Aloha everyone! Does anyone have an A5 Malden or an A5 Osterley? I'm going back to grad school next month and am wondering whether or not I'd turn into the Hawaiian Hunchback if I carried one on a daily basis. I know that the Domino is the lightest and the easiest to lug around, but I'm really keen on the Indiana Jones-ness of an ochre Malden and the va-va-va-voom oomph of the Osterley. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Mahalo nui loa!
I have both! And yes both are gorgeous in thier own way. Because of thebigger rings you are going to put more in the Malden which will make it the heavier of the two but then it depends what you are using it for whether you need tis extra space? Is it just a diary and to do lists or are you putting notes in there, reading lists etc? My advice is that you forget the domino. It might be a little lighter but if you like the classy leauther ones the Domino is going to be a daily disappointment and reminder of unnecessary compromise. Why do that to yourself when you can have the daily joy of a thing of beauty with you? So having eliminated that I'd choose by what ring size would suit best. But honestly? Assuming you are going to put notes and print touts etc in there... I'd get both, use the Malden as your at home complete course book and the Osterly as your daily carry around. Thats because I think a whole grad school expereince might not fit in even one Malden by the end of year and that way you can reduce the weight by carrying only what you need for that week, or month or semester.. Whatever fits. Oh and why only get one thing of beauty when you can get two?! But if cost is an issue... Malden. Bigger, cheaper, smells amazing. Then keep Osterley as a reward for when you get your first post grad job.
Or, if you want to combine the lightness of the domino and the "wow-factor" of some leather filofax, you could get a Domino Snake, either in Bronze or in Dark Brown. I have the dark brown one, in A5, it is gorgeous, not fragile at all, and I like the inside : it's not the light grey suede-like material, but a solid/plain black/dark brown lining, much more classy.
I purchased it for half its original price on filofax.de, and you could do the same, as they are still on sale on ‹a href="http://www.filofax.de/store/organiserdetails.asp?rangeId=143&sizeId=5&dsizeId=5&spId=1015"›filofax.de‹/a›, for 26 euros instead of 52 ! The personal-sized one is on sale too, 16,50 euros instead of 33 euros.
I really like mine, it almost made me switch from Personal to A5 :)
I just received my new-to-me navy blue Winchester off ebay, which I have set up as an organizing tool. It had inserts from 1985 and thereabouts, including some nifty detailed maps of the British Isles. My issue is that it needs both moisturizing and possibly airing out. If you get right up to it, the leather has a definite medicinal smell, for lack of a better word. It's not a bad scent, but I'd prefer none . . . On the other hand, it hasn't kept me from using it since you have to put it up to your face to notice. Plus the ring mechanism is so nice to use- snick! open. snick! closed. Does anyone have any experience they could share? Thanks for any ideas.
I don't know about the medicinal smell, but on the moisturizing front the Nivea creme trick comes highly recommended! Lightly coat the leather with Nivea creme, place the binder in a plastic bag and leave for a couple of days. Then wipe over with a soft cloth - most of the cream should have been absorbed by the leather.
I have a funny feeling I was watching that Winchester too... The smoothest rings on any Filo I own are those on a personal Duplex of unknown age. I've had it for more than 20 years but can't remember even when or where I came by it, and haven't used it for yonks. The rings close quite firmly but operate with an 'oiled' smoothness and relatively little effort. They really don't make 'em like they used to!
Emma,there are several lanolin based colourless leather feed products on the market, they feed (moisturise) leather and even enhance the colour, giving it a clean, soft shine. It's even good for the hands.
i just wanted to give a giant THANK YOU to whoever it was who recommended the "crop-o-dile" for a hole punch...it's FANTASTIC! It punched right through the plastic pocket wrapped in washi tape like butter!! If you need get anything thicker than filofax paper punched for your binder...pick up one of these bad boys!!
That may have been me, I mentioned it on here once, glad you like it, I use mine on a daily basis, best thing ever, even punches new holes in leather belts :)
Hi there Philofaxers! On the last Free for All, I posted a reply to a query, to do with protection bags for an a5 sized Filofax and mentioned my red embroidered felt carry bag I use, which I thought was a Churchill bag, but is in fact a Jan Constantine bag. Knew it began with a C!! So, apologies for the error there. I have looked on their website as none seem to be being produced at the mo and left a comment re: stockists and future production. You may be able to source a felt carry bag, or something similar via the internet, or indeed via local craft markets.If I were handy with a needle, I could run a felt protection and carry bag up myself..... but you know, sewing machines were never my strong point!!!
I have a question about the Purple versus Ochre Malden. My Ochre leather is flexible in that the cover bends like Olga Korbutt but at the same time the leather is smooth and taut. I got a Purple as a swap for a defective A5 Cherry Classic from Filofax UK returns and the leather on theback was sort of puffy and gathered as if there was too much leather for the size of the perimeter and it was puffing up in the middle. The filofax also had a R in pen in thefrint cver and a ring that did not match so I rang and they told me to send it right back. The replacement came shortky after and when I pulled it out of the box husband ( who knows little and cares less about filos) said at once , " Oh that looks dreadful!" The leather on the front was all puffy again. This time I did not waste a call I have just posted it back with a list of other acceptable filos they could send if a perfect Malden is beyond them. But now I am wondering.. Are the Maldens different? Does anyone have both Ochre and Purple to compare?
Hiya Helen, I have both. I must admit, the purple one seems a little bit more sensitive than the Ochre one. I think in time, it's going to need some kind of leather treatment on it to keep it supple. I think it could be down to the dye that's made it a little less tough. It seems to be a little more floppier than the Ochre one and I've had to put some card in the front pocket as it's in danger of creasing right down the middle. I would advise anyone, if they couldn't decided between the 2, to buy the Ochre one, you can just see this one will get better with age.
I have an A5 purple Malden, an A5 ochre Malden, and a personal ochre Malden. The 2 A5's are both fine, but the ochre personal is a bit as you described...blessed with a little too much material. When I filled it and used it, it is not as noticeable and I'm happy with it. I'm thinking it's Malden variation that is not dependent on color. Keep trying..they are so worth it though right? :)
Hi Helen I have a Crimson Malden (bought from Anita Lim by the way) It's fantastic and it lays flat all the time very well house trained it's a gem. Yes I was wondering about said gymnast,I remember my great grandfather telling about her :-))
I have those 2 A5s, I love my Ochre so much, it is my fantastic companion for my dissertation, and I am just starting to use my purple A5 again, but I have to say I prefer the Ochre. The rings of my purple A5 aren't perfect at all, and it doesn't lay flat! But it's nowhere near as bad as the ones you got sent from the sound of it, Helen!!
