Solstice was this week, with the longest days in the northern hemisphere and the shortest days in the southern hemisphere. I love the changing daylight hours, and I appreciate them that much more after spending more than a year in the tropics with no seasonal variation in daylight hours at all--just 12 and 12 year round. I love the looooooong summer days!
Speaking of changes, how has your Filofax usage changed lately? Have you recently changed sizes, formats or tabbed sections?
And as always on Fridays, feel free to discuss anything Filofax-related!
Long time stalker, first time poster :)
ReplyDeleteI have two pocket Filos and one personal size Collins Debden planner. I must admit, I like the Collins better, and I have had it several years longer. It laid flat when I got it.
I have heard a few people mention "training" their Filo to lay flat. I have a Bond and a Finsbury. How do I get them to lay flat? Just leave them open on my desk for days at a time? Or do I need to weigh either side down? Will all Filos lay flat in time or am I fighting a losing battle?
I was going to ask the same thing Robynlouise! I hear all this talk of training but don't know how to do it.
DeleteI train mine by weighing them down for a bit. I've heard that some people do this in stages...starting with lighter weight and adding weight as the days go by. I tend to just find the heaviest thing around and use that; placing a weight on each side of the open binder and leaving it like that for as long as I can. This, along with frequent use, has helped to train my binders to lay flat.
DeleteI got my black personal Finsbury to lay flat by bending the covers completely backwards and clothespinning them together for a few minutes. Then I removed some of the stiffness by rolling up the front and back covers, in turn. I did not change the finish/color -- just brokedown some of that stiff cardboard inside the covers. It's not nearly as "floppy" as my Malden, but is a lot more flexibly and easy to use.
DeleteThis is pretty extreme, but this is how I got my personal Cuban Zip to lay flat. http://www.flickr.com/photos/terri_royea/6421735543/in/set-72157626909217117 I did this two nights in a row and it worked.
ReplyDeleteLooks pretty sensible to me......
DeleteOh good, I will find something heavy and give it a try over the weekend.
DeleteThe most difficult part of training the Malden, which mostly lies flat straight out of the box, is training the leather clasp 'thingy' (it's early, OK?) not to get in the way of the pen loop underneath it, or even the extreme right hand edge of the right hand pages.
ReplyDeleteI find this quite annoying....ideas, anyone? "Cut the clasp off" is not an option.....
Might be extreme (I've not done filofax training yet!). Can you use a bulldog paper clip to clip the clasp bit back overnight and see if that does anything?
Delete@Hannah J I might try that, thanks for the idea....
DeleteDavid, when I have my A5 Malden laying on my desk I just fold the clasp to the back so that the binder "sits" on it. I agree that it tends to get in the way, but I'm not very bothered ... ;-)
DeleteSo how many Filofax do you own?
ReplyDeleteI have 23!
10 A5
11 Personal
2 Pocket
So far i've got:
Delete2 A5
4 Personal
5 Pocket
Flex A5, Slim and Pocket.
I've managed to collect those in the space of a few of months :o
One A5
DeleteTwo Personal
I've got 13 (soon to be 14)
Delete2 A5
8 Personal (soon to be 9)
2 Pocket
1 Mini
I've got 10:
Delete2 personal
2 compact
1 slimline
3 pocket
3 mini
Oh, that's 11. Dammit. I need to do some more selling...
1 compact
Delete1 pocket
2 personal
2 A5
Ooh, how did that happen?! :-D
My A5 Chameleon arrived this morning. It's a lovely creature.
Do you all have specific uses for all your Filofaxes?
Sorry pupils you have been counting your Filofax personal organisers incorrectly this morning.. and I am surprised...
DeleteYou all need to go back to the lesson we gave on this subject back in Feb 2011 on 'Filofax Organisers - How Many Do You Own?',
By using that calculation method I'm sure you will agree that it just doesn't sound anything like as scary as the numbers you are quoting above.
So you now have your homework for the weekend....
Oopsie! So right. Sorry about that, Steve!
DeleteUsing our calculation, I actually have 3.5!!! That's far less scary. Hmmmm...what to buy next??
Well, recently I have shipped some off to new homes to make space (that won't last long) and now I have approximately 12 Philofaxy's ... that sounds so much more sane than 34 Filofax organisers... and we won't mention the ones that are on their way *ahem*...
