05 February 2010

Free For All Friday No. 64

Happy Friday!

Let's have a little informal poll.

What do you wish Filofax would come up with? A new size of binder? (Speaking of, where's the slimline A5 we've been asking for??) A new style or color of binder? New inserts or accessories? A different diary/ planner setup? Let's talk about our wants and needs as Filofax users!

Edited to add: Sorry, I completely forgot about joffreyca's request in the last FFAF! So here is another topic this FFAF:

What is the most expensive Filofax you own? Is it worth it? If not, what would have made it better?

(And for anyone who owns the uber-expensive Alligator, is it really the end-all be-all Filofax? Why or why not?

And, let's hear what's new in your Filofax life these days!

23 comments:

  1. My own answers:

    I wish Filofax would hurry up and come out with a slimline A5. I think it would solve a lot of issues for many of us!

    My most expensive Filofax is the Ivory Deco, which sells for $300 USD. I received it as a very generous gift, which was very lucky for me because it's out of my price range for something I could buy for myself. It is absolutely beautiful and luxurious, and if I could afford to buy such a thing I would say it's definitely worth it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I only own the Metropol A5 and have a personal size on "borrow" via the Philofaxy Google Group but I covet the Sienna (A5 or Personal) or the Eton (Personal), however will have to save furiously or find someone to buy one for me

    ReplyDelete
  3. My most expensive Filofax is a vintage Balmoral. When bought new in the late 1980s it would have cost £82.50, which would equate to roughly double that in today's money. Luckily mine was second-hand, and cost me a lot less.
    The most expensive standard model Filofax back then was made of box calf leather with rolled gold corners, and sold for £195. Bespoke models were available that I'm sure could have been even more than that, according to your spec.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have the personal siena which is absolutely great. This is my most expensive filofax and I would say it is worth it. My second most expensive is the personal piazza in blue, which was definitely not worth it. The suede became grey within months and was not "cleanable", and the lowest ring was misaligned making it hard to turn the pages.

    On what is new with me, I am back to filofax after some wandering, this time using my pocket classic in brown. I have set it up completely only a few days ago so no telling how it will work. I found my personal too small in the week view with columns (I showed this somewhere at the end of last year), then went to a brepols view with columns, then my minister as recommended by laurie, but missed my book list and other notes so now I am back to filofax.

    I am completely sich and tired of changing systems, but also unsure of which systems to use. Any advice on choosing a system and/or sticking with it would be greatly appreciated. Didn't you struggle with this when you joined this blog nan? What made you finally stick?

    Paulien

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would really love any Personal Filo with a full width wallet pocket like some of the Pocket sizes have (e. g. the Guildford)!
    I had an org-rat (German brand) planner with an exterior pocket like that and found it really useful.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A couple of items that we've mentioned previously as popular requests to add to the Filofax range are a pen holder leaf and top index tabs (rather than side ones).

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've used a Filofax (first Pocket and then Personal) as my wallet for over 3 years now. I don't keep lots of scraps of paper in it -- just receipts from purchases. I transfer the receipts into a plastic envelope once a week.

    Paulien, I stopped switching by promising myself to stick with one format for 3 months. After 3 months, I could switch to *anything* else, but for 3 months I had to stick with one system. During that time, I would have to fully explore the system, and if the desire to change came up, I simply had to make the current system work.

    After 3 months, I made some changes, and promised myself to stick with it for 6 months. I thought about switching all the time, but I know that the 6 months would eventually end, and I'd have the opportunity to change. By the time 6 months was up, I had no more desire to switch!

    The next 6 months was even easier.

    Now, I only change my system in January or when my life changes. This January, I changed my Personal Filo to the City Dweller just to test it. I purchased it to review it for this blog.

    My most expensive? Actually, my first one, in 1983. It cost $200 then, which would be a lot more in today's dollars. That was when they were first available in the States and were made in England. Truly a luxury item. I bought it using a Christmas gift certificate that I was expected to spend on clothing. Shows you where my priorities are!

    ReplyDelete
  8. BIG HUGE RINGS. More capacity.

    - - -

    All my Filos (six or seven Personals) were bought on Ebay, most for less than ten dollars. The very first one, the one that got me addicted, came from a second hand store for two dollars. When I think of all I have spent on paper and additional binders, that may been a very expensive purchase.

