Spring Cleaning... with a Family History Twist!

There’s something about spring—the fresh air, the soft sunlight, the sense of starting over—that makes us want to roll up our sleeves and clear out the cobwebs. 

But sometimes, in between the boxes of holiday decorations and stacks of old magazines, we stumble on something unexpected: a photo, a letter, a keepsake that pulls us right back in time.

This spring, we’re inviting you to turn your cleaning spree into a walk down memory lane. Those dusty albums, handwritten recipes, and decades-old souvenirs? They’re more than clutter—they’re pieces of your family’s story, quietly waiting to be found. 

In honor of "Spring Cleaning", we've brainstormed 5 easy things you can do to turn your spring cleaning into an investment in your family history:

1. Organize & Label Photos

A picture is worth a thousand words…unless you have no idea who’s in it or what is happening. The beauty of being able to capture moments is amazing, but as time goes on, memories fade, and as photos are passed from generation to generation, valuable family stories become lost.

Labeling and organizing family photos is a great way to ensure that future generations have all the clues that they need to discover your story. We recommend starting with the basics by writing the following on the back of each photo:

1. Who is in the photo? 

   1. Is it your aunt and little sister? Is it your cat Whiskers? Or is it your dad and his high school prom date?

2. When was the photo taken? 

   1. The more specific the better, but if you are not sure, using the term “Circa” followed by your best guess of the year can be just as helpful.

3. Where was the photo taken? 

   1. Was it at a family reunion in Lake Tahoe? Was it at the family ranch in small-town Utah? Or maybe on an ancestry trip in Europe?

4. What was happening in the photo? 

   1. Often the “where” and the “what” go hand in hand. Even just a short phrase can help jog the memory. 

      
      

Tip: To avoid burnout, it may be best to have smaller and more frequent organizing and labeling sessions. This is not easy work, but you are making the lives of the next generation of genealogists so much easier!

Now that you have your photos labeled, it’s time to choose your favorite method of organization. Scrapbooks, photo books, or archival-quality boxes are all great places to store and organize your photos, but they can be bulky and hard to keep on display. 

These photos are meant to spark conversations and allow you to walk down memory lane with your family. We would love to help you make that happen.

We recently released our Life History Books, which capture your photos and family stories in a unique and sleek format. You can record your stories in three simple steps:

1. Upload your family photos, including the labels that you already worked so hard on, to the shared folder that we at Planted Media create. This folder can be shared with your siblings, spouse, kids, parents and even friends to contribute photos.

2. Record the audio of your memory with the photo. This can be done through apps on your phone, or we can bring our professional audio equipment right to you to record your stories. 

3. Label audio files to match the corresponding photos. Once this step is complete, the rest is in our hands! 

   
   

We’ll match your photos to the corresponding audio file, then get right to work on producing your Life History Book. In 4-12 weeks, we will ship the book directly to you. Interested? Check out our Life History Books to learn more!

2. FamilySearch - Sources Tab

If you have a FamilySearch account, you understand how frustrating it can be when the information about an ancestor in your tree is inaccurate. The best way to prevent mishaps like this is to update the sources tab within the FamilySearch website or app. 

The goal of the sources tab is to link historical evidence to the information presented by users in FamilySearch. The main historical facts that can be linked to your tree through sources are the full name of the ancestor, birthdays, marriage dates, names of spouses, names of children, christening, gender, death date, and locations of major events.

Where do we find good sources? FamilySearch has partnered with historical databases such as the U.S. Census to make records accessible for free. 

To access these sources, first navigate to the Search menu option, then select Records. In the Records tab, you can search for your ancestor by name with some basic information. Once finding a source that accurately matches your ancestor, select Attach to Tree in the bottom right corner. 

After a quick selection of the ancestor of choice, the source will be attached to that ancestor and will be accessible under the Sources tab in your ancestor’s profile.

For a quick tutorial, check out this video from Family Roots Tutorials on YouTube.

3. Digitizing Memories

Physical photos, VHS tapes and cassette tapes are some of my favorite items to find during spring cleaning. I love being able to look back through the eyes of my parents holding a camera, recording the special moments from my childhood. I’m lucky enough that my parents still have a functioning VHS player, but I know that this is not always the case.

In all reality, I wish these videos and tapes were more easily accessible. The shuffle of storage boxes to new locations often results in these treasures becoming lost. A great way to ensure that these recordings can be listened to, viewed and shared is through digitization.

Digital conversions through Planted Media are easy and convenient. We’ll pick up your photos, VHS tapes or cassette tapes from your home and convert the physical files into digital files that can be shared and accessed from anywhere, at any time. And better yet, you can add these photos to the Memories tab in FamilySearch so all relatives have access to these artifacts.

Looking to utilize our digital conversion service? Contact us for more information and pricing at hello@plantedmedia.com.

4. Heirloom Documentation

Have you ever told a family member or friend about a family heirloom and wished you had a photo to go with it? One of my favorite and quirkiest heirlooms is a punch-bowl-turned-chip-bowl in the shape of a Santa head. (See? Don’t you wish I could show you a photo?) This heirloom was passed down from my great-grandma to my mom, and it is a major part of our Christmas celebrations.

To make sure these heirlooms remain unforgettable, dust off your family heirlooms, take a photo and upload the photo to the Memory tab in the FamilySearch profile of the person it belonged to. You might just spark some memories from cousins, siblings, aunts and uncles who have stories of their own to share.

5. Create a Time Capsule

   
   

Looking to repurpose some items from around the house? Create a time capsule! This is a great way to preserve your own history. 

Add each of the following to your time capsule:

1. An item you use every day.

2. An item you predict will go out of style.

3. An item you think your future self would like.

4. A recent photograph of you.

5. Answer get-to-know-you questions for future you to find!

   1. What is your favorite food?

   2. What is your favorite song?

   3. What is your favorite movie?

   4. Who is your best friend?

   5. How would your friends/loved ones describe you?

      
      

Place these items in a tightly sealed container. Label the container with the date you sealed the capsule and the date you want it to be opened. Store your capsule in a cool, dry place for safe keeping. (Bonus points if you get the whole family involved!)

Feeling Inspired?

We challenge you to take a little extra time, open those old boxes, and let the past surprise you. You never know what you’ll rediscover.

Do you have more ideas? Comment below with your family history spring cleaning suggestions!