There will be elections for president and other national and local offices in the US in November of this year. I've already begun to use my Filo to record voting dates, registration deadlines, and even notes on the candidates themselves. I also use it to remind myself of other government deadlines...like driver's license and auto registration renewals. I write these directly on the day in my Wo2P diary, with a reminder a week earlier (in the "this week" box).
Does anyone else have a reminder system for official matters?
I write reminders like this on the month page when they expire. Driver's licenses, passports, visas, vaccine boosters, magazine renewals, insurance premiums, anything that is due infrequently goes on the month it's due.
ReplyDeleteFor things due years from now (like passports and vaccines) I have written up a page per year for the next 15 years. Sounds crazy I know, but as soon as I know the year something is due I write it in, then at the beginning of each new year I write it in on the appropriate monthly page. Hopefully with this system none of us will have an expired passport or overdue vaccine booster all the way until my kids go to university!!
Laurie, I don't keep the passport and Vaccine espiration dates in my passport. Simply, because there is no need for it: about 3 to 6 months before either a document or vaccine is expired, I receive a letter from the community/doc's office to remind me of that! Foolproof!
DeleteWow that would be nice! We're on our own for all that stuff.
DeleteHello to everone!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone syccessfully used the travel pack in pocket size?
Mary, Stirwise had, and she blogged about it (with beautiful pictures!):
Deletehttp://stirwise.blogspot.com/2011/08/filofax-songbird-travel-journal-pack.html
Yes, in fact I never use "tickler" files (they seem just to be more fuss than helpful, in my life that is) and just put stuff right into my Filofax diary, or the next year's planner which I usually buy well ahead of time - I do have a short one-page list of birthdays etc to carry over, that's about it.
ReplyDeleteIf the whatever-thing is important, needs preparation or research, and/or happening early the following week, I usually make a note in pencil somewhere the week before so I know it's upcoming, closer to the date, as well.
Question - does anyone feel like their dog (or other companion animal) has it in for their beloved Filofax?!
ReplyDeleteI like checking my diary in bed over coffee first thing, and my dog seems to delight in batting at it with an outstretched claw when he's lying sprawled on the bed, I've only narrowly avoided him ruining a year's worth of diary pages and so on by inches!
He's also laid some heavy scratches on my A5 Kendal, luckily the oiled leather soaks up that kind of abuse...
Is it just me: or a canine conspiracy to make Mummy so late for everything, there's more time for cuddles? O_o
Ha Ha, my Labrador, Bella, ate most of an A5 binder once in frustration when I had to leave her. She does have a penchant for chewing - and is very keen on shoes and slippers as well if we don't put them away!
DeleteAw bless! ^_^
DeleteI think they like slippers because we humans are usually mega clean these days with our showers and deodorants and so on, so things like that are the only items that have a bit of scent of us on them: I had one dog who liked my UNDERPANTS - as in, he'd somehow choke them down whole, then bring them back up a few hours later - bonus points if he did it when I had company! lol
Mine's a rescue greyhound, not my first either - if I read right I'm not the only greyhound person on here either, though damned if I can recall who else has one of the little rascals?
Love Labs though, my mum had one as her childhood companion, and they're always so lovely to meet out and about!
We also have a Jack Russell called Milo who is very fiesty! They are like chalk and cheese temperament wise (he is the boss). They are both rescues. Bella is very easy going and lovable, and loves being outside in the garden whatever the weather. Milo is hyper, nervous, likes a fuss as well - but on his terms - and he is a lounge lizard! We have to physically push him out of the door when it rains! You have to love them don't you?
DeleteLol! Glad it's not just me! My gorgeous Jack Russell Mabel likes to 'paw' my filo when I'm either in bed or on the sofa. In my head she's going 'Hey, fuss over me, not that silly book. I'm FAR more interesting!' lol! Luckily there's been no damage so far!