Helen, I have to sadly admit that I remember the 1972 games quite well, in fact the 1968 ones as well!
In 1971 we were driven past the Munich Olympic stadium on our way for a school skiing holiday, I think that the design was so modern at the time I had never seen anything quite like it.
You are all making me nervous! #1: I'm in the U.S. and waiting on a purple personal Malden from Pens & Leather. (I ordered it in June and it is still on backorder.) I am being very patient, but what if I am disappointed after all this waiting? #2: I mistakenly looked up Olga Korbut's date of birth and found out I am 4 MONTHS OLDER THAN HER!!!! It can't be! ---I probably dated Anthony's great grandfather. HA!
OK y'all relax and stop the panicking I caused. I am home from work and the Purple Malden No 3 has arrived and it is perfect. I like the Ochre better but thats because I love brown things and I knew that when I chose a purple one, but the purple is vey nice indeed as a second Malden. Of course, if I ran Filofax I would have rung my mobile with profuse apologies for three faulty goods and tucked some extra inserts into the box but no.... Proforma delivery notes and that's it. But you know, since I have a brand new Malden and the Classic they replaced cost £34 on Amazon marketplace because the box was a little ripped, I am calling this a good outcome!
Helen when my "replacement" was delivered it had pages stuck in the rings. I phoned and told them I wanted compensated for their unprofessionalism.... Cheeky I know, but they agreed and sent me a matching pen, notebook and tabbed fly leafs. E-mail them, am sure they'll be more than willing to help.
I just received my Malden in Crimson, that I was unable to find anywhere in the USA-so I took a chance and bought it from the Filofax France site. They were very professional, sent me a tracking number and took Paypal, so no issues with exchange rates, or customs. I received it after only 6 days. The problem happened after I received it. It was covered with small black sticky things and a few pen marks. The sticky things came off with a flick of a fingernail. But the larger pen mark and sticky things were not so cooperative. They came off with a soft cloth, except that the light soft wipe revealed a small hole in the leather! Is was as it it had been covered with the black sticky thing. Since its crimson, the spot is noticeable--and it's on the front. I am so upset--did I do wrong to buy it from there? Is there anything anyone can think of to cover or otherwise repair that mark? (I can't return it, because my husband doesn't want me to become involved and stressed out with an international return. It's not the money, thank goodness, but it still hurts me to have it end up a total loss. Thanks for any suggestions you might have!
Again, my new best friend Helen is a gem! Hello, H! I actually had slight palpitations as you mentioned of ring sizes. I´d have to... downsize..? ( I have an Osterley on the way )Well, this led me to taking away the house section from Balmoral- my binder, and I put it in another binder. I actually will be able to maneuver with smaller ring size- come Osterley and it made my Balmoral so much lighter that lugging it around in my tote is absolutely a no problem. So when the O comes, the B will transfer to a home binder ( meaning there will me my cleaning lists and current projects, like approaching Yule and its never ending lists etc etc ). But I gotta admit, the Malden looks just so soft and supple... My son has set his eyes on it and demands one for his communication binder. In brown leather.
Oh *¤&#¤" already! I actually felt all kinds of bothered by the thought of a smaller ring size. My Balmoral now is absolutely gutted to the bare essentials and a breeze to use and shove paper from one point to another. When I stacked all of the papers to the other side of binder, I still have no problem opening the rings just as long as I do it carefully and without wobbling the stack of papers. Weeell, as it should happen- that would not work with Osterley´s ring size! And my contacts are not even here, on the larger ring size either! Shock! Horror! I´m absolutely, positively miffed! I would be in trouble with smaller ring size. I like things to run smoothly, nicely and without trouble. I like pens that just glide on paper, I like binders that accommodate to my needs and wants and are fabulous simultaneously. So I ended up calling to the department store that already has ordered my Osterley ( it´s still in the back-order and will come later with some other deptstorestuffs ) and asked the nice lady if they could change my order from one Osterley to two Maldens ( ochre ). She said she´d find out about the logistics and try her best to please me. I like that attitude on a person.
How could I have missed such an obvious things as a ring size! How stupid can a person be! Oh well, we´ll see what happens on this one. I told her that if it´s going to be too tricky, I´ll be happy to receive the Osterley just as well ( it is tremendously FANCY! )and I`ll see what kind of a ... trick I´ll come up with but if it is tradable to two ( the other would be my son´s ) Maldens, I´m not going to cry either. The thing is, that dept store is a place from where I purchased my Balmoral two decades´ish ago. I like the thought of a tradition to go there and get my new binder from the same place, besides I´ll be going to the City anyways to meet our old friends there so it´d be all just very nice.
... and as it should happen, I now have two Maldens coming my way. How strange. I was so set on that Osterley but it´s just not as accommodating in ring size.
Actually, on my profile it says Afganistan- which is always a slight hoot ( hey, I don´t get out much so I figure a small entertainment is never a bad thing ) but I never felt it was that important to wiggle the small tidbit. The place is Stockmann´s department store and they are known for incredible customer service.
PS- I have just discovered the same felt bag,(but different embroidery,) in a sale on Amara.co.uk. Jane Constantine LOVE embroidered bag, in pink, black or duck egg blue. I have no affiliation with this site or product at all....just mentioning,so you can see a photograph of what I am wittering on about!! A felt protection bag really has helped keep my Filofax scratch free. I really think, as with all good ladies handbags, that Filofax should provide a protection bag with their products as a matter of course.
Very cute. But you know thats all felt and blanket / straight stitch ? You could make one of those by hand no sewing machine at all if you chose to do so!
Hello everybody! My old Cross/Classic one is in the process of shedding the nasty plastic from its gorgeous leather. Problem: there are areas of plastic that are quite clingy and won't peel, so I have quarters still wrapped, free quarters and half-done ones. I am trying to use my nails to pry the leather free, but it doesn't work most of the times except for tiny slivers. Any suggestion? Thanks :*
Gentle heat might soften the glue a little and by gentle I don't mean your hair dryer on the high setting, if you can't leave the back of your hand in the air flow it's too hot.... then gently peel with finger nails.
Steve, Gail, thank you for your answers! I'm going to unearth one old travel dryer who didn't work that much for hair, but would be perfect for the heating.
