How do you organise your family history research?

[izabel]

Im still new to this so the wall does just fine at the moment.  Keep making little charts and sticking them in the relevant places.  Maybe I can convince the long suffering husband to buy me a program for christmas. Any suugestions for simple program for a computer moron?

[wheeldon]

I don't do organisation very well - so I give most of the paperwork and certs to my Mum and she does it for me 

Honest, it's a good idea as sometimes when she can't sleep she has a read and drags a memory up that she didn't even realise she had!

The other half of it is all over the computer desk and hubby says one day I will find it all in the bin.  So I will read all your ideas carefully.

[~Rachel~]

Brilliant - so many different ideas, I just need the time to get started now!

I have trees in Word which can be extended when necessary.

Can I just ask how you make trees in word? Cheers!

[Shaztoni]

       + Grandfather
       |
+----Father
|      |
|      + Grandmother
|
name
|
|
|
+----Mother



This is how I do a basic tree with word.

Sharon

[Sylviaann]

Yes like that

Main name    =   Wife
b.                 |     b
d.                 |     d
                    |     m.
____________|___________
|            |          |
child1    child 2   child3

I tried to add a copy but can't will send a PM.
I then write a page for each family unit with BMD and census information addresses etc.  Also anything happening in the world at the time.  For instance my London family had The Big Stink, Mafeking was relieved, new housing built.  This then is the basis for a book and can be understood by the family.  You can add things as you find them

I prefer family history to just names.

Sylviaann

[Sylviaann]

Scattletrap

That is what I call a birth brief.  Very useful for an overall picture of the family.

see an example here http://www.langhorns.co.uk/langhornline/birthbrief.html

Sylviaann

[meles]

I use Family Tree Maker as a main tool, as you can put everything there. But, just so I can get an overall look, I use not Word, but Excel. The sheets are all in an Excel Workbook, so I can put each branch of the tree into a connected page, linked by a hyperlink. The electronic Post it note is also helpful as I can make notes on each entry.

meles

[may]

My problem is not so much storing information which is useful at the time, but keeping information which I cannot fit into my tree at the time, but may come in useful one day, especially from other contacts.

I want to keep contact names etc and their associated names but where??

Anyone got any ideas please let me know

[Shaztoni]

Sylviaann
Thats excellent, was it also done on word or with some other program.

Sharon