Deletemy two rescued greyhounds can't be bothered to exert the energy to do anything with/to my Filo ;-)
DeleteOr a pocket size binder for travelling in general?
ReplyDeleteHow about the Pocket Pennybridge or Journal (the last one is available through filofax.dk at a discount currently)?
DeleteOther options:
Pocket Ranger (only through ebay)
Pocket Urban (has an extra zip-pocket on the outside).
Or any pocket filofax that has that huge Wallet Pocket in the back.
Personally I prefer the Personal size as a travel filofax, because the usual 3-fold-A4 folders and brochures can be tucked into it quite nicely. I bring my hole punch on my vacation and can punch the brochures for my filofax. The fact that the paper sticks a bit out at top and bottom, doesn't bother me at all ... ;-)
Does anyone use their filofax for planning their blogging? My intial thought is to use a month to view for planning. Or do you use a spreadsheet or other means?
ReplyDeleteI have to say I don't at the moment, other than in my weekly goals usually goes 'blog'. However this is so open is usually doesn't happen! So i would like to start doing this and am very interested in the replies.
DeleteI have a list of topics I want to blog about as well as links to any "blog challenges" I have happened upon online. In the summer I have more time to blog so when it comes I simply pencil a topic in on my 2dpp during the time slot I will blog. I have starred my blogging days on my monthly calendar just to track when I do post things.
DeleteI do have a top-tab section in my general "notes" section for blog ideas and plans.
DeleteI use a month per page on A5 as in the 'Ray and Steve' variety of course, for planning the blog posts on Philofaxy, works for me...
DeleteI keep intending to, but just never get organised enough :o)
Delete@Alison - I keep a list of blog topics on a note sheet behind my "writing" tab. Then, on a day when I know I'll have time, I write "blog" as a to-do item. I simply choose one of the topics from my list. However, if there's a certain topic I want to cover on a specific day, then I write the topic next to "blog" as a to-do item. Either way, I also write down the title of the post under "notes" for the day. It's just another way to see how often I blog and which topic I wrote about when.
DeleteI have a question also... does anyone use their filo for journaling? I have a seperate one for this but am struggling with set up. Originally I was using the cotton cream WO2P that came with it, but this wasn't enough room. Then I downloaded the fab 2DPP with smiley faces & weather from Steve & Ray but this isn't really working either. Some days I want a whole page, others only a line or two. What does everyone else do?
ReplyDeleteI use a bound A5 book, usually a Black & Red. Some days I might fill a page, others ten. Unless it's an A5 or A4 one, I don't feel the Filofax is suited to writing in paragraphs.
DeleteI'm starting to think you may be right Ray. I just have this beautiful Osterley slimline in plum & no other use for it. I thought journaling would be great because it being so beautiful it would encourage me to use it, but the planner pages just aren't working :(
DeleteOn another note, many thanks for your demonstration of cutting out the personal pages, it helped alot!
Well, I have now added my failings to my blog and am happily re-reading over last weekend's webfinds to inspire me to rethink what I'm going to do. If in doubt, have a good old nose at what everyone else does! lol!
DeleteI had a journaling question as well and wanted to use a filo for that, but as I wanted it to be free-flowing, I wasn't sure whether a filo was actually the best thing to use. I'm in a bound diary now, just for that, and find it works well. Maybe the filo isn't the answer to EVERYTHING. I tried . . .
DeleteI look for journals that have perforated A5 pages, so when I have my journal handy and want to write something that I can put in my Filofax, I can tear out the page and punch it. The Miquelrius A5 notebooks, made in Spain, are perfect for this purpose. In the US, they're available at Kinkos, The Container Store, and B&N.
DeleteIn the UK you can get them at Paperchase.
Delete@Cat - I don't journal in my Filo. I have separate notebooks for that. However, I often find that I don't have a lot of time to journal, so I keep a list of topics behind my "writing" tab in my Filo. I don't want to forget about what I want to write down, so this helps me to remember. When I have the time, I will look back at the list and write it down then.