I do think too that they should do something to sort this issue, Gail! I've contacted a nice lady at the customer service a couple of months ago, but I love that particular blue color and it has been phased out of Classic, so a bit of a DIY is in order. (It means I get to add another filo to the collection, right? ;) )
Speaking about "sorting things out". I think Filofax needs to do what Gail said - AND educate their staff. I met a nice guy from Filofax when he was re-stocking my department store (and I pounced on him to ask about news on the purple Malden and the blue Finsbury compact). We chatted for a while and then started on the topic of the Classic. I told him about the plastic protection peeling off and me being sent a replacement, to which he replied: "there is no plastic protection film - it's all leather". I think I looked something like this after that slightly concescending reply: O_O
So... according to Filofax - leather PEELS?
Seriously. They need to get themselves sorted. All of it. Get the quality of the binders/quality control back under control and inform their staff that they might have to know more than superficial stuff about the products they sell. (Not talking about the nice ladies I've met in the Filofax stores, of course. They are fab!)
Can anybody help me decide between the Aston in Mushroom and the Holborn in Brown. I love neutral colours and these two really stand out for me. Not really seen any reviews of the Mushroom colour for the Aston. All help appreciated.
I have the Aston (but in orchid) and Holborn (but in wine) and if you are tactile I recommend the Holborn. Its leather is very smooth and soft. The Aston leather is nice, but the Holborn's is so much nicer.
Steve reviewed a mushroom Aston, the color is gorgeous and would go with everything:
I have the Holborn in Personal and A5 Black and A5 Zipped Wine. They are lush! Lots of pockets and places to add a notebook or two even. I've seen the Aston and it looks a little plain...though the colours are really nice, it is an overall a plain matt texture.
i have the Holborn zipped (brown) I love it. but i think the holborn is more 'plain' than the Aston personally. I dont know what we judge 'plainness' on but I feel the holborn is more manly and simply designed. The aston seems more delicate and feminine (possibly partly due to the color options). Either way, i love my holborn but the two seem quite difficult to compare (i have only seen the aston in stores, i dont own one). i hope you share your decision.
I was in WHSmiths a few days ago looking at the HUGE selection of magazines, hoping to find something on journalling or organiser related products, do you know there isn't a single thing to be found on either subject! Every other hobby and interest is covered, especially cake decoration....just how many magazines do we need on cake decoration???
Gail - there seems to be loads of mags in the states on organisation generally (not here thought sadly), but I've never seen anything on journalling or planners either. I think the nearest would be some sort of writing or 'how to write' type of magazine, which probably cover organising material and research.
It's a shame Borders closed down, am sure they would of carried something. I'll have to have a browse in the "How To Write" mags. Maybe there's a market for something like this in the UK!
There is Art Journalling magazine in the US http://www.artjournalingmagazine.com/ but that is very art and doodling focused, not the words based journalling I like. Its also very expensive to get over here - the Stampington magazines are like bookzines. very heavy so postage is an issue. I started journalling years ago when I was on holiday in the US and discovered all the books about it and a shelf of leather journals in Borders in Boston, but now I think about it, I never found a magazine...
Shame on you for expecting that WH Smith would have anything useful at all....they still look like a store waiting to go out of business to me. useless, utterly. Gail, you're right....Borders would have carried it. I still miss the Borders in Clifton, bristol....Sunday brunch and a walk up Park Street to Borders was perfect. Now it's a TK Maxx....doesn't that typify the move away from quality towards cheap tat (Filofax are you listening? Oh no, I forgot....of course you're not....).
Comag are the UK distributors for all kinds of mags from the US. Not cheap and subscription only, but if you're serious you could try.
http://www.magazinecafe.co.uk/
I got a copy of Shambhala Sun in WHS in Swansea which is a Comag distribution in the UK......it's worth a look
Dare I ask where you would go for Sunday Brunch near Park Street? I'd guess Boston Tea Party...
(I live in Weston-super-Mare, work from home, and often go to Bristol for a 'mooch' day to decompress - which usually kicks off with brunch at BTP!)
Oh - and in a previous life I worked in Blackwells, when it was still Georges... and when it used to occupy the building at the top of Park Street which is now a Jamie Oliver Italian!
Have been to BTP but it seemed very crowded (on a Sunday) and I'm not much drawn to the idea of sharing 'bench' tables with strangers...for the same reason I dont go much on Wagamama, although can be persuaded!
We used to go to Mackenzies on the Waterside, but it's gone downhill. Last time we went to the Pitcher and Piano along the Waterfront, which was *excellent*, then would have walked up the hill from there via the independent record store at the bottom :)
Had lunch with Mrs P at Jamie's Italian in Cardiff twice recently (and also at Westfield a while back) and on every occasion it has been excellent.
What work do you do? Accountant here - sole practitioner....
Perhaps I've just not been to BTP at 'rush hour'... It could also be that I'm a bit more forgiving given that at one time the building at 75 Park Street (and its neighbours on both sides) was the Art books department of Georges bookshop, so I've spent a fair bit of time there before the book trade went a bit pearshaped, and have fond memories of the place. I shall certainly bear in mind your recommendations, in any case.
As to what I do - my 7 years in the book trade are long behind me. I moved into IT nearly a quarter of a century ago and I currently work in Rights and Royalties back office systems, doing support and development mostly in the finance field for a large media company. Before that I was in mission planning systems for military helicopters, and prior to that I worked for the NHS in IT until they sold me off to EDS!
interesting stuff, Paul.....what a shame that bookselling is now virtually dead as a job....still, self-employment does have some benefits, one of which is certainly being able to take a day off just because the sun is shining on a Friday rather than the more obliging weekend version! Maybe one day we should meet up at BTP....I'm occasionally in Bristol on pretexts of work.....
Sadly, I've never seen a magazine on journaling/planning in the States (not that I've looked very hard)! I know there is a website which collects links to journaling articles/posts, and I know of several books about (word-based) journaling and two about time management, but that's it.
Hello, this is a question to the philofaxy community - we have just been accepted by filofax to become a supplier and we wondered what you all think we should carry stockwise?
We are based up in Perthshire, Scotland and my website is www.writeathome.co.uk, we don't have a bricks and mortar shop but exhibit at a lot of large fairs in Scotland and the north of England. My OH is starting to feel concerned now as he feels me having filofax stockist status would be like putting Dracula in charge of a blood bank!
