Family HistoryQUICK START

The Basics of Getting Organized

Updated

New to family history? Start with our main course, Your Family Story, then come back here for the practical habits that keep your research organized.

Welcome to The Basics of Getting Organized. These four short lessons cover the unglamorous habits that make every research session easier: a simple folder system, scanning what you have, naming and backing up files, and recording where everything came from. Whether you’re just starting or you’ve been at this for years, a few minutes here will save you hours later.

We’ll cover four short lessons. Click any lesson to get started, in order or out of order — whatever’s useful today.

  1. Get Organized Before You Start

    Set up a simple folder system on your computer or in the cloud, and organize your papers before you scan them.

  2. Get Digital

    Scan photos and documents with your phone, a scanner, or a scanning service, and get settings that will last.

  3. Naming, Saving, and Backing Up Files

    Choose file formats, name files so you can find them years from now, and back everything up.

  4. Citing Your Sources

    Record where every piece of information came from, so you and others can trust it and find it again.