How to Make Basic Genealogy Binder: Steps for Beginners

Why Do You Need Genealogy Binders?

Decades ago our genealogy research could fill drawers and drawers of filing cabinets or file boxes. It consisted of official documents, written pedigree charts and countless pages of family history information and connections. Today much of this can be stored online but there is still something to be said for having physical hard copies of your research.

The milestones of a person's life tend to create official documents which in genealogical terms can be collected as part of research. These are the kind of things that should be both protected but also organized for ease of review.

Genealogy binders are a great way to save and file your important documents and physical copies of important information.

What Should You Put in a Genealogy Binder?

As a genealogy binder is essentially a storage option for hard-copy documents it is perfect for protecting important personal papers. There are certain documents that should definitely be kept in a binder and these are:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death Certificates
• Personal handwritten letters
• Personal research papers
• Important physical pictures

You can of course store whatever you want in a binder, even a full physical copy of all of your research. There is no hard and fast guideline for what goes in a binder and having a complete backup of your research is always a wise idea.

Choosing the Right Kind of Binder

Not all binders are made equal and you do have a number of options when it comes to choosing one for genealogy purposes. In this section we will look at some of the best choices and their most suitable uses.

Three-Ring Binder

This is a very common style of binder which is generally of solid construction and can hold a great many documents. Held together by three rings as the name suggests they are available in a number of sizes and colors which may be beneficial for organizational purposes.

One of the big benefits of this type of binder is that it can hold plastic sleeves in which your precious documents can be more safely stored and preserved. That way you do not have to add holes to a document in order for it to be held in the binder.

Archival Binder

This is essentially a heavy duty version of the three ring-binder which is heftier and generally more sturdy. These also usually feature slots into which you can place pictures and newspaper clippings. As they are slightly more expensive than simple ring-binders they also usually come with dividers which may help you organize your documents.

Archival Binder Box

The next step up in professionalism for a genealogy binder the archival binder box is bigger, even more robust and can be completely closed off. They are less portable than other options but for long term storage in a single location they are great for protecting your important documents.

This is suitable for bulk document storage which as your research grows may become more important.

Soft Cover vs Hard Cover

Inexpensive paper or cardboard cover binders are okay but they do fall short against a hardcover plastic version. Ideally you want to protect your documents, keep them uncrumpled and prevent the elements being an issue.

A paper binder may be cheaper but a spill of liquid may prove catastrophic for your documents. A plastic binder offers more protection and one that completely closes offers even more. Ideally if budget allows then you should choose hard cover binders for the best storage conditions for your years of research documents.

Protect Your Documents

The very last thing you should do with your important family documents is punch holes in them to make them fit a ring binder. You also should not just jam them loosely into a paper folder either. This will lead to inevitable damage and general wear and tear.

Plastic Sleeves

Ideally all of your important documents should be stored in plastic protector jackets. These will usually have holes for the binder and will fully encase the document. It will protect it from folding and the effects of handling the paper with bare hands.

Paper Inserts

Paper inserts can be used to not only separate your documents but also serve as a clean buffer between pages of stacks of pages in your binder.

Laminate

If you're committed to permanently protecting a document you might consider getting it laminated. There are several locations where you can take documents to be laminated or you could choose to purchase your own laminating machine and do the job yourself.

It is advised however that laminating older documents is not a good idea. Laminating is essentially permanent and hard to reverse. Keep the laminating option for modern pages of research or copies of original documents which are less valuable historically.

You Will Need Dividers

If your binders are likely to feature a large amount of paperwork it is vital to get dividers which can be used to organize your documents for ease of review. Your organization method is left to your own preferences but often dates, important milestones or individual people could be considered as sections of your binder.

Using dividers will help you quickly locate the information or document you are looking to view. As research grows we can end up with many binders so always make sure they each have some form of label to indicate what is kept inside.

Organize your Documents

Once you gather your supplies and are ready to start filling the binder you should first organize your documents and pictures in an order you plan to add them to the binder. Again you can choose which method of filing works for you but to prepare have things laid out in order ready to be placed in plastic sleeves.

Having gotten everything together you can start placing the documents and pictures in protective sleeves and placing them in the binders. Use the dividers and paper inserts as needed and make sure they are clearly labeled to ensure ease of review when it comes to the documents.

Final Thoughts

Simple genealogical binders are not difficult to create, you need just a few supplies and some organizational skills. You can make them as basic or elaborate as you wish as long as you can easily search your records for your documents. That is the main thing.

Neil Edwards

Genealogist and family-tree research specialist

Neil was born in Shropshire, England surrounded by centuries of living history. His interest in the past has been a lifelong passion leading to undergraduate degrees in both Economic History & Geography and History & Politics.

This interest in history quickly translated to family history when he moved to the U.S. in 2010. It was here that he began working on his own family tree as well as that of his American wife. That research allowed him to gain a wealth of experience working with both U.S. and European genealogical documents and studying their best uses in researching family history.

Following 9 years of honing his genealogical research skills, Neil was proud to have earned a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in late 2019. Neil also took part in the research process for a Duke University study into the families of 19th Century UK Members of Parliament.

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