The Malden range seems to be the most popular here, with Holborn a close second (but you have to watch out for issues with the rings!).
Finsbury binders are very popular as the least expensive leather option, with lots of colors available. The Domino non-leather binders are very popular as a less-expensive option, and they come in lots of nice colors too.
Those are my suggestions for must-have stock! Does anyone else have other recommendations?
if you are selling at fairs I'd say go from Malden downwards in price as otherwise your stock might be too expensive for that casual impulse purchase ( assuming you are not talking trade fairs). Slightly off point but I have been to your site and see you stock writing paper. i cannot find for love nor money pads of letter paper of any size which have a design on them. Only wallets where there is one or at most two sheets per envolope and only ten to fifteen sheets which does not suit long letter writers. If you could source something elegant and pretty you would have me as an instant customer!
I am waiting for new stock of writing paper - I will be getting boxes of handmade treeless paper which comes in boxes of 50 sheets but I have sourced other paper so please do keep checking back! Thank you for your tips on what to stock in ff range, I should be placing my first order tomorrow, all being well.
I think you should have at least one high-end option, like the Luxe. It's expensive, but not so expensive that you feel you couldn't save up for it. (Hell - if I, a poor university student with not-so-very-good-student-loans could save up for an A5 Luxe bought for the full retail price, then other people who wants a little something extra could too! ^_^)
I also think that the Cuban is pretty much necessary if you want more male buyers (not to mention it's gorgeous anyway!).
The Guildford would be a good choice for targeting the business market as it's affordable and very durable.
Those are my thoughts on the more high-end Filofaxes without going truly nuts in the luxury area.
As you're mainly selling at fairs, I agree with the rest of the speakers - Holborn and Malden is probably the way to go. But you could be surprised, some people can dish out a lot of money if they recognize something is very precious. *thinks of her own art-and-antiques-fairs shopping results* But I still say to have at least one or two higher-end styles in stock as you do have a webshop. :)
Thank you everyone, that gives me some help as I feel when the brochure arrives I may get carried away!!! I am now away to contact Maudie Made as well.
I am not sure if you have the permission or the desire to sell second hand things but there is a huge market for gently owned Filofaxes from recent years (the Winchesters for example are a whole other area) like the Baroque and the Domino snake. I would go nuts if I saw a selection of those all in one place! And of course cute stickers and little stamps are always immensely popular.
Steve - I have a couple of Pocket sized templates which may be useful for your 'Files' site - A month on one page and a weekly time map in landscape. How do I send them to you? Thanks Marcus
Can anyone tell me what they do with spare diary inserts they're never going to use?
I have a 2012-3 WO2P that is surplus to requirements - does anyone have a good use for it? Or even, would anybody like it? (I'm happy to post it to someone who'd use it.)
I've got a whole stack of surplus A5 inserts if anyone's interested. Has to be Uk though - I was going to send them to Fiona in Oz but had to send just the Personal ones due to Royal Mail Customer Filleting policies. Many are 'time management' sheets - email me if you want to
I use empty day to a page diary inserts as notepaper for lists, etc. You might have a little more trouble using the week on two pages but if you're not fussy it's great for catching all those scribbled notes that you haven't time to find a home for.
I am at the moment wanting to donate all my spare inserts and binders to a project like Dressed for Success http://www.dressforsuccess.org ----- they provide clothes and other help for disadvantaged women entering or re-entering the workplace.
Hi Alice It will be worth the wait for your personal Malden of that I'm sure. Post a comment or two when you've time and let us know how you get on. I was but a babe in arms and not really able to comprehend the significance of those important words from my great, great, great great grandfather :-))
As a point of information only... if you post a comment and it hasn't appeared in the post, don't panic it's most probably been trapped as SPAM and I have to manually release these.
I'm not sure why this only happens to some comments and not others... but I'm sure you welcome not having to peer at those silly words and number things these days!
Oh I wondered why some of my Comments had vanished. I was blaming the grossly out of date browsers at work but could hardly refer it to IT given what I was doing :)
Hi Romina The Filofax Mini Barley Pen, hope that's what you mean. It's 110 mm in length and the ink supplied is Black. I ordered blue refills at the same time. I think the width tends to be Fine point having compared with other ball point pens. The pen fits into the pen loop on your Filofax. There is a milled section 40mm at the end this helps whist writing. Due the fact they are shorter than the average pen I think you have to hold it slightly different. Hope the above helps you decide.
I have some problems with my planner. when is something an project and when an task? how do you can tell the differint between them. I'm getting out of control to keep track of them and how to prioritize them in some sort of order. For example. I'm going to my whole administration and do i have to put it on the project or when by a task....I'm confused the girl who made some video's about her filofax in tree parts in the last one she has made dividers in health, social and events and so on...she put it al on the project list. how do you dived it up in task. I hope that i'm not confuse you becaause i'm really confused and really strugle with it.
Rianne, You'll get different answers depending on the system used. For me, a project is something that takes more than 2 steps or tasks to complete (a la GTD). So I have a list of current projects that I review weekly; from there I note down tasks (aka "to do") to be done that week to move those projects to completion. I do not have dividers for each projects. I use dividers to designate Areas of Focus (some may call them Big Projects, Areas of Responsibilty, or Roles). Some of my Areas of Focus (AoF) are Practice Management, Patient Care, and HealthyMe. Then behind the dividers for these AoF are my projects and plans. Tasks for these projects are included in the plans; then when I am ready to do them that week, I transfer them to my current task lists ("next actions").
FWIW, the dividers in health, social and events are not project dividers to me. A project is something that can be completed. A specific event can be a project but not "Events" in general.
It may be that others use the term differently but I would say that a project is the general descripton of the end result. So a project might be 'Set up a new website' or 'organise a wedding' .. Whatever. The tasks for me are then the steps I need to get to my goal or to complete that whole project. If the project is a big one like the two examples I gave you might want to subdivide so that you have Big Tasks and Little Tasks. So say for the wedding your big tasks are Get My Outfit, Sort the Catering, Get Invitations Printed, Book the Honeymoon etc. the each would breakdown further into little tasks. So Get My outfit becomes, choose dress, get good underwear, choose shoes, find veil etc. You might then want to have a divider for the wedding and a number of to do lists for each Big Task. Thats one way of doing it. I think the key is just doing it a way that suits the way you live and think so that the planner assist you to the maximum. There is no right or wrong way.