DeleteGail: Go buy a Mini. You are incomplete.
DeleteI dont even know how many personals I have. Somewhere over a dozen, three or four pockets, three minis and 2 A5's. And an M2 for no good reason.
I have 3.
Delete1pocket
1personal
1 A5
I practice one life, one Filofax...an A5 Cuban.
DeleteI've gotta say I'm with Joey- I only have one real Filofax (my Malden) but two if you count my Domino which hasn't been used in over a year!
DeleteOkay Steve, if I go off your calculations I think I have 8 ish. lol
DeleteJJ you are so right, I need a Mini and a A4. lol
Ah, who's counting anyway ....
Delete;-)
@Joey That's my attitude too - the 'spare' Personal is because I replaced it with the ochre Malden, the A5 was just a mistake!
DeleteI'd be interested to hear about your setup...and how you find it carrying your A5 everywhere, which is why I use a Personal as my go-to binder.
Sorry guys, but I won't even go there! (: More for my sanity than anything else.
DeleteDavid, basically it's the same setup as in my Adelphi video (2 pages per day TM inserts), M02P with selfmade tabs and vertical WO2P, which will be replace by Organised Mum's grid layout starting in August (that will require another blogpost ...).
DeleteI solved the carrying problem by A) using a huge bag (the Filofax Finchley tote bag, which I have used non-stop since the moment I got it in September 2011) and B) removing all the "essential items" from my handbag, that - truth be told - I never needed anyway. I started to feel stupid lugging around stuff for "but-what-if's", when all I really needed was my Planner!
Yes, that's quite a bag! I really like the messenger bags from www.manhattanportage.com, but I think Mrs P would *actually* kill me if I did.....
Delete@David....I will blog about my contents in my A5 Cuban everyday carry this week and will include many pictures. Check about midweek at http://josephdavidquinton.typepad.com.
DeleteOk need to add two more A5, oops :)
DeleteHas anyone seen this posted by City Organiser?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cityorganiser.co.uk/pdf%20files/City%20Organiser%20Stock%20Availability%2021%2006%2012.pdf
It's a list of Filofaxes coming to City Organiser later this year! It's interesting to see the Purple Malden up there as though it's a new release- is this the 'better quality' version that Filofax are redoing because of quality control issues on the earlier version?
Same goes for the Personal Holborn in Wine. Wasn't the Holborn discontinued alltogether?????
Deletethat explains why I had to send 3 x A5 purple Maldens back to FF uk, I didn't know there was a problem with them, just thought I had been really unlucky.
DeleteWhat has been the problem with the purple Maldens?
DeleteHopefully not too much as I'll be receiving mine on Monday...
DeleteApparently there were leather quality and ring mechanism problems. Wait! Ring problems? Noooooooooooo, that's a new one!
Delete(ehum)
The first two Maldens I sent back were really badly scratched and I mean really badly and the leather on the third was awful, unacceptable for such an expensive item, I don't know how they got through quality control. LJ - I hope you get a good one.
DeleteDoes anyone know what the Boston will look like? Since it will be available in Compact (well, in the UK anyway -- I can only hope it will arrive in the US at some point), I'm curious.
DeleteCity Organiser's Facebook feed had a photo of the Boston today.
DeleteGood to hear they are reissuing the purple Malden. I hope we get the "improved" version here in USA. I am loving my red compact Chameleon but i really want to get a Malden for 2013.
ReplyDeleteHi Romina....I am in the US too and I have a purple Malden Personal on pre-order from Pens and Leather. Originally their stock was due in June 18 but that date has been revised to July 20th or thereabouts. I imagine it's due to Filofax being behind schedule on production of the improved quality Malden. I'm trying to be patient, I just can't afford the shipping fees to purchase from the UK unfortunately.
DeleteHey Valerie, would you be willing share your thoughts on your purple Malden when you get it? Ive read some comments about the leather being a bit drier that the other colors. I would love to hear your opinion!
DeleteRomina, I wouldn't mind a bit. I have a Vintage Pink Malden in the A5 size and the leather is quite nice. Soft, smooth and glossy. It will be interesting to see if the purple leather has the same qualities or if it's different. I will let you know.
