Genealogy Chat

Anybody got any idea how to alleviate the problem of hoading FH magazines? I buy loads and can't bring myself to get rid of them in case the articles become relevant to me in the future. I have tried cutting out all the advert pages but they still take up a lot of room. What do other people do? Or maybe you don't buy so many magazines as me?? But they are so useful.

Mine are stored in a box under the bed. I agree, they may come in useful one day. And all those cover cds, I have a shoe box full of them. Will have to look through them more closely, as I found a programme on one for free that I had paid for.

I'm sitting beside a pile of them and they may well be useful one day but how would we know where the relevant article was unless we came across it by accident? What isn't useful when the magazine is new, may take on a whole new meaning a few months down the road.

I have wondered about cutting out articles or pages and putting them in sleeves in ring binders, but you still have a storage problem and often there are articles on the backs that you would cut upIfyou take out the adverts it does reduce them a bit. I have mine in magazine files on a book shelf but I am running out of space there now. Ann Glos

I have had the same problem for years. I can't stop buying the though. I thought about a scanner but I can barely use the computer so no chance. Then I resorted to photocopying selected articles and found I had never saved the one I needed. Next was an index of useful articles that I never kept up to date. Now I have decided to forget it - shove them under the bed and let the children worry about hiring a skip when I'm gone!

I sympathise but can't help. Only the other day I decided the stacks of magazines would have to go. Decided I would just keep back isues of one title in proper magazine file, sorted through others and put articles I thought would be useful in plastic sleeves, put out stack of magazines for recycling, decided from now on I would only buy the one title. Then today went out for the day, wanted something to read on the bus, new issue of one of the other mags was in...... you've guessed it, I've the start of another stack of magazines. Judith

perhaps we are magazine junkies. maybe we should pool them and start a magazine library! Save our pennies for certificates. Get some string and hang them round the room like christmas decorations?? kim

Coincidence this thread was started. A month ago I decided all the old magazines had to go, so I started stacking them in the corner of the spare room and then around the edges of the room lol and before long I was stepping over them. I did have them in magazines storers but they were stacked everywhere. So today was the day, they had to go, I started quickly flicking through them and yes, I saw some articles and kept a couple back, I then knocked on my neighbours door and gave one pile to her (she had been asked previously if she wanted them, so knew that they would arrive sooner or later). I still have a few more piles to check through before I let them go, but at least some of them are now next door, if I need to borrow one back - lol

Ann, Now the "children" have gone from the nest the spare bedroom has been turned into a Family History Centre to take care of the magazines but that is fast getting full up. No do not throw out as that will be just when you want one! No answers to this one as I am going to have to start on the second spare room shortly! When I have people to stay I have to apologise for all the magazines in the room! If you find an answer do let me know! To all those that want to give family history magazines away, you could look around to see if anyone is running a family history group in your area and offer them to that library. I do use a lot of my magazines within my own family history group library. Janet

I was so pleased to read these threads, according to my husband I am the only magpie. My problem is I get a sewing magazine and a craft magazine as well as the family history ones so have a real space problem. I think the idea of donating them to a local family history group is a good one. What I find strange is that hubbies computer magazines don't count as a hoard!!!

I know what you mean Linda IT magazines are 'useful'. Bought two more this morning!!! Ann Glos

I am a compulsive hoarder of almost anything - just in case it's going to be useful one day. Sadly, it does nothing to improve the appearance of our home. As you remark about your households, all the magazines and papers my husband decides to keep are not categorised as hoarding - only collecting. Perhaps you could suggest to the Family History magazine editors that they use pictures of (vintage/veteran) cars & IT equipment on the front cover to act as some kind of disguise? ;-) There is one of my husband's collections which does prove useful, both currently and for genealogy - he's a mapaholic, so I can get historical maps for him without raising an eyebrow - although he did make some remark after the last lot about them being useful to me! Christine

Cherry, take a trip to your local WHSmiths and have a browse, different ones appeal to beginners /etc. Try different ones to start with to see what appeals. I don't think there is a best one as they all have good features in..... Kim

Hi all Have any of you thought of underbed boxes on wheels Thats where I keep my F H magazines. SUE

I am quie new to all this (4 mths) and so far have only bought 'Your Family Tree' magazine. I have looked at others but found this one to be clearer and explain things more simply to a beginner such as myself! I can see where you are all coming from though, I don't want to chuck anmy away in case further down the line I find relatives from counties featured in earlier editions! Since I also get a computer magazine and 'Painting with Watercolours' I can see that my spare room will become overrun with mags. Not that I've ever painted anything with watercolour, but who knows, I might one day...... Sam

Nudged to the top for Louise - hope someone has got some articles to help her!