied as proven, so I feel better keeping those trees private.

What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to organizing your genealogy?

My biggest challenge is keeping paper under control. I do like paper copies to read and annotate, but the pages seem to multiply like rabbits.

What’s your biggest piece of advice to beginning genealogists in terms of keeping track of their research?

I’d say, “Don’t fight the Research Log. Just do it!” We love taking shortcuts, but in genealogy, shortcuts just cost time later.

What do you think is the most important thing for people to do to stay organized when it comes to family history research?

Organization doesn’t just “happen.” For most of us, it’s part of a process or workflow. I find that when I use a consistent research process, staying organized becomes a natural part of the entire scheme. For example, creating a digital workflow was tough to develop and implement, but it’s become a habit now that I’m using the 7-Step digital asset management process I write about in my book How to Archive Family Photos. I find that I’m naturally moving from Capture to Import and through each step, and my files are organized along the way. Developing a repeatable workflow is key.

If you were starting out new as a genealogist what would you do differently?

Oh, I wish I had been a more active genealogist years ago. I have so many ancestors yet to discover! I would encourage any new family historian to take a beginning genealogy course and develop good research and record-keeping habits. You can learn about record groups as you develop in the field, but you will always use sound basic skills.

Do you keep paper or electronic files (or both)?

I keep both paper and electronic files. Papers are filed in hanging file folders until I analyze them and enter the data in Reunion; then the papers go in a binder. I keep digital files in Surname folders with meaningful filenames. I use Spotlight or other file search software to find files faster on my computer.

Are you a folder or binder person for your paper files?

I love binders because they help me keep papers in order and in place.

Do you use Evernote, One Note or any other electronic organizing system for your genealogy? If so, how do you use it?

Evernote is my go-to app for quick reference notes of webpages and articles, but I use OneNote for notes and tasks especially when traveling. I’ve used Microsoft Word for so long that it’s like a typewriter to me, and OneNote’s notebook format makes it easy to keep track of odd bits of information. When it comes to writing, however, I turn to Scrivener. I use it for all my blog posts, magazine articles, and lecture outlines, and it was great for organizing my book projects.

Denise’s Home Archive

Do you have a dedicated space in your home for doing genealogy research? What’s it like?

I am fortunate to have a perfect writing and research space at home. It’s a small room upstairs overlooking the front of our house, so I get a birds’ eye view of the neighborhood through a wall of glass French doors. One office wall is filled with books – English and American literature and history from my teaching days, and genealogy reference books. I have a corner cabinet that holds supplies, a vertical file cabinet, and a computer desk. We will be moving soon, and my new office will be a bit larger, so I hope I’ll have room for a table to spread out projects and items from my archive. My Home Archive is located in the closet of an extra bedroom, and I’m looking forward to having everything in one place in my new office.

Do you have anything to add?

I’ve learned that “getting organized” can become an all-consuming goal if we get stuck in the mindset of finding the “perfect” system or solution. I do better when I remind myself that progress is better than perfection; fix what isn’t working and move forward.

Such wise words! I’m particularly struck by Denise’s advice about research logs: “Don’t fight the research log. Just do it!” Amen. Thank you, Denise!

Filed Under: Challenges, Excitement, Genealogy tips, Organizing Tagged With: Denise Levenick, Family Curator, How They Do It, organizing aids

How They Do It: Thomas MacEntee

January 3, 2017 By Janine Adams 10 Comments

This year I’m adding a new monthly feature, “How They Do It,” in which I interview genealogy luminaries about how they organize their own genealogy research. There are so many people I admire in the genealogy world. I sent out a few inquiries to some of my favorites and was so happy to receive a positive response!

I’m kicking it off with none other than Thomas MacEntee, founder of GeneaBloggers , as as well as The Genealogy Do Over, among other notable contributions to the genealogy world. Thomas is a prominent speaker in the genealogy field and I know from having heard him speak on several occasions that he is very, very organized with his genealogy research.

Enjoy his pearls of wisdom. Check back on the first Tuesday of each month for a new How They Do It interview!

How They Do It: Thomas MacEntee

How They Do It: Thomas MacEntee

How long have you been doing genealogy?

I have been doing genealogy research since 1977, so close to 40 years

What’s your favorite part of doing genealogy?

My favorite part of genealogy is the problem solving/CSI aspect. Trying to figure out how everything fits together on records and family stories.

