How do you file your documents and certificates?

As genealogists this is a big problem we find ourselves with and there are many any various ways we can do this. Below is what I do and it works for me.


1) I started with building an Access Database.

I have six fields, Certificate, Who, Date, Number, Folder, Comments. The ID numbers are generated by the data base. I enter the details in the correct field and make comments, such as hard to read, things that help identify the document. Using a light pencil I write the ID number on the back of the document, slip it into  a plastic, archival quality sleeve and add the number to the top right hand corner.

These are the sticky numbers I use.

2) Documents and certificates in their sleeves.

3)  These are then filed in lever arch folders under Births, Death, Marriages and Other. Each of these sections is in alphabetical order. Other contains such things as census documents, wills, military records and other peoples notes.  In the Births I also put Baptismal records, sometimes in with the birth certificate, so the sleeve would have two numbers and it would be noted in the comments section. Marriages, alphabetical by Grooms surname. (sorry girls)

My four folders. I'm thinking of up-grading the black ones. These are then filed in the filing cabinet.

4) I also scan and attach the document, to the person in my Brother's Keeper, family tree database. Large documents, such as military records are noted in the Notes section, with Number and Folder name.

After many different ways and false starts, this works for me. If I need to find a document I access the database, first and then get the document. The data base is in NUMBER order as trying to keep it in either alphabetical order or folder order would be too difficult. I try to add the certificate and documents as they arrive, but don't always succeed.

Hope this helps.

Bye for now,
Lilian