Last year, I was determined to get through a several years worth of backlog of documents on my computer. I worked slowly and steadily through folders. My goal was to complete it before the 1940 Census came out in April.
How did I do? Not so good. I didn’t meet my goal. I was on pace to get all the folders empty then the genealogy gods conspired against me. In December, I found out that the French vital records were online. For several weeks I translated French birth, death, and marriage records to my hearts content. Once I had exhausted the records and my brain cells, it was March. I hadn’t worked on my organizing project in three months.
I shouldn’t say that I did poorly. I was able to input all the documents on my Jones, Kelly, and Dolan lines going back 5 years. I input everything on my Dad’s French lines. So, at least those two lines are completely up to date. It’s those pesky Portuguese that I am now laboring over.
This week I renewed my efforts. I know that it’s going to take me a long time to sort through all this stuff. Part of the problem has been that I have two sort folders. One is documents from 2009 and earlier. The other I started in 2011. I decided that I need those folders to be one. I’m finding too much duplication and it’s getting frustrating.
Also, I figured out that the small the group of documents, the quicker I get through it. So, I am creating a sort folder for each family group for 2012. All these miscellaneous records will go into a 2012 folder. Then, I can go through group by group and see what I have input. It will take extra time to do, but I think it will save me time in the long run. Also, it will help me feel less overwhelmed since most families will only have two or three documents.
I will not give up! I have so much information in these folders that will help me put together my tree and the Kauai families. I will get through it. I swear it!