DeleteIs there an actual directory of the shops (not online ones), that sell Filofaxes. I have looked online at Filofax UK and they have a list of stockists but I have discovered it's very outdated.
ReplyDeleteHere's where I have seen the Filofax...please feel free to add...actually will copy this list into my Filofax so when I am out and about I know what shops to go into.
The Pen Shop
WHSmiths
John Lewis
Staples
Paperchase
Tescos (tiny selection)
City Organiser!
DeleteRyman!
Deletehttp://www.ryman.co.uk/
Oh - and Debenhams!
DeleteHouse of Fraser
DeleteSelfridges
Anyone living near Bath there is a large selection at Woods the Stationers. http://www.woodsthestationers.co.uk/
DeleteAlso walking around the little alley ways there were quite a few small independent stationery shops with older models of "Filofax Personal Organisers" :)
Lucy, would you be so kind to tell me where abouts (what section) they are in Debenhams.....I have searched and searched but not come across any as of yet?
DeleteStudent...could you also tell me where in House of Frazer they are too please?
@Gail: I really couldn't tell you! I know they sell them online and I've also seen them in a Debenhams shop a few years ago but I can't for the life of me remember which section. Sorry!
Deletehi Saffy
DeleteI just can't get on with Bath...the car parking is rubbish, and it always feels like Bristol's rather superior-but-down-at-heel maiden aunt
I adore Bath, lots of lovely independent shops. I also married Mr N there so have soft spot for it.
DeleteI'd still recommend walking in from London. It'll be quicker than parking your car in Bath......:)
DeleteI have happily called Bath my home for the last 5 years. Yes parking is a nightmare and it may not have the vast amount of shops Bristol has to offer, but it is a safe, beautiful and welcoming city that I am proud to call my home. :)
DeleteDavid, LOL. You sound like my husband, even though we have only visited Bath on a few occasions it drives him crazy that we seem to spend forever trying to find a park. Mind you, he goes mad trying to find a park at our local Sainsbury's.
DeleteCazzle, despite the parking it really is a beautiful city and I am hoping to take my sister there when she visits in August.
I went into a fabulous little stationer's on my last visit to Bath in one of the side streets, and the lady in there was amazing, and as filo and paper obsessed as the rest of us. I went into one of the bigger stationer's on one of the main streets and they had a good selection, but seemed to have no interest at all - I know which one I'll be visiting next time :o)
DeleteHi Gail
ReplyDeleteOther than City Organiser, I can't think of any other suppliers.
Quite shocking that there's just not enough stockists!
DeleteGail, TK Maxx get quite a few in near to Christmas, at reasonable prices. Usually the lines which are being dis-continued. Try early to mid- December- for half price bargains.
DeleteGail, if you think there aren't enough Filo stockists by you, come to the States! I promise, it's way worse over here. There are only a few (and I live near Chicago, a large city) and the shops you do find them in typically only carry the Finsbury and a few Classics!
DeleteFor anyone who has the vintage models, which has the best (soft, supple, smooth) leather - Portland? Windsor? Winchester? etc. I'd like to consider one but not sure which would be best. Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeletePortland is just a tad softer than Kensington (which is already nice and soft!). The Portland leather feels so expensive and soft and tactile. I would expect that the Eton (which is made of lamb skin) would feel like the Portland (which is - as far as I know - not made of lamb skin).
DeleteThe portland is also available in a very deep green or burgundy red, though only in 23 mm. As one of my readers pointed out, the 30 mm Grand version is only available in black. However, if you are after fine leather and don't care about huge rings, any Portland will fulfill your needs!
Thanks Jotje. I have read and seen raves about the Portland as well, think you blogged about it right? I don't need the Grand, and hopefully find a color other than black.
DeleteDear Blogger,
ReplyDeleteI'm prepared and willing to comply with your latest demands that require me to prove that I am not a robot (why you would think that I could be a robot to begin with is beyond me by the way, thank you very much!).
What bothers me endlessly though, is that you also want to have living proof that I'm not visually impaired. I do wear glasses, and since you started to pester us with blurry pictures of random numbers, I made sure that I renew my prescription every other month (that was every three years before, so bigtime thank you from my optician). That still leaves the rather disturbing question of the insanely wacky and zigzaggy texts you present me with EVERY time I care to publish a comment. Surely, it would be sufficient if you could just use regular fonts that require no squeezing my (now tearing) eyes and blinking my eyelashes?