DeleteIn case anyone in Australia is looking, I purchased a Colby 6 Hole Adjustable hole punch (Diary punch KW-916), which works well for both pocket and personal sized pages. It has two sets of three holes, which have the correct fixed setting between these holes, with adjustment in the gap between the sets via slides- if you place them together you get the correct pocket setting, and furtherest apart the personal setting. I am still trying to figure out how to place my paper into it (there are markers and a slide file), but its working out pretty good so far.
ReplyDeleteI've had a bit of planner fail recently and have todos, projects, notes all over the place. My head keeps getting mixed up over tasks and projects etc. I have a tendency to overthink things and also to be 'out of site, out of mind'.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how you guys recorded tasks and projects - for example do you have one task list, or two (one for work and one for home), same with a project list - one list or (one for work and one for home?). And do you keep a sheet for each project with the associated tasks? Are all of these in one divider or do you make separate ones for each one? It doesn't make it easy to decide when working from home!
I'm going round in circles a bit trying to decide what to do - perhaps there is just too much choice!!! So what do you do?
I have a number of projects planned in my filofax. Currently they are all non-paid-work (though not all 'home' as I help run a charity and a lot of the projects link to that). For each project I have a separate sheet, with the project goals/overview on the front and then on the back, a set of 'next actions' with due dates (where applicable). Any really fixed deadlines are also put straight into the diary of my filofax, with a reminder a week before (and two weeks before etc as needed). The project sheets are all in one section of my filofax.
DeleteEach week, in my weekly review, I check through the project 'next-action' lists and transfer things that need doing to my weekly goals/to-do list. I realise this involves some copying out, but if I leave it as a massive to-do list it's so scary it doesn't get done and if I don't have a weekly list, I don't always do the right things (if that makes sense - I work on less important things by mistake).
The key to it though is I must look at my project lists every week in a weekly review otherwise it is all out of sight out of mind!
On my weekly list there are other non-project to-do. As well as the project sheets I have a series of to-do sheets in the project section where I note down other to-do (order cat-food; plant spinach...) and I do transfer these to the weekly sheets too. And of course there are things added to the weekly sheet as and when they arise, just because they have appeared in that week and have to get done that week, so it's pointless putting them anywhere else.
That's how I deal with things. It works for me, but as I said, only if I do a weekly review!!
Thanks Amanda - this is really helpful as a guide. I have the weekly and daily TM sheets so I have no excuse! I think the point about the weekly review is so crucial! I also want to try and set some goals for each month/week in order to get though projects a bit faster. I tend to dither when I am overwhelmed and don't get things done - but if there is a list there it's easier to pick things off and at least make some progress.
DeleteAlison, good question. It was in part this frustration of treating minor tasks and chunkier ones the same way that inspired my to design the 'Turbo Tasks' page you can find here.
ReplyDeleteI tend to keep everything in one list, but in the past I've used context lists a la GTD. If you want to go that way, this tabs idea might help.
Thanks Ray - although I can see myself adding tasks to projects on an ongoing basis not sure on format yet. On the other hand sometimes I have projects within projects, or projects that are dependent on each other - so this might be useful for those.
DeleteI have created some project sheets so will see how they work and refine them as I go along.
I'm glad it's not just me who find the task/project dilemma a challenge! I also have lots of other ways I can break things down - e.g. by customer, project, etc etc. It's enough to give you a headache! I just need to settle on a schema and stick to it.
My 16-month old Shorkie, Chewy, has a soft spot for anything paper - a friend told me it's due to the slight amount of sugar.. She hasn't gone after the filofax yet, but has attacked toilet paper, tissues, etc....
ReplyDeleteSo I'm now finally full time back in the philofaxy family as my very very very demanding job was made redundant last week...I now have some time in the day to go and check up on the blogs I loved to follow but found hard to follow during the last year.
