03 April 2011

The Perfect Filofax?

Is there such a thing as the perfect Filofax? One that meets your requirements and desires 100%.

When Alison and I go looking at houses for people, we very rarely find the 100% house compared to the spec given to us by our clients. We often get close, but never 100%. But then thinking about the houses we have owned in UK and France none of those were/are 100% there's always something you wished was different.

In discussion with people last Saturday at the meet up we were all comparing our likes and dislikes in the current offerings. And LouLouDorset has also done a great post on 'Is there a Yummy Mummy Filofax' LouLou lists some of the current offerings and her pros and cons for each model she has included.  But none of them have no cons.

We all have our own preferences for colour, layout, pockets or no pockets, id slot or no id slot, smooth finish or not. Leather or non-leather. Will it lay flat or not? Location of the pen loop and it's size. The list is never ending and then there's the price... ok we won't mention that because that clouds the issue even further!

Even I have great difficulty deciding on a favourite or an organiser that meets all of my needs, likes or dislikes. I almost wish that Filofax did a customising service like Timbuk2 and Rickshaw Bags do. But then there might be too much choice? 

What would your perfect Filofax look like, what features would you include in it?

15 comments:

  1. I've been trying to find the perfect filo for my bag. That means one I can carry all day long and combine with my wallet. No luck yet. I've tried to downsize to pocket size, but it's too small for me. But I know what I'm looking for...Guildford slimline with clasp. Hopefully one of the new compact will be close to my dream.

    Have a lovely sunday everyone !

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  2. I feel I am close to my perfect filo with my slimline amazona but just not quite 100% as you mentioned. The 15mm rings could make it perfect but until I try out a Compact I will not know for sure. I am hoping that either the Compact Osterley or Luxe will be my perfect filo but then again, neither have the secretarial pocket. My guess is that there will never be the perfect filo unless as you say Steve they offer a bespoke service which would presumably push the price up.

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  3. Is there a perfect Filofax for me? I'm not sure, I often think "that is it" but then I get my head turned by a different binder, or size, or colour......

    I think much like how I love having lots of bags I also like having lots of Filos in different colours and sizes...

    For example I really really really want the Pocket Deco to be my "One" and while it is perfect size wise for being small enough to carry around all day, and it looks so lovely etc etc there is a massive part of me that just misses the Personal size. I know this sounds tragiv but it is true!

    Of course now I have the Iveory Deco in Pocket I've moved my lusting onto the Amethyst Deco which you can't find any cheaper than its £200 (gulp) price tag.

    So then I start thinking maybe I should get the Ruby version in the sale....

    You see where I am going..oh to be satisfied with just the 1!

    Lx

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  4. I have mine. I have mentioned it before on here, but it is a 5CLF 1/2. It is patterned after the famous Winchester with the leather gussets on both sides of the binder mechanism. It has what they refer to as 1/2" rings, but they are much larger than the 1/2" rings they say are in some of the slimlines. I think maybe the difference is in how they measured, the 1/2" in the slimlines is an outside measurement, and on this, it is the inside measurement. The actual outside measurement on this is about 5/8". The thing I like about this so much is the rings don't bother nearly as much when writing as the 7/8 or the 5/4. The quality of the leather is just exquisite, and when you put pressure on it when writing, it actually squeaks. It is like a well made saddle, both absolutely works of art.

    This is very adequate for my daily use, it holds all that I need to carry, and I very much look forward to using it every day.

    I am anxious to see the new compacts, and see if they are close to this. This one is about the width of a slimline, but also shorter, with an over all length of just 7" and the width is 4 3/4. I couldn't be happier with anything in the whole line, this is just perfect.

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  5. I have a red personal Belgravia and just recently acquired a compact Belgravia which is lovely even though it is black. It is close to what Crofter describes: 4-3/4 inch wide and 7-1/2 inches tall. The personal Belgravia is 1-1/4" thick with its 1" rings, while the compact is only 7/8" thick with its 5/8" rings. Funny what a big difference that 3/8" thickness makes!

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  6. Katka, they used to have a Guildford compact, which I assume is like my Belgravia compact and has a clasp while being slimmer than the regular personal size. See the comments on this past post on philofaxy:
    http://philofaxy.blogspot.com/2009/10/filofax-sizes.html

    They don't have it any more, but maybe you can catch one on eBay Germany?

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  7. Thanks Petra for info. I believe they have Guildford compact on Swedish website, but it doesn`t have the clasp :o(

    http://www.filofax.se/store/personalorganisers.asp?tn=1&control=processrequest&orSizeId=13

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  8. Steve, There is another family A5 size family pack I found online at www.inner-be.com.au. I have the A5 refill pack and they have a lot of amazing pages included in the pack and it fits the A5 Filo perfectly. I will take some pics and post them on flickr if anyone is interested. The 12 month refill pack is only $16.95AUD. They also sell A5 binders.

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  9. Silver, I can't get that link to work :-( Sounded like good stuff.

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  10. After reading this it gave me an idea, buying lots and lots of Filofaxes no matter how satisfying it is, i dont think it will ever help me find "the one" so i was thinking, why not make my own, so i have decided to get a really cheap A5 off ebay, then pull it apart and make my own, just using the binder rings, then i can create the cover and all myself and i may even make it differently to the "real" filofax :-) That was my idea anyway, who knows if it will work the way i want it too?

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. sorry petra. try www.inner-b.com.au

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  13. I am currently using a brown leather zipped pocket Hamilton 'as new' which I picked up from a certain auction website for £10! It looks wonderful with the contrasting cream stitching and for me it is as close to a perfect filofax as can be. On the left it has 3 horizontal credit card slots with a mesh window below and a full height pocket behind. On the right it has the obligatory pen loop with a full height gusseted zipped pocket. On the front there is another pocket fastened by a press stud. I love it and it goes every where with me! Because it is zipped, I can throw loose papers in it and even my cell phone which is quite flat!

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  14. The perfect Filofax?? Three cheers for the Graphic A5, with week on 2 pages diary. Think I have found my own Filofax perfection and heaven.... unless of course the Deco, or Almond Amazona is brought out in A5 with 30cm binder rings..... then I may just be tempted to change my mind!!! Hee Hee!!!

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  15. I must confess.....I did it!! After months of looking at and longing for the Pocket Ivory Deco I took the plunge and ordered it. I had been using a mini domino in lavendar....loved the fact that it was so light weight but it is just a little too small....do I need this Deco (of course not) but organizers are my addiction (wow, I admitted it, isn't that the first step??)I know you guys understand! :)

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