Get Organized


Being organized and proceeding in an orderly fashion can make a big difference in your outcome. There are several tasks that will help you get organized for your search.

  • Start a journal or notebook.

    Set aside a binder or notebook devoted exclusively to your search. Record every bit of information in your notebook, no matter how small and insignificant it might first appear. This notebook should include a conversation log (see a sample in the section on forms) to record conversations in person or by telephone. Even unsubstantiated rumors should be included in your notebook.

It is important to be faithful in keeping all the information about your search in your notebook. A small detail may become an important clue later on in your search.

Begin with details you know, such as when and where the child was born and where the adoption occurred.

Your notebook is also a good place to keep a copy of birth certificate(s), your non-identifying information, information about reunion registries, and other documents.

Consider keeping a journal during your search and reunion. Recording your thoughts during the extraordinary event of a reunion can be a healing experience.

If your search was resolved due to some unusual sources or methods, document those resources so that others can benefit from them. Write about your story and share your experience. AdoptionWeek E-magazine is always looking for good articles or poems about adoption. Write to the editor@adoptionweek.com.

  • Begin developing a game plan.
By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Approach your search in a methodical manner, and an adoption search may be infinitely easier and less stressful.

Think about it this way. A football team studies the other team on film before a game and learns how their opponents operate. They have a fair idea of what they are up against because they have studied the opposing team. If they went out onto the field with no strategy or plans, they would surely fail. An adoption search is much the same. Careful preparation can make the whole process run much smoother and increase your chances for success.

Reminder: Nearly every crucial piece of information that you seek can be obtained from more than one source.


One caveat: If you are a logically minded person who generally thinks “in-the-box,” consider thinking more creatively during your search at times. Follow your game plan, but listen to your intuition and hunches as well, and follow leads that deviate from the plan occasionally.

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Credits: Jan Baker