The Year Ahead – January 3

In the January/February 2024 issue of Family Tree Magazine, they have introduced The Year Ahead, 366 genealogy tips will make 2024 your best research year yet by Lisa A Alzo. Lisa mapped out a day-by-day research plan.

January 3 - Take an inventory of your supplies and research materials. List what you still need. 

I have a confession; I am an office supply junkie. Or would you call me a hoarder? I never seem to have enough post-it-notes, pens, mechanical pencils, highlighters, write-out. Plus, don’t get me started on the number of books I have. I also have lots of old issues of Family Tree Magazine. I did manage to reduce my pile of Family Tree Magazine issues when they use to sell a year’s worth of issues on a CD.

I keep a book list using the website, LibraryThing. It is completely free, it can track your books, movies, music. Apps for iPhone and Android are available. Therefore, I don’t have to be in my office to see what books I have and what I don’t have. 

As for supplies, I have told myself, I am not allowed to buy anymore supplies. I allow myself to buy ink for my printer and that is about it. I also read some where that I should keep the number of pens, pencils, highlighters to a minimum that are on my desk. Otherwise, we might spend too much time trying to determine what pen to write with.

One thing I have started using is a Journal. It’s a bullet journal. I tried to create my own, but found one through Amazon called Clever Fox that fit’s my needs. Besides the blank calendar spreads, it has the weekly spread too. I fill out the entire year ahead of time, usually in November. It has goal pages, a focus page, a mind map, gratitude, daily rituals, vision board, year at a glance and blank pages. I record in general terms what I did that day, genealogy wise. What line I researched, how many new people were added, if I wrote a blog post. It reminds me of all the stuff I actual did that day. It sits on my computer desk, and I use it mainly for genealogy. However, I also use it for my vegetable garden, of what I planted, when I planted and when it should be harvested. I like it for recording TV series that I want to watch, or movies I saw and books I have read. I can track when I work on a new crocheting project.  I can even record my daily exercise. At the end of the year, I can recap what I did and record it in my new journal.

Another thing I use is a password book. I have one just for all my genealogy sites. This way I don’t recycle my passwords and I don’t have to remember every single one. I know that we aren’t suppose to write down our passwords, but after I am gone, my family will be able to cancel any subscriptions, access any websites they deem they need to. Plus, my memory isn’t want it use to be.

Remember to have fun and Just Do Genealogy!