CleanOut ProFiling Time...TrashEm or StashEm?

It's the time of the year when ProFilers...file folder consultants...urge and encourage those of us who are HoardFilers to 'LetItGo'. 

Mind you, I have been practicing this 'LetItGo' mentality for a year on last years 'UseIt or LoseIt' 4R's Bucket List Challenge.  I'm now a ProTrasher...as seen in the photo taken just this morning of the trash basket under my desk.

What a weight lifted off my shoulders...and from the looks of the wrappers...added to my thighs.

Like 'Champ'  I have a tendency to bury file the birthday research bones to invest in the future of my Genealogy Digs! 

HiHoney has no problem 'Letting Go'... it's his birthday card...he reads it, enjoys it and trashes it.  Not me...I have birthday cards  received since my 16th Birthday.  On January 20, 2015, that will be 52 years of  ProFiling birthday cards.

Do I plan to change that File?  Nope!  It's part of my history.  Someday, one of my Great Greats will find them...ah so...an investment for the future.  I plan to put them in my 'Will' with a monetary inducement to guarantee they are not 'Trashed' when my final files are cleaned out.

I come from a long line of ProStashers. My mother was one and so was my grandmother Minnie.  Their saving and stashing treasures have become family heirlooms and investments for the future. 

As for my Files for the Future, I am sticking with what I started in 20ll.  Here's what I said in the post Old School FileClerk: 

This is my Photo Filing System.  I know it doesn't look 'Old School', but in my head I'm still a File Clerk back in 1968.  You know, before colored file folders, sticky notes and yes, even Archival paper and storage systems. 

I don't want you to think I've abandoned all the Old School Ways.  No Siree, I still have Folders...colored ones now, tape-acid free, clips-also colored, magnifyer and the rest of the stuff a Gals gotta have to be among the '21st Century With It File Clerks'...or as we are called these days, Executive Assistant to the Crypt Keeper.

As an Old School ProFiler, I can't 'LetGo' of colored file folders, paper clips and hard copy of posts.  It's not that I don't trust 'The Clouds' and other Wonder Where in the Worldwide Web my stuff is stored, I do...sorta.  For now, I will keep my system of ProFiling which as you can see is pretty high tech for an Old School Gal.  It is however, time to label folders and make room in the Clouds/WWW for 2015.  I think I'll do Purple Tabs!

Have you started your 'CleanOut ProFiling'?

How I Plan To Do Everything In 2015

First off...this is not a Resolution Post, not a Bucket List, not a Challenge List, not a 'I Swear on a Stack of Bibles' oath, but more like a 'Wishful Thinking/I Can Do It' Plan.  Yes, I know I have a history of 'OverDoingIt', and I very well may follow in my 2014 Footsteps here in the New Year.  I may have to step up my Multi-Tasking Skills to accomplish this WT/CanDo Plan, and set aside a couple of 'Collection De-Stashing' goals along with 'Household Chores'...no problem with the chores.

With the announcement of Genealogy Addiction Break Nearly Over that pretty much put Tracks of My Georgia Ancestors at the Top of the WT/CanDo Plan.  It's off to a good start with the introduction of 52 Ancestors Weeks Challenge hosted by No Story Too Small.

A Post of Firsts and Fresh Starts is a story that begins with an ending in a cemetery that leads to a 'Fresh Start' for a family tree member that was lost.  Oddly enough her fresh beginning research began with an ending in yet another cemetery.

Then there's CollectInTexas Gal.  The HUB of my 'Blog Wheel'.  The plan is to not add any more spokes, but to keep what I have well oiled.  As you know if you have been a reader here for awhile, there is no shortage of Texas topics to blog about.

I plan figure will try to 'StepItUpDaily'.  Yikes, I can't believe I said that outloud!  Like I said, this is not a resolution or an oath.  Just sayin'.

My saving grace is that we all know a 'Hub' speaks posts for the 'Spokes'.

Several years ago, I invested in 'How To Blog A Book' with the idea that someday one might actually be published.  I may come closer to that this year as an actual item to scratch off my genealogy bucket list. 

It began with an oath to my Aunt Irene, our family's First Family Historian. I said...
..."I, Sandra Sue Pittman do swear, on a 'Stack of Family Bibles' to continue and maintain The Pittman-Carroll-Marley-Leatherwood Family Tree.
I do promise to prove that Rene Marion Pittman came to America from France and Mary Josephine Leatherwood descended from a Great Apache Chief."

I kept my promise and in the process wiped out no telling how many years of Aunt Irene's research.  Rene Marion Pittman, Irene's great grandfather was born, raised and died in Cobb County, Georgia, USA.  The only thing remotely French was his name Rene which came from his maternal Scottish ancestor who may or may not have traveled to France during the Crusades.  Then to further burst her bubble and mine, her great grandmother Josephine was born, raised and died in Texas as a Civil War Soldier's daughter and a Cotton Farmers Wife. 

It was my sworn duty to publish this information which I did in Leatherwood-Pittman Myths Debunked.  I also felt compelled to break it gently to Aunt Irene with....

Dear Aunt Irene, I thought you'd like to know the reason we can't seem to get the hang of speaking French, and why the thought of buckskin makes us itch.  Hope you are not too disappointed! 

Love, Sue

 

With all of that said and my opening statement made,

I'm already thinking I need a bigger plate and full salt shaker.

Thank-goodness I have this book on

How to Do EVERYTHING.