I've been thinking about the A-Z pages lately. Before I had a PDA or cellphone, I made much more extensive use of them. And I used them for much more than names and addresses. For example, I'd keep a running list of Filofax inserts that I needed to buy and keep it behind "F." I'd keep Christmas lists behind "C." And in my work Filo, I'd keep info on using, say, the company database behind "D." Now I've trimmed that information way down in order to carry more DPPs.
Has anyone eliminated contact information from their paper planner completely?
Since it's Friday, all other topics are welcome, too!
I don't carry my contacts in my Filo. They're on my phone and backed up on Google-whatever (gmail?) Actually, now that I think about it, I'd better check that out. I switched from a BlackBerry to an Android and while they moved the contacts over, I haven't checked to make sure it's all still syncing up.
ReplyDeleteI use the A-Z tabs in my work Filo to track files. Each file has a page labelled by the client name and filed in the appropriate A-Z section by surname.
I don't keep my contacts in my filo. First because I have them on my iPhone already and second because I use my filo as a work-filo as well and I don't think my friends would appreciate 13-year-olds calling them in the middle of the night should I ever lose my filo in school.
ReplyDeleteI do carry a page or two of those address sheets in my filo, just in case I want to write down a new address quickly.
I guess I'm just schizophrenic about that.
(PS: Have a look at my new blog, please? *smiles*)
I am perhaps a bit paranoid, but I maintain all my personal contact numbers and addresses in my filofax, along with critical work contacts. The work contacts and most essential personal contacts are also transcribed into my work rolodex, and my personal contacts and a few really important work contacts are copied into my home rolodex. And everyone is also stored in my blackberry and synced with my email server. really absurd, but I maintain all this because I cant rely on myself to always have my blackberry on me, and I find it really convenient having this info in my filofax. I maintain a separate A-Z index for filing notes and project info and tasks/projects, which works brilliantly.
ReplyDeleteWhen I decided to commit all of my important information to my filo this inevitably included my addresses and phone numbers. I keep most of the same info on my phone as well, but things like Vet details aren't (not sure why....in an emergency the last thing I want to be screaming is..."where's the fridge magnet with the vet's phone number?!" And no...the easy answer is not always the right one ;)
ReplyDeleteInitially I'd hated the address pages in my filo because of the sheer bulk of all the dividers...then I discovered, in my new slimline Cuban, that there are address pages with tabs on the side - dramatically reduces space on the rings and makes keeping contact info at hand much less of a physical burden. Also lets me quickly get rid of the clutter of excess business cards.
I use to keep my contacts in my iPhone (which is quite conveniently for a change of e.g. an adress) and backup them on my pc.
ReplyDeleteThe A-Z tabs are still part of my Filo but in my references section (I'm trying to implement GTD my own way :). I find it quite usefull to write down notes or ideas on a certain topic the way I can easily find them. Sometimes this notes develop to projects and sometimes they are just a shopping list for a certain store. :)
Sorry for my clumsy english, but I'm not a native speaker. My german is better. :)
Eliza
My 'go to' contacts are stored on my Blackberry - its ALWAYS with me, but I do have them on my Personal Filo at home, and there they are mixed up with odd notes stored alphabetically. One day I'll do something like put the notes on coloured paper to make it clearer.
ReplyDeleteI use my A5 filo as a proper (old fashioned) address book. I don't like having all my addresses on my iPhone. I don't have many, if any, phone numbers in my filo though. Something I really should do for backup purposes!
ReplyDeleteInterestingly has anyone else spotted the picture of a bulging Filofax on the BBC iPhone news app this morning. It's used to illustrate a breach of - what else - address book data in two iPhone apps. How serendipitous!
I must be known on here as a campaigner for a smaller-ringed A5 Filofax. This is because there's no need these days to carry paper copies of all contacts, phone numbers, vet/plumber/restaurants etc.
ReplyDeleteBut I confess, I that I DO still keep a printed version in each of my organisers. A kind of "belt and braces" approach. But you've got me thinking. With everything on my iPhone and on my laptop (Outlook) and a hard drive back-up, perhaps it's time to discard the full paper versions?
