1.13.2008

Family History Idea...

Today, I heard an interesting way to start you family history. Someone used this organizational idea and it worked marvelously!

Go to the office store and buy a pack of those tabbed inserts for a 3 ringed binder. I guess they sell them numbered from 01-100. Stick them in a 3-ringed binder with a single sheet of paper in each section. In the example, the first year was something like 1935...or whenever this man was born. The first tab was 35...then 36, 37, 38, 39 and so forth. Everytime he remembered something that happened in a particular year, he would jot it down in the correct section. As you fill up a page, just add another piece of paper to that section. You can paper clip pictures or letters inside each section too.

The 3-ringed binders just grew and grew. Within 2 years, this man had something like 10 binders. Amazing.

It is also easily adapted to the computer. Just use a new folder for each year of your life. Scan in pictures or documents to the appropriate folder.

I just might start this for myself!

2 comments:

Great Grandma Lin said...

go for it, at least keep a journal. you will enjoy reading about your thoughts and feelings during these hectic years and even have some stories of your children to share with them one day. my youngest son wanted an embarrassing story about him as a teen and i just happened to have written a poem and recorded it in my journal for 1996 about his first driver's lesson in the family car when he drove into a pot hole and flattened the tire. at the time it was stressful but looking back at it, it was hilariously funny and still is. now he can laugh at it. everyday is full of something to remember. i find blogging is another way of capturing life. aunt lin

Susan said...

that is a great idea, Dawn....my problem....knowing the year that anything happened. At least I have journals for that stuff and now the blog.