20 May 2011

Free For All Friday No. 131

It's Friday once again folks, the weekend is nearly here. I'm at the end of a short visit to UK, I travel back to France tonight.

So the floor is yours to discuss anything Filofax related.....

31 comments:

  1. My bargain buy of the week whilst I've been in UK was a Filofax A5 2011 page per day business diary insert for £1... normally £19.

    I know we are over 5 months in to the year, but it will give me a chance to try that format and see how well it works.

    I picked up this bargain at the local stockist in Heswall, they had got their 2012 stock in and wanted to shift the 2011 left overs, so I had a look through the box!!

    I also got a 2012 cotton cream personal size week on to pages for my Malden.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have received my day on one page and my monthly tabs from filofax germany. Im keeping them in their package so i can sit down with my Malden when it arrives to reorganise! Im quite excited!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bought this week, a lovely Personal Kensington in really soft black leather - charity shop for £2.50! Looks never to have been used, but it is in daily use now. I felt gulty, so I slipped another pound in their tin.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've bought some custom made index tabs in black for my pocket special edition. It has 12 tabs and I plan to write the month names onto them in silver (when I get an uninterrupted moment!).

    ReplyDelete
  5. I wish I could find a stencil ruler like the one on this blog. It looks useful and is so cute.

    http://www.loving-each-day.com/2011/03/how-i-use-my-day-per-page-inserts.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. Colie infomed me of an auction on ebay.. Personal Windsor Lock in green.. Looks a bit beaten up but I put in a bid for $3.00 and so far I'm the only bidder!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Long-time reader, first-time poster:

    Heads up for Manchester area people - I picked up some ancient discounted FF inserts at the city centre Paperchase earlier this week - a packet of shopping lists for 31p and old-style post-its (perforated pages) for 10p. If you're in town, worth checking.

    And a question: does anyone switch out diary formats for different times of the year, and how well does it work? My job is such that for 8 mos each year I need one page per day w/ appts, but then the other 4 I could do week on 2 pages. But I'm not sure it's worth the effort to buy 2 formats and combine them. (But then, any opportunity to play w/ new inserts is probably a good thing!)

    ReplyDelete
  8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-psprOd--Y&feature=feedu

    there is a video on the Flex for Filofax, its only a small animation, kinda looks like an Apple advert :-) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just read through Steve's 2 part review of the Flex - excellent work, sir. I'm intrigued enough to see it in person - hope it arrives in the USA soon enough.

    How would people feel about a leather Flex? That would tip the scales at least for me. Surely FF can do one better than this:

    http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=322-724|Level=2-3|pageid=7745

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm playing with converting from a personal to a pocket filofax. I used to use a small, spiral-bound weekly/monthly calendar that worked great for keeping track of appointments and to do's. My problem was wanting all my other stuff (address, quotes, codes and routines I use for work, a few photos, etc.) I think I'd be find with a pocket size filo for the calendar part. My question is, can you realistically carry the calendar plus address pages and some note pages to hold the other things I want to include? It seems like the rings are generally smaller and I wasn't sure how much they will accommodate.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I was going through some boxes of old things yesterday and found my very first Filofax brand agenda. A black pocket Windsor. It needs cleaning but otherwise, it's in great condition. :-D

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm cheating with a question:

    My friend is graduating from a nursing program- I'm using this gift giving opportunity as an ambush to introduce her to Filofax! She's very organized so I'm sure she'll take immediately.

    Now, since she'll be a busy nurse, I'm thinking the best bet might be a pocket Domino- it's light, portable, and easy to clean/wipe off (essential in a hospital environment)

    Any other suggestions, or does the Domino seem like my best bet?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Silver Bell Girl- Many of the pocket binders have 3/4" rings which are only about 1/8" smaller than the personal so it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure you order a pocket that has the larger ring size (ex., Malden, Classic, Finsbury, Finchley, Metropol).

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'd like to ask: What are the pros and cons of the zip-filos compared to the other ones (like the "normal" ones and ie the Domino with the rubber band). Do you like the zip ones?

    ReplyDelete
  15. J: It's pricey, but the Deco is available in white. Perfect for a nurse.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks Savannah. I think my Personal Finsbury rings are slightly less than an inch, so that wouldn't really be much smaller. I searched Pocket sizes on Pens and Leather and found a Pocket Chino for $15 that says it has 3/4" rings. I decided to get that as a low-risk way to try Pocket. If I end up liking it, I really want the Pocket Malden in gray (if they get it in the US).

    ReplyDelete
  17. jjhitt: Yeah, I can't even afford a Deco for myself! Not to mention it has to survive in a hospital environment- the deco is far to glamorous to live in scrubs all day! So far the Domino still seems to be my best choice.

