Get Organized Debbie Williams is an organizing strategist and founder of OrganizedTimes.com. She is the author of  "Common Sense Organizing" from Champion Press. Organizing Genealogy Research Question: My new hobby is researching my family tree. I print out every piece of information I can find online and photocopy any documents I find in libraries (since documentation is needed to prove lineage). My problem is I'm starting to have too much paper. I don't know how to organize it all. Any suggestions? Anne P. Answer: Dear Anne, Genealogy is a wonderful hobby, but to make sure you don't move from record searching to record keeping, here are a few simple tips to keep your online searches organized. Simplify Try to avoid having two copies of everything-- there's simply no need for it! Choose your format and stick to it. If you're finding online documents that you need to access again, use bookmarks in your favorites folders to go right to them again. Some sites won't let you go deep into their links, but take you instead to their home page; if this is the case, then save those pages onto diskette or the hard drive of your computer. Be sure to name them with a file name that makes sense to YOU so that you can find what you've saved! Organize For those documents you've photocopied or that have been faxed to you (hard copies), start putting them into folders or binders for processing and retrieval. Make sure you can make sense of the growing stacks of paper you're accumulating, or your new hobby will change from genealogy to paper management! Treat incoming family papers as you would any other type of paperwork, making a home for items needing your attention: TO READ, TO FILE, NEEDS ACTION, TO TOSS. Sort papers into these categories and store in hanging folders, pocketed folders, or binders. Label all your files so you can see at a glance where your materials are. Whether you use a fancy label machine or print neatly onto the folders, taking the time for this step will save you hours of searching later on. Systemize Now that you've made manageable stacks (or stacklets) of your current work, streamline your system into a regular routine. Try to avoid printing out AND keeping electronic files of the same documents. Consider using a commercial paper management system if all your documents are hard copies that threaten to take over your home and office, such as Paper Tiger or the online service, Kwiktag. Try to organize your documents as you go so that you don't have to shuffle through mounds of paper to find that elusive death certificate. Keep current and archived files up-to-date, which will act as a bookmark for your works in progress; current or hot files could be stored in an expandable pocketed folder or in smaller files in a rack on top of your desk; archived files can be stored off site (which in your home might be under your desk, bed, or closet) in bankers' boxes. Taking the time to organize your efforts will save time, space, and leave you more time for the fun part of researching your family's history. Happy researching! Good luck, Debbie Williams Also see: Ask Debbie your questions Recently answered questions Home office organization