Every family history begins with fragments — a name, a photograph, a story, a record. Our packages are designed to help you move from those fragments to clarity, structure and direction in a calm, supported way.

We focus on guidance, organization and evidence-based research principles, helping you build your family history with confidence and care.

Skeletons in the Closet offers a calm, supportive starting point for anyone feeling overwhelmed by family history research.

Instead of complicated jargon or advanced “brick wall” problem-solving, we focus on education, structure and confidence-building. Our approach is especially helpful for beginners and hobby genealogists who want to understand their family story without getting lost in the process. 

With a gentle emphasis on organization, clear research steps, and a special focus on Scottish records, we help you build a solid foundation so you can continue your journey independently — with clarity, purpose and curiosity.

• Just starting out? → The First Clue
• Already researching and feeling stuck or scattered? → The Unfolding Story ⭐

Begin your family history journey with clarity and confidence

Best for: Beginners or those unsure where to start

Every family history begins with a clue. This package helps you take those early fragments and turn them into a clear starting point for your research.

What’s included:

• Understand how and where to begin your genealogy research
• Organize existing family information, photographs, and documents
• Create simple, manageable research plans tailored to your goals
• Learn key genealogy terminology and record systems
• Introduction to beginner-friendly genealogy tools and family tree builders
• Guidance on building and maintaining a family tree
• Light starter research into a few generations (where records are available)

You will walk away with:

A clear starting structure, basic understanding of genealogy research, and a simple plan to continue independently.

Bring structure, clarity, and direction to your research

Best for: Clients who have already started and want to move forward confidently

Where The First Clue begins your journey, The Unfolding Story helps you organize, refine, and understand what you’ve already discovered.

What’s included:

• Review of your existing family history research
• Organization and structuring of your family tree
• Identification of missing areas and clear next steps
• Step-by-step personalized research plan
• Targeted guidance on UK, Scottish, and Canadian records
• Teaching on how to interpret and evaluate historical records
• Curated resources, archives, and tools tailored to your research
• Support in building a sustainable, independent research approach

You will walk away with:

Build a system that keeps your research clear, safe, and usable

This add-on can be included with any Skeletons in the Closet package and is designed for clients who want their family history properly organized, preserved, and easy to continue working with.

As family history research grows, so does the volume of documents, records, photographs, and notes. Without a clear system, important details can quickly become scattered or lost.

This add-on helps you create a simple, sustainable structure for your research materials — both digital and physical.

We help you:

• Set up a clear electronic filing system for genealogy research
• Create consistent, easy-to-use file naming systems
• Organize downloaded certificates, records, and research documents
• Set up basic research logs to track findings and sources
• Introduce family group sheets for structured record-keeping
• Establish a practical paper filing system for physical documents
• Guidance on safely storing letters, photographs, and original materials
• Basic introduction to scanning and digitizing documents to protect originals
• Help you build an organized “home base” for your entire family history project

What this add-on gives you

A simple, structured system that allows you to:

• Find information quickly
• Avoid duplication of research
• Protect fragile original documents
• Keep your family history organized as it grows
• Continue your research without chaos or confusion

This is about bringing order to discovery so your family history remains manageable and enjoyable.

Every family history journey is different, and you may not be entirely sure what kind of help you need yet — and that’s perfectly okay.

If none of our packages seem like quite the right fit, please feel free to contact us. We’re happy to chat about your goals, answer questions, and see whether we can suggest or personalize an option that works best for you.

We do not research living individuals

• Research is limited to publicly available and archival records
• Privacy laws may restrict access to recent generations
• Services are guidance-based and focused on empowering independent research

🧾 Evidence & Verification Philosophy (applies to all packages) 

Skeletons in the Closet works on an evidence-based genealogy approach.

We do not assume relationships or “fill in gaps” without supporting documentation. Information is only considered confirmed when supported by verifiable records such as certificates, parish registers, census records, or other reliable sources.

Genealogy research often involves incomplete or complex historical records. In some cases:

• Records may not exist or may not be publicly accessible
• Some Scottish records may require small fees to view original documents
• Handwritten historical records may require transcription or interpretation

Understanding both the possibilities and limitations of records is an essential part of responsible family history research.

🕯 A gentle note about family history research

Family history can be deeply rewarding, but it can also be unexpected.

As with any genealogical research, there is always the possibility of uncovering information that was never widely known, misunderstood, or quietly forgotten over time. Family stories may shift across generations, and records can sometimes reveal details that differ from what has been passed down.

In other words — sometimes, the skeletons in the closet are real!

Whether you’re starting with a handful of old photographs or years of unfinished research, Skeletons in the Closet is here to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

📩 Contact us to discuss your goals or choose the package that feels right for you.