Do you consider your genealogy research well organized?

I consider my genealogy research very well organized, especially when it comes to the digital assets.

What type of software do you use for organizing your genealogy research?

I have various software programs that I use to organize my genealogy research. First I use my operating system Windows Explorer to rename and organize files and folders. Second I use Excel and a research log to track all of my information that I find online and in person at archives and repositories. Third I also take advantage of the metadata feature on specific files via Windows Explorer. And I have one overriding rule with my genealogy research: nothing goes into my genealogy database software until it is proven.

Do you keep a research log? If so, what format?

For research log, I have created my own template in Excel which includes helper tabs for citing sources in evaluating evidence. It is available for free at www.genealogyresearchlog.com.

Do you have a tree on Ancestry? If so, is it public or private? Why?

I have two Ancestry trees, both of which are public. One is my original tree, created when I was a name collector and has over 8000 entries. I have placed the word “unsourced” in front of the name of this tree. I also have a more current tree that has fewer than 100 people but all of the information is sourced and proven.

What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to organizing your genealogy?

My biggest challenge in organizing my genealogy research right now are the physical items. Many of them are just thrown into a holding box and I keep telling myself I will organize them when I have time. I really need to carve out some time during the winter to get these items organized properly

What’s your biggest piece of advice to beginning genealogists in terms of keeping track of their research?

My first piece of advice for new genealogists is to track everything. This even means negative results. Second treat every document and every record and every bit of information as if you’ll only be able to touch it one time in your life. This means extract as much information as possible from the document or record and cite your sources right away.

What do you think is the most important thing for people to do to stay organized when it comes to family history research?

Organizing genealogy research requires a plan; just like a to do list in genealogy is needed before you start your research. So I have a separate to do list for the organizational aspect of genealogy as opposed to the research aspect. These to-do items go on my project list and are tracked like any other task during my normal workday.

If you were starting out new as a genealogist what would you do differently?

If I were starting out as a new genealogist I think the first thing is I would try to find a mentor–someone who could show me the ropes. I think in today’s Internet age, however, it is so easy to find credible resources such as those at the Board for Certification for Genealogists and the National Genealogical Society that can substitute as a mentor for newcomers. Also, I wish someone had told me there was no easy button in genealogy!

Do you keep paper or electronic files (or both)?

I keep both paper and electronic/digital files but my files are predominantly digital. If I have a photocopy I will often scan it and add it to my digital library and dispose of the photocopy. The only paper copies I keep our original items such as letters, diaries, and photographs, as well as vital records that I ordered from various agencies.

Are you folder or binder person for your paper files?

I am a folder person, although I am migrating more towards being a binder person, using archivally sound materials such as binders and sheet protectors.

Do you use Evernote, One Note or any other electronic organizing system for your genealogy? If so, how do you use it?

I use Evernote, having been a One Note user in the early 2000’s. I use Evernote mostly to clip items from the web and to save them for research. I find managing a research log on Evernote to be very difficult.

Do you have a dedicated space in your home for doing genealogy research? What’s it like?

I have an office in the back of my condominium in Chicago where I’ve worked for the past 10 years running my genealogy business as well as doing genealogy research. It is a small space, roughly 10′ x 10′ with small bookshelves and various bankers boxes strewn about

Do you have anything to add?

I’m a firm believer that anyone can build good organizational skills and that organizing is a discipline that can be learned. My philosophy on organizing things right away is this: the more you put it off or delay it the more difficult it will be. That time spent reorganizing could be better spent researching for ancestors. Lack of organization basically squanders your precious time.

I agree wholeheartedly with Thomas’s contention that anyone can become organized. I think he’s spot on about the value of organizing things right away to avoid a backlog and maximize the time we have to spend with our ancestors. Thank you, Tom!

Filed Under: Challenges, Excitement, Genealogy tips, Organizing Tagged With: How They Do It, organizing aids, Thomas MacEntee

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about me

I'm Janine Adams, a professional organizer and a genealogy enthusiast. I love doing family history research, but I find it's very easy for me to get overwhelmed and not know where to turn next. So I'm working hard to stay organized and feel in control as I grow my family tree.

In this blog, I share my discoveries and explorations, along with my organizing challenges (and solutions). I hope by sharing what I learn along the way I'll be able to help you stay focused and have fun while you do your research, too.

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