Not to confuse the matter, but don't want you to think you cannot have a project divider. You can (may?). If there's an important and involved project, I do give it a temporary divider to help organize it. Once that project is done, I remove that divider. That's the wonderful flexibility of the Filofax!
I love the concept of using A-Z index for my reference and project support notes but am finding the index pages are taking up valuable space in my pocket Kendal. I only keep often needed info (e.g. bank routing numbers in codes) and current project notes with me as all "keeper notes" are entered in a text doc (in a tiny usb key that's kept in the Kendal pocket). Hence, quite a few letters have nothing behind them. Am thinking of replacing the A-Z index with a single index page listing the topics/projects. How do you organize your reference information in your filo? Alternatives to the A-Z index?
You could try removing the dividers and putting a sticky tab with the same letter references on the first page of each section of notes so you have the same system you have now but without the bulk.
Not a question, but need some commiseration: was just browsing at City Organiser and saw the new Bostons listed, including a Compact (Personal) Boston in ::swoon:: violet. I love my Crimson Malden, and swore I wouldn't consider a new Filo this year. Well, unless one came out in cobalt blue. Or unless one of the new Temperleys is both affordable and wonderful. But the Boston just looks so good, and in violet just so crisp and lovely...even though I am decidedly not a Compact person and this is supposed to be a no-buy month. So, has anyone seen the Boston in person? And more important, has anyone felt it? What's the leather like?
ooh and I see it comes in 'ultraviolet' in pocket size, and ultraviolet is a colour you would never lose in your handbag! But really, the plain violet, boy that's nice. Ack, I can feel the no-buy resolution going out the window.
The leather is sooooo soft, puffy, silky and... and... *can't find words*. It's like a Guildford, only smoother and softer, and more squish-able... and wonderful and... and... *swoons* Yes, I fell in love with it and it has joined the list of "to buy".
Just a brief idea. There´s been lamenting over the lack of rulers & bookmarks. I´ve done myself a few and it´s ridiculously easy and fast. What you need is a sheet of laminated paper, cut a desired width and length of it depending if it´s a bookmark / tab or a whole sheet you need and want. Punch holes and cut straight from the holes to the side thus creating " openings " from which you´ll slip the thing on your binder. I´ve used this trick on my FF and also on my son´s communication binder. Works like awesome magic!
Yes, they do fit, I have seen the "to do" sheets and "notes" sheets inside a personal-sized filofax, but I can't find the picture of this anymore. Their "mini" sized refills are compatible with filofax pocket organisers.
Best confirmation I could find is : http://withindreamswelive.blogspot.fr/2012/07/filofax-paper-alternative.html
I use the white cream, in the original-style blue tin. I'm in the middle of a guest post on just this topic, as I'm currently trying to restore a 1928-vintage binder. Stay tuned....
An interesting fact.....(I am a nerd of note I am afraid)....the Nivea in the blue tin that is most highly sought after in the US is made in Germany. Fans in the US often avoid the cream available in drugstores and seek out Afro Caribbean shops which often import from Europe. Apparently the formulation is different.
I stumbled over forums devoted to discussion of this fact a while ago and it fascinated me (as do most things :))
I am interested in donating some of my Filofaxes and planners for this and next year to Dressed for Success (http://www.dressforsuccess.org). Does anyone know of any other programmes that do similar things?
Romina-Hi! I just purchased the Filofax " mini pen " and it's quite nice. Unlike the nice, but more expensive Barley pen, it costs about $25.. It comes in many colors that are close matches to he different Filofaxes & you can get them in half metal/half enameled color, or all color. I got one in a nice tortoise shell color that goes great with the brown Aston. The weight is fine for a small pen-it has a little heft to it that feels quite nice. The click that you get when you twist it to pull out the point is satisfying and will not leak. Really good pen for such a low price!
I am planning a trip to Belfast and London in September. I would love to treat myself to a Filofax A5 while there - any good shops that are in tourist areas you would recommend?
Aloha everyone! Does anyone have an A5 Malden or an A5 Osterley? I'm going back to grad school next month and am wondering whether or not I'd turn into the Hawaiian Hunchback if I carried one on a daily basis. I know that the Domino is the lightest and the easiest to lug around, but I'm really keen on the Indiana Jones-ness of an ochre Malden and the va-va-va-voom oomph of the Osterley. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Mahalo nui loa!
ReplyDeleteI have both! And yes both are gorgeous in thier own way. Because of thebigger rings you are going to put more in the Malden which will make it the heavier of the two but then it depends what you are using it for whether you need tis extra space? Is it just a diary and to do lists or are you putting notes in there, reading lists etc? My advice is that you forget the domino. It might be a little lighter but if you like the classy leauther ones the Domino is going to be a daily disappointment and reminder of unnecessary compromise. Why do that to yourself when you can have the daily joy of a thing of beauty with you? So having eliminated that I'd choose by what ring size would suit best. But honestly? Assuming you are going to put notes and print touts etc in there... I'd get both, use the Malden as your at home complete course book and the Osterly as your daily carry around. Thats because I think a whole grad school expereince might not fit in even one Malden by the end of year and that way you can reduce the weight by carrying only what you need for that week, or month or semester.. Whatever fits. Oh and why only get one thing of beauty when you can get two?! But if cost is an issue... Malden. Bigger, cheaper, smells amazing. Then keep Osterley as a reward for when you get your first post grad job.
DeleteOr, if you want to combine the lightness of the domino and the "wow-factor" of some leather filofax, you could get a Domino Snake, either in Bronze or in Dark Brown. I have the dark brown one, in A5, it is gorgeous, not fragile at all, and I like the inside : it's not the light grey suede-like material, but a solid/plain black/dark brown lining, much more classy.
DeleteI purchased it for half its original price on filofax.de, and you could do the same, as they are still on sale on ‹a href="http://www.filofax.de/store/organiserdetails.asp?rangeId=143&sizeId=5&dsizeId=5&spId=1015"›filofax.de‹/a›, for 26 euros instead of 52 ! The personal-sized one is on sale too, 16,50 euros instead of 33 euros.