Maybe I should just keep a printed list of key contacts, just in case my phone battery goes flat and my laptop crashes at the same time?
So just to be different... and why not! I have my contacts in my A5 Filofax and my Personal one too... but on my phone I don't have all of my contacts which are about 200 in total. I only keep the ones on my phone that I'm likely to ring on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteIn fact I have a 'UK' Mobile and a 'France' mobile and they have some common numbers between them but quite a few that are different etc.
Sure it's a lot of work... but it works for me!
I don't keep any addresses at all in my phone. I move to a different country every year or two and my local phone numbers change every time I move. I only keep those local phone numbers in my phone.
ReplyDeleteI keep addresses and phone numbers of everyone I know in my A5 Finsbury, which stays home all the time. I keep local contacts, frequently used addresses, and a backup list of phone numbers that are in my phone in my personal size Filofax that goes everywhere with me.
I keep all addresses and phone numbers in my personal, but I use the Filofax computer paper for my address book section (and a few other pages too). If I have one to add, I scrawl it down in my terrible handwriting but then when I have a critical mass of changes I update the computer file and print out nice clean legible sheets again.
ReplyDeleteBut my work is such that most work contacts are email, and I don't need to keep track of their numbers or addresses.
This is goofy, but I really want some 3 letter tabs rather than the 2 letter, to make the address section more compact. I saw some on the filofax.dk site and think I'm going to order them, even if it means crazy postage and a few extra danish symbols that I don't use. Plus, they come in nice classy black.
Yeah, this is how Josh said he used his in his video a couple of weeks ago. Don't know why he never gets linked...
ReplyDeleteI keep 4 address sheets in my filo, and that's it- family, friends, uni, work. They're not behind address dividers, just in my 'reference' section. To be honest, I don't keep that many addresses anywhere- I live in a very technological world where everyone is accessible through facebook or the university email directory, and I very rarely use the postal service!! Surprisingly I have relatively few numbers in my iphone, and no addresses! But I suppose I should get everyone's addresses just in case, and put them in one of my spare filofaxes behind the alphabet dividers- my mum has an address book, and it feels like something grown-ups have- maybe I should set one up now I'm 22!!
ReplyDeleteI have over 900 contacts in my phone so there's no way to keep all that in my FF. I used to, though.
ReplyDeleteEek. I've realised that I only have my addresses in my filofax. About to make a copy and put them somewhere in the house!
ReplyDeleteI've just checked my personal contact database. I thought (as there are no business names listed)there might be around 100 or 150 entries. There's actually over 600! That does include local restaurants, hospitals, doctors, vet etc. but, no wonder, printed back to back in tiny font, it still fills 26 pages of each Filofax.
ReplyDeleteI think in totally analogue days, when address books were completely copied out and updated into a new version at least once a year, we were all much better at culling little used data. It's now too easy to let it fester in a database "just in case".
Am looking for advice...I just received my beautiful black Amazona Personal yesterday. I transferred things into it this morning and I've noticed that the bottom ring is slightly "open". The ring teeth won't sit flush against each other. Is there a way to fix this? I'd rather not return it (and the pages seem to turn without an issue) since I just got it!
ReplyDeleteSuggestions?
Much like many others, I don't keep any contacts in my filo as they're on my phone or iPod touch. I do like the idea of using the A-Z inserts in the way Steve mentions though :)
ReplyDeleteI keep some contacts in a filo, just not the one I carry everyday. I keep a personal domino at home that has my favorite recipes, and a section for personal contacts. Everyone else is stored in Google which syncs to my phone. I also keep a business card file at work as a backup for most of my work contacts.
ReplyDeleteSeems to be working pretty well...
@Scoot - Thank you for the solution. I'll try that tonight!
ReplyDeleteI just keep the main numbers I might need in my FF, but on the slimline A-Z (in a Personal). Then I have 1 address sheet to note down a few addresses I might need. All the rest live on my phone/a separate A5 at home.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if the Time Management Diary A5 is discontinued? I want it so badly but it's sold out for a while now... :(
ReplyDelete@ rori, @ Josh - I was thinking of Josh's video of his A-Z tab system when I read this post! It's awesome!
