I don’t like to post how I organize my stuff because my methods are a little nuts. I probably make it harder than it needs to be. Tonight I’ll talk about my sorting method for my index cards. Do people even use index cards? If so probably not for this.

As you can see I have two index boxes. One for surnames A-M and the other N-Z. From there I sort them by generation from myself through the 13th back. Then they are sorted even further by alphabetizing the surnames within that generation.

For example my  A’s go like this:

Sarah Allen – 7th gen
Hannah Averill – 8th gen
Sarah Averill – 8th gen
Samuel Averill – 9th gen
John Averill – 10th gen
John Averill – 11th gen
Hannah Ayer – 12th gen

On each index card I have the full name (and married name for women), birth and death place/years, family group sheet #, and a space for the pedigree # (still haven’t started that project yet). On the front side I have any vital,census or official records listed for that person. On the back I have any unofficial sources such as family history books or newspapers.

I have a very small desk to work on and I find it much easier to use these index cards instead of having  binders full of sources cluttering my space. Most of the records I have are on the computer and until I get a printer I won’t have the need for binders anyway. When I go to the library I take my boxes and a file folder for copies and I’m all set.

As I mentioned before this is probably the worst way to sort my ancestors, but so far it’s working for me. How do you guys keep things together?