I'm gonna buy a new Filofax every year.

There, I said it. Let the controversy begin!

I was recently fretting, as I tend to do, about archiving my Filofax pages. I'm wary of even starting to use a Filofax now because I've been burned badly in the recent past by lost Filofax pages. I'm not good at faithfully archiving my pages, and lost pages drive me crazy. And even when I do manage to get my pages into the archive binder, I still tend to get rid of random notes on pages that don't seem important at the time but could be useful as a reference later.

A bound-book planner doesn't have that problem; everything that's in it stays in it. I was thinking about how I could re-create that with my Filofax. How could I keep all the little newspaper clippings I tuck into the pockets, keep my diary and notes pages intact and in order, and archive all my contacts for that year in a way that I can find everything again? I want to preserve my entire year encapsulated within my Filofax.

Then it occurred to me: the perfect way to do this is to treat my Filofax like a bound book.  Everything that goes into it STAYS in it. Then at the end of the year, the entire book goes on the shelf.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes I know what you're saying: that's a little expensive, isn't it?  Well, yes and no. First of all, I spend so much money on planners each year that buying just one Filofax instead of 10 different planners would actually be cheaper.  And second, if I limit myself to non-leather Filofaxes, it's really not that expensive considering they come with the diary, addresses, and other pages included.  If I bought a Filofax archive binder and a new diary insert, that's only a few dollars/ pounds cheaper than a new Domino with the diary insert included (plus lots of other pages and inserts). So, it's not quite as extravagant as it sounds.

Steve had a great idea awhile back, actually I think it was last year when I was moving, that something a Filofax is great for is not necessarily using it for a calendar year but to use it for a particular period of time. Then at the end of that period of time (for example after my move is completed) I can archive the now-irrelevant pages and put fresh new pages in my Filofax.

So I was thinking I could use, and subsequently archive in its entirety, a Filofax for each "era."  For example: my husband's contract in Indonesia is 18 months, with the possibility of extension for a further 3 years.  If at the end of the 18 months the project is not extended, we could find ourselves moving again.  I could easily use my Filofax for the 18 month period we are there, then switch to a new, empty Filofax at our new destination. That way my Indonesia time is archived in the one Filofax, and when we move to our new place I can start a new Filofax without any irrelevant leftover information.  I really like this idea.

I've never personally heard of someone archiving their entire Filofax each year, but it seems like there must be someone who does this.

Do you?