    ReplyDelete
  18. @J: Yes, I agree with you on the Domino. It's pretty sturdy, and could be wiped down if necessary. My only gripe with the Domino line is that it's a bit more of a pain to get in and out of, since the strap takes more time and hands than a snap. However, the upside is you can cram stuff in there loose and feel confident that it won't fall out. For a nurse, that might be a big boon. Back when I worked in a hospital it seemed like most everyone had piles papers held together with clips and elastic bands stuffed in their pockets. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sword Lily: I've been hoping to find a stencil like that too, but no dice so far. I think it's time to go to a children's/toy store, versus stationery and art supplies stores.

    Thanks for including a link to the blog, I'd forgotten where I'd seen the idea.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I've had my personal Malden (crimson!!) for a few days now. I think the rings are a wee bit smaller than the ones in the DayTimer I was using. I love how soft and supple the leather is. And after a few hours of use, the Malden is lying flat (laying? flat?)

    It took me a few hours to sort my inserts and sections but I love how I have it all laid out now.

    I love -LOVE- the Filofax paper! so smooth and beautiful. I got some quad-ruled paper/note pad and I really, really like that as well.

    I also got the tabbed month-on-two pages (horizontal day slots) and while at first I was concerned that each each month started on the back of the previous month's second page, I have nestled my page-a-days in between the two monthly pages and I like it. (I'm pretty sure my FC and DT month-on-2-pages were standalone, in that you could have them together and the 'back side' of the second page was just note space, not the next month's page.)

    And I am continuing to eye up a mini to put in my bag.

    One thing I'm struggling with - the pen loop. Do they stretch out a bit? It's just -that- much too tight for my UniBall Signo 207. So I have my Zebra Mildliner in there for now (JetPens!).

    ReplyDelete
  21. J I think the Domino would be perfect. It should be able to handle the perils of ward life including any mislaid body fluids (haha) and the elastic band would allow all the nursing rotas, other sheets, etc to be slipped in nicely. She will love you! Not to mention it is reasonably priced.
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. @sword lily, if you do a google-image search for "stencil ruler" or "template ruler" you'll pull up a lot of results. Maybe you can find something on there to buy?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Haha CP! I was hoping you would put your two cents in! And I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thought of mislaid bodily fluids as a concern!

    Domino it is... now just need to pick a color!

    ReplyDelete
  24. if you go with lavender or electric blue - they are still half off at kate's paperie. i almost bought one - (thanks skhen) the price was too good, but i don't need it

    ReplyDelete
  25. at risk of making everyone icky over the best colour...
    black... might be too close to a 'dead' colour
    chocolate... let's not go there!!
    red... too close to blood

    so... slate or ultraviolet I guess!
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love the Domino binders but you might consider a Metropol instead. It opens with a snap (so it can be opened with one hand) and it's wipe-able smooth faux leather inside and out. The faux suede inside a Domino might get grungy. Just my 2 cents.

    @lucythirteen, I think that's a fantastic idea to use daily pages when you are very busy and week on 2 pgs when you're less busy. I know a lot of Filofax users do this or something similar. That's what's so great about Filofaxes, you can have whatever diary format you need whenever you need it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Off topic: I would like to propose a different (earlier) time for a Skype Roundtable chat. I'll never be able to make the current time slot because it is late at night for me. If there's any way we could shift it to 10 am EST/ 3 pm UK, that would be 9 pm for me which I could swing.

    Would anyone else be willing to change the time, maybe just for the next one? I'd love to be able to chat with you all!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I was just thinking Metropol instead of Domino for the nurse when I got to Laurie's comment. Couldn't agree more. In fact, I got a Metropol to keep my 5 houserabbits' info in because I knew it would be going to the vets with us, as well as being beside me when I did subQ fluids, treatment, or meds for bunnies with problems. I like the Metropol's interior pockets far better than the Domino's too, and it has a notepad pocket in the back -- great for jotting down those nurse's notes! Not as wide a range of colors, though. If they brought a Metropol out in electric blue (which is what my Domino is), I'd buy two more :-)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi Laurie
    Reference the Skype Chat, yes I will make the next one a bit earlier. I realise also that you must be missing out on a lot of the chatter on Twitter also, unless you have catch up sessions every 'morning'

    Regards
    Steve

    ReplyDelete
  30. @J: I agree with the others: while the Domino has a perfectly wipeable surface, the insides are quite "vulnerable" to dirt. One question: is she really going to carry it with her all day long? I find that hard to imagine.. If she does: I agree on the Metropol, if she doesn't: then I'd scoop up a pocket bargain with that superb wallet pocket! Like the Finsbury or Urban (dull colours tho).
    Of course they will have the slight disadvantage of not laying flat (or taking years to do so).
    Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hmmm, I never thought about the Metropol! I guess I'm back to square one... at least I have quite a bit of time to figure it out!

    ReplyDelete