Understanding Trees and Branches
Learn how to organize your family memories
In Firefly Grove, your memories are organized like a real tree - with a trunk (your main family line) and branches (different aspects of life, people, or themes). This natural structure makes it easy to find memories and control who sees what.
📋 How It Works
Your Tree is Your Family
Each tree represents a family or legacy. Most people start with one tree for their immediate family. The tree trunk represents your main family timeline.
Branches Organize by Theme
Create branches for different parts of life: "Dad's Military Service", "Our Garden Journey", "Grandma's Recipes", "Family Vacations". Each branch holds related memories.
Branches Can Have Sub-Branches
Just like a real tree! "Family Vacations" could branch into "Beach Trips" and "Mountain Getaways". Organize as simply or detailed as you like.
Control Access Per Branch
Different branches can have different privacy settings. Share "Family Recipes" with everyone, but keep "Dad's Health Journey" private.
💡 Use Cases
- •Organizing memories by person: "Mom's Story", "Dad's Story", "Our Kids"
- •Grouping by life phase: "Childhood", "College Years", "Marriage", "Retirement"
- •Categorizing by theme: "Holidays", "Daily Life", "Major Events", "Recipes"
- •Separating by privacy: Public branches for extended family, private for sensitive topics
- •Creating project branches: "Building Our Home", "Learning to Garden"
✨ Pro Tips
- →Start simple - you can always create more branches later
- →Name branches clearly so family members understand what goes where
- →Use branches to give different family members ownership of their stories
- →Don't over-organize! Sometimes "Memories" is enough
- →Think of branches as chapters in your family's book
- →You can move memories between branches anytime - nothing is permanent
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many branches can I create?
As many as you need! Most families have 5-15 main branches, each with a few sub-branches. There's no limit.
Can I change branch names later?
Absolutely! Click on any branch and select "Edit Branch" to change the name, description, or privacy settings.
What's the difference between a tree and a branch?
A tree is your whole family's collection. Branches are the categories within that tree. Most people only need one tree, but you can create multiple trees for different families or purposes.
Can memories be in multiple branches?
Each memory lives in one branch, but you can create "memory threads" (replies) that reference it from other branches.
What happens to memories if I delete a branch?
We'll ask you to move the memories to another branch first. We never delete memories without confirmation!
📚 Related Guides
Try Understanding Trees and Branches
Sign up for Firefly Grove and start preserving your family memories today.