I would also like to suggest that you would believe my proof of not being a machine once I complied with your odd rules. Instead of making me prove it all over again after 30 seconds (when I want to comment again).
I love blogs. I do like to comment. I getting insane with the blurry number pictures and totally wacko non-words.
Thank you.
AMEN!
DeleteI spent an obscene amount of money getting my eyes lazered 3 - 4 years ago and I struggle to see that hazy picture, and do they have to squish those letters together so tightly!!!
Oh, so it is not just me then? Squinting at the screen to decipher the conjoined letters only to be told I was incorrect. I then resort to scrolling through them for an 'easy' combination, aaarrrggghhh, ssssoooooooooo annoying!!!
DeleteAnd if all that isn’t enough, I have had my comments just disappear into thin air??? Not published, just gone!?
I've noticed they've been getting more difficult to read just recently. So annoying!
DeleteI'd like to add my 'Amen' to this...I'm sick and tired of having to prove I'm not a machine EVRY time I want to leave a comment. If Blogger don't sort this out, I'll just have to stop commenting altogether - and I don't want that.
DeleteThere are some VERY big and popular blogs on Blogger.....can't they *together* make thi point to the idiots that manage Blogger and demand some respite for us poor commenters?
I so agree!!! The other thing is that sometimes I have really struggled to work out what on earth the random numbers or letters are, and have been pretty sure that my guess is not correct, but it still goes through... it's all a bit strange...
DeleteAnother hearty "amen" here! There really should be some way for those who already went to the trouble to set up a profile to be able to bypass this - we've already "proved" ourselves, right?
DeleteOK let's try it without but Google accounts only...
DeleteLast time I turned it off there was a load of spam.
Steve
Anyone who lives in the UK and has to cope with the constant demand for arcane proofs of identity and address will tell you - we're all guilty until proved innocent now. Not sure when that happened, but we are.....
Delete@steve didn't realise you could turn it on/off - there's no intention to criticise you (only Blogger), and if there' a spamfest, by all means turn it back on
DeleteNo it's ok I realised that David.. but the only option we have is to turn it on or off, there's nothing in between.
DeleteLet's see what happens now I've restricted it to Google accounts only. There have been problems with logging in with other accounts anyway.
I just commented before I read this post- I got so excited when I didn't have to cycle through the stupid images to find one I can actually read! Thanks, Steve- let's hope the spam monsters don't attack!
DeleteWonderful thoughts, Jotje!
DeleteHello Philofaxy Community!
ReplyDeleteI've recently emerged from 'lurking' and started posting, as I just ordered my first Filofax ever. I am a veteran of several prior Planner Fails, mostly Franklin Covey, and I realized it's because they imposed their particular structure on me that I didn't necessarily want - I love how Filos are so free-form, and therefore completely customizable. Plus the binders themselves are so incredibly beautiful, I seriously don't know why I didn't consider Filofax a serious option long before now. Maybe the prices scared me off, but I am finding deals, as you're all aware of.
I returned the A5 Domino I'd recently bought and decided to order a Personal Malden instead (Vintage Pink). I'm beside myself with excitement, planning all the ways I'm going to customize it. I can't wait to do the dividers up with pretty craft paper. This is stuff I never did with my Franklin Planners, DayTimers, etc. (Maybe that was part of the problem!)
I do have one big question though: I notice many of you use 2 or more Filos at once. While I can see the temptation to do so, especially for separating work/personal life, my big concern would be syncing up the diaries. How do you stay on top of that, and prevent double-booking, or missing something?
I'm reading Julie Morgenstern books right now, and she strongly recommends the "one life, one planner" approach, for the reason mentioned above. Which makes practical sense.... but not nearly as much fun. Ha.
Happy to have discovered this community, and all the personal blogs & videos many of you have. I now have a new way to waste hours of time online, and I sense you all will be future Filo enablers for me too - just what I needed. ;-)
Hi Songbird,
DeleteI follow the one life, one planner theory (or mentality, or whatever)! But to still make it fun and keep a separation between my work and personal life, they each have their own designated color (separate colors for appointments and to-dos). I actually use nine different colors for different aspects of my life right now, and it works amazingly well! I still use one planner, which keeps me sane, but I can keep everything separated which keeps me organized.
