Spring Cleaning So Soon?

For some of us, snow is still lingering on the frozen ground, so the thought of spring cleaning may seem premature. But with time hanging heavy on our hands as we shelter-in-place, it helps to turn our thoughts to taking action. What better way to get something done than jump into spring cleaning?

I recently stumbled upon a link I had saved from a genealogist (and suspected shirttail relative to my mother-in-law) which seems timely for those of us antsy to get something done around this house we're trapped in. Though it was a post and podcast from last fall, it still applies aptly to our current situation.

The topic Amy Johnson Crow was discussing was actually focused on downsizing and decluttering, but the same principles apply any time we are reorganizing for space and sanity, especially concerning those ever-burgeoning family history files.

In Amy's podcast interview with professional organizer Janine Adams—herself a family history enthusiast—she brought up some key thoughts. The prime consideration is to realize our task—whether downsizing, decluttering, or routine spring cleaning—is not just about regaining space; it's "a matter of preservation."

"You can't keep everything," Amy Johnson Crow reminds her audience, which means the process involves thinking out those inevitable decisions. You don't have to plow through this project alone, though, as her podcast guest Janine Adams points out, providing examples of how she approached these decisions along with other family members.

There are a number of resources for gaining guidance on preservation of family treasures, including another of my favorite genealogy bloggers, Houston County, Tennessee, archivist Melissa Barker.

If you're up for delving into the problem-solving process of decluttering in time for this year's spring cleaning, you'll find each of these three family-history-friendly women full of advice on how to proceed with your project.