[Mary from Italy]

I have one folder on my computer for each of my main surnames, and when I find information that isn't certain, or too long and detailed to go on the family tree program, I add it to the folder.

Each main person has their own file within the folder, and I copy entries I've found on TNA, Google books, newspaper cuttings, etc. into it.

Sometimes I just have one file for a whole family if there isn't enough information to be worth starting individual files.

If there's a lot of information I divide it between several files.

For example, in my Mallet folder I originally had files like Mallet_Jonathan.doc, Mallet_Thomas.doc, etc.; then when those files start getting too long and unwieldy (especially containing images, like copies of newspaper cuttings or Google books pages), they get subdivided into files like Mallet_Jonathan_cuttings.doc, Mallet_Jonathan_TNA.doc, etc.

I also have separate folders for copies of BMD certs, burials and headstones, transcribed documents, wills, etc.

Plus I have a couple of boxes full of certs, wills, documents etc.

It's still all fairly chaotic, but I can usually find stuff I'm looking for, although it's surprising how often I find information I think is new and then look at the person's file and discover it's already there.