    I'm currently using a Cuban I paid 40 dollars for, which is the most I have paid for a binder.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Larger rings for the personal size!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Bring back the Winchester!! I've got 11 of them last count, and for me they'll always be the 'Classic' Filofax. Unfortunately the company ceased production of them in the mid-90's. It has the perfect layout of pockets, and was available in the largest ring size. You can see my collection of these via the flicker link on this site. I too own a Balmoral, which if I were to sell would fetch well over £100 at Auction, though the most expensive filo I own is a Mulberry Planner which I think cost me well over £100 12 years ago!!!

    I do wish filofax would produce another quality personal size wallet with the large 1&1/4'" rings. I couldn't go back to the smaller size after nearly 20 years of using the large size!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I like the idea of larger rings on the personal, although it's not so pressing now that The Brick was put on a diet! :-)

    I would like more credit card slots on the pocket size Finchley. That is the one thing that is keeping me wedded to my old Lizell's-- they have plenty of slots for my various cards. I would also like a zippered pocket on the outside of a pocket size-- again, a detail from my Lizells that I really like.

    My most expensive Filo purchase was the Finchley, just over $100. I'm pretty frugal, so it was a big splurge, but it has been so worth it!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I only have 3 Filos- an A5 Finsbury, a personal Piazza (my 1st Filo) and recently a mini Finsbury gotten on eBay for $10. I'm a pretty good sale shopper so I got my Piazza for 50% off at $40 and my A5 on sale for $78.
    And I love all 3 of them.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm using an A5 Kensington for meeting notes, adhoc to do's and any other form of scribblings. The rest of my organising is electronic out of necessity. A new insert I'd love to see is an iPhone / Blackberry holder so that I can keep my PDA inside the Filofax and cut down on the clutter of carrying multiple items / cases.

    ReplyDelete
  14. What I'd love to see is a binder that has a ring size between the Slimline (1/2") and the personal size (7/8") - big enough to carry more information than the Slimline allows but still fits well into any bag/pocket.Also, while I like the insert Filofax offers, maybe something with a little personality and pizazz would be good.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have one thing to say... Laurie, a face behind the filo!! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I want 2 pages per day deskfax.... replaces daily notebook. Goes well with monthly slimline, as a pair..

    ReplyDelete
  17. I would like a personal filo with larger rings. I have used a personal size filo for the last 22 years. I currently on my third, a 'Bridle' which I love, but it is rammed and I can't (or don't want to) slim it down.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The Capri model in pocket size* as a dual binder. So there are six small rings in the middle (as is common) and six small rings on the far left .


    *Or in compact size like the zipped Portobello compact.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you for your explanation Nan. I am going to try the following: I will use my pocket filo with week-on-two-pages only till the end of march. By that time I will be presenting at a conference in London, and I hope to have time to visit the filofax store there.

    If the pocket size is working OK, I will treat myself to a new colourful one (the finchley in teal or mustard maybe) that lays flat, transfer my info to it and keep going. If it doesn't work, I will look at what is missing or wrong, and treat myself to something to fix this then. So this can be missing forms, other diary pages or a larger size. So in any case I will setup my system by the end of march anew, and will stick with that from april 1 to the end of june.Then I will reevaluate and stick with that till the end of the year. Then hopefully I will have enough of a grasp of what I need to make a firm decision for the whole of 2011. I hope it will work for me as it did for you Nan, and I will keep reading for ideas and inspiration.

    Paulien

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm one of those asking for a pen holder leaf. In the meantime I have managed to make one myself...
    I would also like for ALL the Pockets to include the full width pocket, that little detail is stopping me from getting a new one.

    Vidya: The Urban Pocket has a zippered pocket on the back, it is really useful, not to mention that that particular binder is really cool!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oops put it in the wrong place. I wish they would come up with the cotton cream pages for the A5 that they have for the personal and smaller sizes. Also, the Eton personal is the most expensive one I have but the leather is so yummy and soft. I LOVE it!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I wish there were horizontal pages just like some diary pages. As a left hander it make writing easier as not clashing with the rings
    Kim, Rugby UK

    ReplyDelete