I really like mine, it almost made me switch from Personal to A5 :)
I just received my new-to-me navy blue Winchester off ebay, which I have set up as an organizing tool. It had inserts from 1985 and thereabouts, including some nifty detailed maps of the British Isles. My issue is that it needs both moisturizing and possibly airing out. If you get right up to it, the leather has a definite medicinal smell, for lack of a better word. It's not a bad scent, but I'd prefer none . . . On the other hand, it hasn't kept me from using it since you have to put it up to your face to notice. Plus the ring mechanism is so nice to use- snick! open. snick! closed. Does anyone have any experience they could share? Thanks for any ideas.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the medicinal smell, but on the moisturizing front the Nivea creme trick comes highly recommended! Lightly coat the leather with Nivea creme, place the binder in a plastic bag and leave for a couple of days. Then wipe over with a soft cloth - most of the cream should have been absorbed by the leather.
DeleteI have a funny feeling I was watching that Winchester too... The smoothest rings on any Filo I own are those on a personal Duplex of unknown age. I've had it for more than 20 years but can't remember even when or where I came by it, and haven't used it for yonks. The rings close quite firmly but operate with an 'oiled' smoothness and relatively little effort. They really don't make 'em like they used to!
Emma,there are several lanolin based colourless leather feed products on the market, they feed (moisturise) leather and even enhance the colour, giving it a clean, soft shine. It's even good for the hands.
Deletei just wanted to give a giant THANK YOU to whoever it was who recommended the "crop-o-dile" for a hole punch...it's FANTASTIC! It punched right through the plastic pocket wrapped in washi tape like butter!! If you need get anything thicker than filofax paper punched for your binder...pick up one of these bad boys!!
ReplyDeleteThat may have been me, I mentioned it on here once, glad you like it, I use mine on a daily basis, best thing ever, even punches new holes in leather belts :)
DeleteHi there Philofaxers!
ReplyDeleteOn the last Free for All, I posted a reply to a query, to do with protection bags for an a5 sized Filofax and mentioned my red embroidered felt carry bag I use, which I thought was a Churchill bag, but is in fact a Jan Constantine bag. Knew it began with a C!! So, apologies for the error there. I have looked on their website as none seem to be being produced at the mo and left a comment re: stockists and future production. You may be able to source a felt carry bag, or something similar via the internet, or indeed via local craft markets.If I were handy with a needle, I could run a felt protection and carry bag up myself..... but you know, sewing machines were never my strong point!!!
I have a question about the Purple versus Ochre Malden. My Ochre leather is flexible in that the cover bends like Olga Korbutt but at the same time the leather is smooth and taut. I got a Purple as a swap for a defective A5 Cherry Classic from Filofax UK returns and the leather on theback was sort of puffy and gathered as if there was too much leather for the size of the perimeter and it was puffing up in the middle. The filofax also had a R in pen in thefrint cver and a ring that did not match so I rang and they told me to send it right back. The replacement came shortky after and when I pulled it out of the box husband ( who knows little and cares less about filos) said at once , " Oh that looks dreadful!" The leather on the front was all puffy again. This time I did not waste a call I have just posted it back with a list of other acceptable filos they could send if a perfect Malden is beyond them. But now I am wondering.. Are the Maldens different? Does anyone have both Ochre and Purple to compare?
ReplyDeleteHi Helen
DeleteGail has both of those colour combinations:
http://gailwheatley.blogspot.fr/2012/08/a5-malden-filofax.html
I have the Ochre and Grey, no issues for me.
Steve
And those of you not old enough to remember the child like Olga Korbut, gymnast of the 1972 Munich Olympics.... check out her Wikipedia entry...
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olga_Korbut
She's older than me!
Steve
She was on Dancing On Ice here in the UK a few weeks ago, she did fantastic!!
DeleteHiya Helen, I have both. I must admit, the purple one seems a little bit more sensitive than the Ochre one. I think in time, it's going to need some kind of leather treatment on it to keep it supple. I think it could be down to the dye that's made it a little less tough. It seems to be a little more floppier than the Ochre one and I've had to put some card in the front pocket as it's in danger of creasing right down the middle. I would advise anyone, if they couldn't decided between the 2, to buy the Ochre one, you can just see this one will get better with age.
DeleteHi Helen,
DeleteI have an A5 purple Malden, an A5 ochre Malden, and a personal ochre Malden. The 2 A5's are both fine, but the ochre personal is a bit as you described...blessed with a little too much material. When I filled it and used it, it is not as noticeable and I'm happy with it. I'm thinking it's Malden variation that is not dependent on color. Keep trying..they are so worth it though right? :)
Hi Helen
DeleteI have a Crimson Malden (bought from Anita Lim by the way) It's fantastic and it lays flat all the time very well house trained it's a gem. Yes I was wondering about said gymnast,I remember my great grandfather telling about her :-))
Its no my age, cheeky. She was interviewed at the beginning of the gymnastics ths year!!
DeleteI have those 2 A5s, I love my Ochre so much, it is my fantastic companion for my dissertation, and I am just starting to use my purple A5 again, but I have to say I prefer the Ochre. The rings of my purple A5 aren't perfect at all, and it doesn't lay flat! But it's nowhere near as bad as the ones you got sent from the sound of it, Helen!!
DeleteHelen, I have to sadly admit that I remember the 1972 games quite well, in fact the 1968 ones as well!
DeleteIn 1971 we were driven past the Munich Olympic stadium on our way for a school skiing holiday, I think that the design was so modern at the time I had never seen anything quite like it.
Steve
You are all making me nervous!
Delete#1: I'm in the U.S. and waiting on a purple personal Malden from Pens & Leather. (I ordered it in June and it is still on backorder.) I am being very patient, but what if I am disappointed after all this waiting?
#2: I mistakenly looked up Olga Korbut's date of birth and found out I am 4 MONTHS OLDER THAN HER!!!! It can't be! ---I probably dated Anthony's great grandfather. HA!
That is a photo of his great grand father in his profile photo ;-)
DeleteOK y'all relax and stop the panicking I caused. I am home from work and the Purple Malden No 3 has arrived and it is perfect. I like the Ochre better but thats because I love brown things and I knew that when I chose a purple one, but the purple is vey nice indeed as a second Malden. Of course, if I ran Filofax I would have rung my mobile with profuse apologies for three faulty goods and tucked some extra inserts into the box but no.... Proforma delivery notes and that's it. But you know, since I have a brand new Malden and the Classic they replaced cost £34 on Amazon marketplace because the box was a little ripped, I am calling this a good outcome!
DeleteHelen when my "replacement" was delivered it had pages stuck in the rings. I phoned and told them I wanted compensated for their unprofessionalism.... Cheeky I know, but they agreed and sent me a matching pen, notebook and tabbed fly leafs. E-mail them, am sure they'll be more than willing to help.
