The Office From the Doorway – Genealogy Heaven in Progress

Now to show the rest of my sorting. First I must say how grateful I am to have a room for an office in our home. All genealogy related items are within this room. Most of it has been organized into fifteen large totes and five smaller size storage totes to help separate the collections. Over a year ago I did the initial sorting and have been able to maintain this progress. In the coming year I hope to get to the point that I can actually bring people into my office to work with them. I do have a lap top so we can work in the dining room, but I prefer the larger screen monitor in my office. This is where I spend a good deal of my time. If the door is shut I am participating in an online meeting or watching a webinar or talking on the phone. With my new hearing aids this is very helpful. The only cardboard boxes left in this room are the five from my mother's estate and personal collections, and two with genealogy supplies. My book shelves are full but accessible. This is the time of my life that I always looked forward to, and now that I am here I realize time is fleeting. The key parts of the collections are our family keepsakes. They need to be labeled and written about so my children will know who they are from and why they need to be preserved. It is a slow process and takes a lot of energy. Health has slowed me down, but I am happy to say progress is taking place.

Thomas MacEntee: Congrats my friend! Listen, what do you do to make your genealogy space "cozy?" For me, since I spend up to 15 hours a day in my Genealogy Cave ... I have a nice task light for my SAD (seasonal affective disorder), a bluetooth speaker for my music, etc.

My office is cozy because it gives me an area for processing the research work that I do. After graduation from BYU I bought some nice office furniture. That includes a wide desk with a few cubbies, two book shelves and a credenza with bookshelf on top. There is one vertical four drawer file and two lateral files. The first lateral file holds my family history notebooks and books, and the second holds all of my photo albums, tape recordings, CDs and misc. things. There is one small rolling file that holds my printer. My paternal grandmother's writing desk and a small table my father refinished for me are work spaces. The best things are the phone land line (with my cell phone at my side), a small desktop fan, and lots of collectibles from years of working as a genealogist. One of my treasured items is from a client who painted a tall mug which says "Best Genie Sue" on one side and “Thank you, Carmen 2010,” with lots of hearts. That is a testament to how closely I love to work with people who are wanting to know their family.  On one wall are the diplomas and certificates that I pass every day and remember the great education I received. Another wall has embroidery samplers, made by me and other friends. Lighthouses are scattered around the room. A copy of my gr. gr. grandfather's seamanship paper that he carried with him when he worked on a whaling ship. Then there is the powder horn from my Revolutionary War ancestor. This room is me. It’s where I write letters, prepare items to send to our grandchildren, listen to my favorite music and attend online genealogy meetings. It is peaceful and quiet most of the time. This is a very long answer to your question.