I have even started a blog called "Restructuring Michele" as everything in my life is changing and I need to update all... I've only done two posts this week since I started, and I plan to do a post on restructuring my A5 Finchley Filofax as it was used primarily for work and I titled the tabs accordingly....
Nan, I confirmed I'll be attending the meet up in New York next month - looking forward to seeing you! Michele
Michele - I look forward to reading the details of how you've restructured your Filofax...
DeleteHello All! This is off the topic posed by Nan, but I have a Filo color question. On Pens & Leather, they have a Piazza in crimson. I have a piazza in venetian red so I'm thinking that crimson is more of a coral/peach color???? If anyone knows or can check it out, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHello Everyone...
ReplyDeleteI'm back in France (again!) but for a bit longer than 48 hours this time. If you have been following me on Twitter you will have seen I've been here there and everywhere in the last two weeks. Why will come out in time...
But just to say that having just driven over 1000 km (621 Miles) in the last 24 hours I'm resting for a bit before I tackle a few things on here.
So if you have emailed Philofaxy in the last 24 hours please be patient whilst I unpack, do the washing, catch up on everything etc.
There will be a Webfinds tomorrow... ! And there are posts in the pipeline for next week as there was this week pre-written! What you didn't notice my absence!!!
Anyway, it's good to be back.
Regards
Steve
Although because of all the pre-scheduled content there was no drop in service, you were certainly missed. Welcome back.
DeleteWelcome back Steve - you are always missed when not here! Thanks for making sure we all had plenty of interesting content whilst you were away!
DeleteThanks guys, the annoying thing for me is not being able to respond to all the comments. I've managed to do some of the posts while I've been away, but not easy on a small netbook screen!
DeleteYou were certainly missed!!! Nice to be back in beloved France XX
DeleteWelcome back Steve!xx
DeleteA question about monthly calendars: I have my own Word produced monthly calendar with a month per page, and the day slots horizontal - i.e. going the width of the page. However, I'm finding that it's not enough space to track some of the deadlines, etc. that I must track. Does anyone have a similar format or seen something similar, but on a two-page spread? I guess I could just go onto my Word doc and make the day rows deeper but was curious if anyone had something like this?
ReplyDeleteGood to have you back Steve. Go chill with a glass of something nice. :-)
ReplyDeleteJust spotted tonight in my Tescos that they are doing the pastel Pilot V5 rollerball extra fine (pink, purple and blue) for £2. The other three-packs are still £7+ but the pastel look like a good deal!
Debenhams £12 brown leather organiser, a5 size.
ReplyDeleteI have ordered and due soon - will write about soon hopefully.
Btw, I noticed "protest" on FF flaship Temperley and Affair today on the option boxes.
I emailed FF to advise it looks like a hack, but no reply, hopemit will be ok.
The 'Unfashionable' hackers are at it again!!!
DeleteI've ordered a pocket Metropol this evening and this looks like it has a 'fixed' pen loop, which pens will fit?
ReplyDeleteThis will be Filofax number 3, since Christmas. I honestly had no idea how addictive this was going to be!
(And I'm sure it's all your guys fault. ;-D)
Not guilty!
DeleteIf no one comes up with an answer, measure the size of the pen loop in diameter and look on Cultpens, they quote the barrel diameter on a lot of their pens...
Steve
Oh wow. Something else to get into. :-D
DeleteI've been going back through Flickr pool and have added a swiss army knife to my list of things to buy my new Pennybridge. So many wonderful ideas in the Philofaxy community!
A filo question: how do your hubbies / partners feel about your passion for filos and stationery
ReplyDeleteWow...this one could use a post of its own. Shall we use it next week?
DeleteI will do a post for Thursday...
DeleteI look forward to discussing this topic... =)
DeleteI'll get DW to write you a reply on this one!
DeleteI stumbled upon this blog about planning blog post, thought you might like and use/adapt the layout :
ReplyDeletehttp://wendolonia.com/blog/2012/04/18/homemade-blog-planner/