DeleteI just received my Malden in Crimson, that I was unable to find anywhere in the USA-so I took a chance and bought it from the Filofax France site. They were very professional, sent me a tracking number and took Paypal, so no issues with exchange rates, or customs. I received it after only 6 days.
DeleteThe problem happened after I received it. It was covered with small black sticky things and a few pen marks. The sticky things came off with a flick of a fingernail. But the larger pen mark and sticky things were not so cooperative. They came off with a soft cloth, except that the light soft wipe revealed a small hole in the leather! Is was as it it had been covered with the black sticky thing. Since its crimson, the spot is noticeable--and it's on the front. I am so upset--did I do wrong to buy it from there? Is there anything anyone can think of to cover or otherwise repair that mark? (I can't return it, because my husband doesn't want me to become involved and stressed out with an international return. It's not the money, thank goodness, but it still hurts me to have it end up a total loss.
Thanks for any suggestions you might have!
Hi Austinlinda! Try filling in the hole very carefully with some nail varnish to match the colour of your Malden!
DeleteGreat idea! I'll try it today!
DeleteThanks!
Again, my new best friend Helen is a gem! Hello, H!
ReplyDeleteI actually had slight palpitations as you mentioned of ring sizes. I´d have to... downsize..? ( I have an Osterley on the way )Well, this led me to taking away the house section from Balmoral- my binder, and I put it in another binder. I actually will be able to maneuver with smaller ring size- come Osterley and it made my Balmoral so much lighter that lugging it around in my tote is absolutely a no problem.
So when the O comes, the B will transfer to a home binder ( meaning there will me my cleaning lists and current projects, like approaching Yule and its never ending lists etc etc ).
But I gotta admit, the Malden looks just so soft and supple...
My son has set his eyes on it and demands one for his communication binder. In brown leather.
Oh, and I meant to reply under UNchecked Other. Oh well.
DeleteHi back! no so much a question of downsizing to the Osterley as upsizing to the Malden!
DeleteOh *¤&#¤" already! I actually felt all kinds of bothered by the thought of a smaller ring size. My Balmoral now is absolutely gutted to the bare essentials and a breeze to use and shove paper from one point to another. When I stacked all of the papers to the other side of binder, I still have no problem opening the rings just as long as I do it carefully and without wobbling the stack of papers. Weeell, as it should happen- that would not work with Osterley´s ring size! And my contacts are not even here, on the larger ring size either! Shock! Horror! I´m absolutely, positively miffed! I would be in trouble with smaller ring size. I like things to run smoothly, nicely and without trouble. I like pens that just glide on paper, I like binders that accommodate to my needs and wants and are fabulous simultaneously.
DeleteSo I ended up calling to the department store that already has ordered my Osterley ( it´s still in the back-order and will come later with some other deptstorestuffs ) and asked the nice lady if they could change my order from one Osterley to two Maldens ( ochre ). She said she´d find out about the logistics and try her best to please me. I like that attitude on a person.
How could I have missed such an obvious things as a ring size! How stupid can a person be! Oh well, we´ll see what happens on this one. I told her that if it´s going to be too tricky, I´ll be happy to receive the Osterley just as well ( it is tremendously FANCY! )and I`ll see what kind of a ... trick I´ll come up with but if it is tradable to two ( the other would be my son´s ) Maldens, I´m not going to cry either.
The thing is, that dept store is a place from where I purchased my Balmoral two decades´ish ago. I like the thought of a tradition to go there and get my new binder from the same place, besides I´ll be going to the City anyways to meet our old friends there so it´d be all just very nice.
... and as it should happen, I now have two Maldens coming my way. How strange. I was so set on that Osterley but it´s just not as accommodating in ring size.
DeleteGood! Which department store is it that gives you such helpful service?
DeleteUmmmm Helen, how familiar are you with Finnish department stores?
DeleteNot. but you never know when I might be there and need to know! Besides. For some reason I thought you were inTurkey!
DeleteActually, on my profile it says Afganistan- which is always a slight hoot ( hey, I don´t get out much so I figure a small entertainment is never a bad thing ) but I never felt it was that important to wiggle the small tidbit.
DeleteThe place is Stockmann´s department store and they are known for incredible customer service.
PS- I have just discovered the same felt bag,(but different embroidery,) in a sale on Amara.co.uk. Jane Constantine LOVE embroidered bag, in pink, black or duck egg blue. I have no affiliation with this site or product at all....just mentioning,so you can see a photograph of what I am wittering on about!! A felt protection bag really has helped keep my Filofax scratch free. I really think, as with all good ladies handbags, that Filofax should provide a protection bag with their products as a matter of course.
ReplyDeleteVery cute. But you know thats all felt and blanket / straight stitch ? You could make one of those by hand no sewing machine at all if you chose to do so!
DeleteHello everybody!
ReplyDeleteMy old Cross/Classic one is in the process of shedding the nasty plastic from its gorgeous leather. Problem: there are areas of plastic that are quite clingy and won't peel, so I have quarters still wrapped, free quarters and half-done ones. I am trying to use my nails to pry the leather free, but it doesn't work most of the times except for tiny slivers.
Any suggestion? Thanks :*
Gentle heat might soften the glue a little and by gentle I don't mean your hair dryer on the high setting, if you can't leave the back of your hand in the air flow it's too hot.... then gently peel with finger nails.
DeleteJulia, I think Filofax need to recall the Classics and sort them out. I had a problem with mine too....just not on. I blogged about it here:
Deletehttp://gailwheatley.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/scruffy-personal-classicsorted.html
Their customer service was very good though.
Steve, Gail, thank you for your answers! I'm going to unearth one old travel dryer who didn't work that much for hair, but would be perfect for the heating.
DeleteI do think too that they should do something to sort this issue, Gail! I've contacted a nice lady at the customer service a couple of months ago, but I love that particular blue color and it has been phased out of Classic, so a bit of a DIY is in order. (It means I get to add another filo to the collection, right? ;) )
Speaking about "sorting things out". I think Filofax needs to do what Gail said - AND educate their staff. I met a nice guy from Filofax when he was re-stocking my department store (and I pounced on him to ask about news on the purple Malden and the blue Finsbury compact). We chatted for a while and then started on the topic of the Classic. I told him about the plastic protection peeling off and me being sent a replacement, to which he replied: "there is no plastic protection film - it's all leather". I think I looked something like this after that slightly concescending reply: O_O
DeleteSo... according to Filofax - leather PEELS?