ReplyDeleteFilocrazed, you may also want to make sure that you're not overstuffing the Amazona. I've had that condition occur then disappear when I sacrificed just 1/8th of an inch of paper.
ReplyDeleteIzzie, have you tried contacting Neal Street Filofax Store, or City Organiser to see if they have any in stock.
ReplyDeleteLook on our Suppliers page for details.
Steve
I have all work and personal contacts in Outlook, which syncs to my iphone. I print it out every month or so to have a paper backup.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally I have one personal filofax with all my personal contact info, with A-Z dividers. My OCD likes one letter per divider. I have yellow sheets behind each appropriate letter with specifi lists, like my own "yellow pages." Example: a yellow list of thrift shops under T, a yellow list of restaurants under R. These are all places that are local to where I live.
I also keep a personal size filofax for each of certain cities I visit. One for New York. One for Paris. One for Los Angeles. etc. In it I keep contact info for friends that live there, as well as "yellow pages" with restaurants, etc. When I come across something I want to see or do in these cities, I add it to that binder. Then when I travel to that city I either take key pages from that binder in a slimline, or take the whole binder for that city. Either way I add a few daily pages in the front to schedule my time when I travel there. Saves me from having piles of little papers with notes from different places.
OK, in theory it keeps me from the little piles. In reality, when I do go through the little piles, I havce a place to put the information. :)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow - I didn't think I had a use for my A-Z dividers as I use outlook sync'd to my iPhone and iPad. However having read all this (and followed some links and blogs all about this subject) my mind is now buzzing with ideas on how to use them! Thanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteI still keep my personal contacts in my FF Domino A-Z address section, updating regularly. I also use Outlook at work but mostly for business contacts and most frequent personal contacts. These are synced to my Blackberry. I have stopped adding names to yahoo or gmail account as I do not want my friends receiving spam emails when a virus hits, which has happened recently although I have all possible software to prevent that. I use an A-Z tabbed Moleskine where I list all my read books by author.
ReplyDeleteOh, (sorry long comment) I like Merry Lemon's idea of the yellow pages.
John,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I emptied out the binder and the problem persists. I've been using it all say and have had no problems with the paper getting snagged so I'm thinking of just living with it for awhile.
I appreciate the suggestion!
I have only very important numbers in my main Filo - emergency contacts, doctors, and services like car repair, etc. (I am not allowed to use my cell phone at work and many times I have needed these numbers.) I have a full address book in my personal Malden that stays at home. While I have most people's numbers in my phone, I don't rely solely on that - I'm too afraid I'll lose them. I can't tell you how many times I've seen posts on Facebook about people losing their phones and not having anyone's phone number. I go through the phone and address book together about once a year to make sure everything is up to date.
ReplyDeleteI have had a personal size FF for a very long time, and am now looking to update to the A5. Is the ring placement the same on the A5 or does it have a wider spacing? Thanks!
ReplyDelete@Karon - scroll down to older posts and you'll find a detailed article from Steve on this subject. In brief: Filofax Personal and A5 have different spacings. By snipping off the bottom left corner of a personal page it will fit an A5 binder.
ReplyDeleteScoot wrote:
ReplyDelete"Also, I have to admit, when I’ve got a really gorgeous new Fax I don’t want to “infect” it by introducing bad karma in the way of the names and details of horrible/really negative people….which I admit isn’t practical."
I feel the same way... I like to regularly clear out anything that has a bad association, it's practical for me because they just get filed in a shoe-box at the back of a wardrobe, so if I ever needed 'em urgently they're available.
I just spring-cleaned all my Faxes and wallet last week, it's a great feeling! I try to do it about twice a year.
Because people change numbers quite often, I usually only keep a handful in any of my books, they're for real friends and stuff like doctor, dentist, etc: anyone else is in my mobile or on a piece of card in my business-card holder.