Plus, looking at all the different colors every time I open my Filo (also a personal Malden) it makes me happy! :)
Hi Songbird. I was very interested in the One Life, one Filofax approach, but found that I wanted to separate some things out.
DeleteThe key is to not duplicate too much info. My 'diary' is in my personal Malden, along with my to do lists, project plans, '101 things in 1001 days' lists and addresses.
My A5 Domino is my Household and Food Filo, and I use a Dodopad in it to meal plan. I can have my diary open in front of me to check who's home for dinner, make something quick the night we get in late etc. and plan for it without messing up my strictly appointments only diary with meal plans, to dos etc. I'm also adding a lot of recipes and reference info to this Filo, which would be very excessive in a 'One Life One Filo' approach.
Today I've received my lovely new A5 Chameleon which will be used as a Journal/log. Before I downsized to the Personal Malden for my diary, I'd tried to maximise my A5 with a day per page diary with the intention of detailed planning + logging info but found it too messy and made it difficult to visualise the week. But I still need to make a log of lots of info, my daughters sleeping pattern and any allergic reactions I'm getting for instance, so I've bought the Chameleon for this specific purpose. I'm also going to use it for 'Journalling', or brain splurge as I call it. :-D
So between these three, very little is duplicated.
I use a compact Pennybridge as my purse and this does have a month per page, but I sync this regularly.
A Filofax is a ring binder, you can use as many or as little of the inserts as you need for your own purposes, it doesn't *have* to contain a calendar.
As I have previously stated, I practice the "one life, one Filofax" philosophy. I like all of my lists, to dos,calendars, etc. to be in one place where the information is easily accessible. My Cuban and I are very compatible and I will replace him only when, and if, he wears out. Having said that, I will be purchasing two new Filofaxes prior to Christmas. I plan to get my wife an A5 Purple Malden, as one of her Christmas gifts, and I plan to purchase myself a Pocket Ochre Malden to use as a wallet.
DeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteI am currently (and very happily) using a Metropol Slimline as my current filofax, but am constantly thinking of downsizing to a Pocket-sized filofax - but I really dislike the clasp/closing "thingy" on most filofax, it's always in the way ! (and yes, I'm right-handed)
So, pocket slimline ? Indeed. They exist (or have existed, briefly) !
For instance, I'd like to try a Slimline Pocket Topaz, but can't find any "real" pictures of this thing "in action", anywhere.
Does any of you have/use a Pocket Slimline ? If so, do you have pics and/or an opinion about it ? Please, say yes, or I'll just have to buy the thing and write a review :)
Hrm, okay, I've just found pics of a black slimline pocket Topaz, along with a "Chronoplan" mini cousin (in which you can fit Filofax pocket-sized refills). Interesting : very slim, very "pocket", very chic, this topaz. ME LIKEY.
DeleteI say, Buy and Write a review! ;-)
DeleteThey are on markdown at Pens and Leather, so maybe the price cut would pay for international shipping. They have black, brown, and this is the red one
Deletehey frederique. i have a pocket slimline topaz and out of my 20 or so filofaxes (yup that;s right i said FILOFAXES) it's still one of my faves:
Deletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/aliceklar/sets/72157625802266574/
i say, GET IT. apparently there are supposed to be a couple more - the regency and boston coming out - i think? i wrote it down in my filo (currently in the compact chameleon again) i got it at a GREAT price from p&l - better thn what they have on offer now... which makes me think there are definitely in demand and there will definitely be more in that size range. i also wanted that chronoplan (up up and away's photostream - ?) but not sure that i wanted to pay that much for it. the pocket paz is awesome as even if it only has 11mm rings, the back has a 1/3 full lwngth pocket which can fit a moleskine cahier if you trim the back a bit... definitely, GET IT
aww man. my coment was eaten. basically, i have one:
Deletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/aliceklar/sets/72157625802266574/
and GET IT! one of my faves out of the 20 or so that i have. even if i don't use it all the time, LOVE that one GET IT
shoot. looka there. double comments. GET IT GET IT GET IT heh heh
DeleteOkay, okay, I'm getting your message, SNARling :) Thank you for the pics, also ! I was more or less convinced already, it's just the price tag that seems a bit much, but the "rarity" factor might make me take the plunge.
