Need tips on archiving on BSD 4.3

[There will be enough room in HEAVENS for all of US]

I need some tips on archiving on BSD 4.3. What are the things you usually do
when you are archiving. 

If archiving is really an ART like experts say, what can beginniners like me
start with? Do I just create directories and subdirectories and just dump
files in there or there are other little neat things I should know of?

Koffi