Let me ask you a question:
Have you ever opened a box of family photos or a folder of genealogy records and instantly felt overwhelmed?
You’re not alone.
As genealogists, photo organizers, and legacy keepers, we collect a lot of stuff—photos, documents, DNA results, newspaper clippings, letters, and artifacts. And often, those treasures live in random boxes, bins, desktops, and half-finished folders on our computers.
But here’s the truth: Organizing your family history isn’t just about tidiness—it’s about making sure the story survives.
When your research and memories are scattered, they’re vulnerable. A spilled coffee, a crashed hard drive, or a family member who doesn’t understand what’s valuable, and it could mean decades of work lost in an instant. I learned that firsthand this week when I reviewed an old file I had. I’d given it to a cousin to review, and when I got it back, the file that was once in chronological order was no longer organized that way, and the papers were upside down and in the wrong order. I’m thinking they might have been dropped and then stuffed back in the folder. Not a huge tragedy, but still a mess.
By taking the time to organize now, you’re doing something powerful. You’re:
- Protecting your hard work and irreplaceable memories
- Making it easier to share your legacy with family (even the ones who “aren’t into genealogy—yet”)
- Creating a system that helps you research faster, clearer, and with less duplication
- Leaving a roadmap for your children and grandchildren
This isn’t just organizing. It’s legacy-building.
Let’s Get Started:
Over the next few weeks, I’ll guide you through simple, manageable steps to build what I call your Family History Home™—a place where your photos, documents, stories, and research can thrive and grow.
So today, I want you to think about this:
👉 What area of your genealogy or photo collection stresses you out the most?
👉 What would it feel like to finally have it under control?
Drop a comment, send me a message, or jot it down in your genealogy journal. This is your starting line—and you’ve already taken the first step by being here.
💬 Tell me in the comments: What part of your family history is the most disorganized right now?
Let’s get organized—together.
P.S. Download this handy checklist to get you started.
Have you completed my questionnaire? If not, I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can complete it HERE.
Hi Ellen – having just put together a book to celebrate my Dad’s 90th I can tell you that disorganisation slowed down the process considerably. I’m not sure what the biggest problem was to be honest. Obviously I needed my photos digitised and organised – that was something I did on the go. But then there were all the momentos and letters/diaries to be read. Reading those letters took a looooong time. My mother typed her letters which is great but my Dad’s were mostly handwritten. That means that really for future generations I will need to digitise and transcribe them because I doubt future generations will be able to read handwriting easily. So much to do. But its the photos that worry me the most to be honest.
Alex, Thank goodness you are making the effort to keep the stories alive. As artificial intelligence gets better and better at reading handwriting you might get some assistance with your Dad’s letters. I agree the younger generation may not be able to read them in the future. I tell my sons they will be able to be translators for cursive. lol Just kidding by then AI might be able to do it all. So happy for your achievement and Happy Birthday to your dad.