DeleteStill, I'm confused about the ring size : P&L says "six 1/2" rings", and you say it has 11mm rings. But filofaxusa says a chameleon compact has "6 rings of 1/2"", and filofax.fr says the same compact has 15mm rings. So, does this topaz have 11 or 15mm rings?
I guess it's a mistake on the P&L website, and that this slimline pocket topaz has 11mm rings indeed. Which is the same as the slimline metropol I'm currently using, so I guess I could cope.
Oh, I'm still debating with myself over ring sizes... (And I have so many spare paper and accessories with the personal size that it seems a waste to switch to a smaller format...)
Okay, must reboot brain.
Said brain exploded: the pocket slimline Boston is already available at Cityorganiser.co.uk : in black, ultra-violet and pink. So there IS a demand for this format, indeed !
Delete(No pics of the inside, though...)
It sounds like you really want one....;-)
DeleteI know this may seem an odd request - I've been in London all day so perhaps it's not a good idea to post it so late.
ReplyDeleteAn anyone recommend a resource to help me with project management? A book, a blog or anything really? I've had a very overwhelming couple of weeks - all my systems have broken down under the strain and things then slip through the net and don't get done.
By the way - I did my race for life - 3K in 50 mins - not bad with my old dodgy knees! Thanks again to everyone who sponsored me - I hope I did you proud!
Wonderful! Great accomplishment. Congrats!
DeletePlease tell me i am not the only one addicted to Filofax Youtube vids! I think i search for new ones daily...
ReplyDeleteSo to everyone sharing vids, thanks so much!!!
Nope, you are not alone.
DeleteI love, love, love Filofax videos on YouTube. I have watched Jotje's A5 Adelphi video dozens and dozens of times because I love the Adelphi and I love Jotje's accent! I also love Imy (who doesn't) and Joshua LaPorte....who sometimes has my wavering on the edge of abandoning my A5 for a Personal!
DeleteHa ha! I don't know which I love more--Jotje's amazing Adelphi set up or her lovely accent!
Delete;-)
DeleteNot only are you not alone in your YouTube Filofax addiction, I've gone a step further and set up a Google Alert for "Filofax". I get results daily in my inbox. Heaven. :)
DeleteWord of caution about Google Alerts... it's quite slow at picking up on some blog post updates, it can also send you to loads of sites that just advertise Filofax goods for sale.
DeleteThat's why I developed 'Gromit' to help me find blog posts a lot quicker than they appear on Google.
I still use Google Alerts but only as a back up to 'Gromit'.
Just discovered Journal 10 this week and ordered one this evening. Has anyone had experience with it, would of loved these pages in a Filofax format. I turned one of my A5 into a5 year Diary, it was a lot of work but it worked for a while.
ReplyDeletehttps://secureshop.co.uk/epages/950002541.sf/sec850451cc33/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950002541/Categories
I don't have experience with that particular one, but I use a small 5 year journal I found at Barnes and Noble called "One Line A Day." Actually, I use two, one for me and one for my daughter. I've had them for almost a year and I love them! Blogged about them here: http://bluebonnetreads.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/how-i-journal/
DeleteI've recently switched to a larger format - traded calendar pages with my mom, as she had Franklin Covey Classic 2ppd and I had Franklin Covey Compact/Personal size ppd. So now I am using a Franklin Covey binder (I know, blasphemy!) as the hole arrangement is different that Filofax, and being in the US, the Franklin Covey arrangement is so much more common. I have discovered that I *love* the larger format, though, and since I have an A5 red Domino, I can switch to Filofax pages if I want next year.
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet decided what role my imperial purple personal Finchley should play now - any suggestions? I have found that having one main binder works well for me, and while I know an archive binder is doable, I'm not certain a specialized binder would work... Though I am using my pocket Domino as a work binder, it has a very specific purpose (basically to take notes at work) and therefore isn't a problem right now. And even then, I'm considering not using it anymore and just having a notepad or something.