Seriously. They need to get themselves sorted. All of it. Get the quality of the binders/quality control back under control and inform their staff that they might have to know more than superficial stuff about the products they sell. (Not talking about the nice ladies I've met in the Filofax stores, of course. They are fab!)
Can anybody help me decide between the Aston in Mushroom and the Holborn in Brown. I love neutral colours and these two really stand out for me. Not really seen any reviews of the Mushroom colour for the Aston. All help appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI have the Aston (but in orchid) and Holborn (but in wine) and if you are tactile I recommend the Holborn. Its leather is very smooth and soft. The Aston leather is nice, but the Holborn's is so much nicer.
DeleteSteve reviewed a mushroom Aston, the color is gorgeous and would go with everything:
http://philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/filofax-aston-review.html
Personally i'd go for the Holborn, I have it in brown, I also had a pocket Aston but in Orchid!!
DeleteI have the Holborn in Personal and A5 Black and A5 Zipped Wine. They are lush! Lots of pockets and places to add a notebook or two even. I've seen the Aston and it looks a little plain...though the colours are really nice, it is an overall a plain matt texture.
Deletei have the Holborn zipped (brown) I love it. but i think the holborn is more 'plain' than the Aston personally. I dont know what we judge 'plainness' on but I feel the holborn is more manly and simply designed. The aston seems more delicate and feminine (possibly partly due to the color options). Either way, i love my holborn but the two seem quite difficult to compare (i have only seen the aston in stores, i dont own one). i hope you share your decision.
DeleteHolborn. ;)
DeleteI was in WHSmiths a few days ago looking at the HUGE selection of magazines, hoping to find something on journalling or organiser related products, do you know there isn't a single thing to be found on either subject! Every other hobby and interest is covered, especially cake decoration....just how many magazines do we need on cake decoration???
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know of any such magazines?
Gail - there seems to be loads of mags in the states on organisation generally (not here thought sadly), but I've never seen anything on journalling or planners either. I think the nearest would be some sort of writing or 'how to write' type of magazine, which probably cover organising material and research.
DeleteIt's a shame Borders closed down, am sure they would of carried something. I'll have to have a browse in the "How To Write" mags. Maybe there's a market for something like this in the UK!
DeleteThere is Art Journalling magazine in the US http://www.artjournalingmagazine.com/ but that is very art and doodling focused, not the words based journalling I like. Its also very expensive to get over here - the Stampington magazines are like bookzines. very heavy so postage is an issue. I started journalling years ago when I was on holiday in the US and discovered all the books about it and a shelf of leather journals in Borders in Boston, but now I think about it, I never found a magazine...
DeleteShame on you for expecting that WH Smith would have anything useful at all....they still look like a store waiting to go out of business to me. useless, utterly. Gail, you're right....Borders would have carried it. I still miss the Borders in Clifton, bristol....Sunday brunch and a walk up Park Street to Borders was perfect. Now it's a TK Maxx....doesn't that typify the move away from quality towards cheap tat (Filofax are you listening? Oh no, I forgot....of course you're not....).
DeleteComag are the UK distributors for all kinds of mags from the US. Not cheap and subscription only, but if you're serious you could try.
http://www.magazinecafe.co.uk/
I got a copy of Shambhala Sun in WHS in Swansea which is a Comag distribution in the UK......it's worth a look
Dare I ask where you would go for Sunday Brunch near Park Street? I'd guess Boston Tea Party...
Delete(I live in Weston-super-Mare, work from home, and often go to Bristol for a 'mooch' day to decompress - which usually kicks off with brunch at BTP!)
Oh - and in a previous life I worked in Blackwells, when it was still Georges... and when it used to occupy the building at the top of Park Street which is now a Jamie Oliver Italian!
hi Paul
DeleteHave been to BTP but it seemed very crowded (on a Sunday) and I'm not much drawn to the idea of sharing 'bench' tables with strangers...for the same reason I dont go much on Wagamama, although can be persuaded!
We used to go to Mackenzies on the Waterside, but it's gone downhill. Last time we went to the Pitcher and Piano along the Waterfront, which was *excellent*, then would have walked up the hill from there via the independent record store at the bottom :)
Had lunch with Mrs P at Jamie's Italian in Cardiff twice recently (and also at Westfield a while back) and on every occasion it has been excellent.
What work do you do? Accountant here - sole practitioner....
Perhaps I've just not been to BTP at 'rush hour'... It could also be that I'm a bit more forgiving given that at one time the building at 75 Park Street (and its neighbours on both sides) was the Art books department of Georges bookshop, so I've spent a fair bit of time there before the book trade went a bit pearshaped, and have fond memories of the place. I shall certainly bear in mind your recommendations, in any case.
DeleteAs to what I do - my 7 years in the book trade are long behind me. I moved into IT nearly a quarter of a century ago and I currently work in Rights and Royalties back office systems, doing support and development mostly in the finance field for a large media company. Before that I was in mission planning systems for military helicopters, and prior to that I worked for the NHS in IT until they sold me off to EDS!
interesting stuff, Paul.....what a shame that bookselling is now virtually dead as a job....still, self-employment does have some benefits, one of which is certainly being able to take a day off just because the sun is shining on a Friday rather than the more obliging weekend version! Maybe one day we should meet up at BTP....I'm occasionally in Bristol on pretexts of work.....
DeleteSadly, I've never seen a magazine on journaling/planning in the States (not that I've looked very hard)! I know there is a website which collects links to journaling articles/posts, and I know of several books about (word-based) journaling and two about time management, but that's it.
DeletePerhaps we should start a magazine like that! ;)
Hello, this is a question to the philofaxy community - we have just been accepted by filofax to become a supplier and we wondered what you all think we should carry stockwise?
ReplyDeleteHope you can help us!
Mags
Hi there
DeleteWhere is your shop/site located?
Regards
Steve
We are based up in Perthshire, Scotland and my website is www.writeathome.co.uk, we don't have a bricks and mortar shop but exhibit at a lot of large fairs in Scotland and the north of England. My OH is starting to feel concerned now as he feels me having filofax stockist status would be like putting Dracula in charge of a blood bank!
DeleteThe Malden range seems to be the most popular here, with Holborn a close second (but you have to watch out for issues with the rings!).
DeleteFinsbury binders are very popular as the least expensive leather option, with lots of colors available. The Domino non-leather binders are very popular as a less-expensive option, and they come in lots of nice colors too.
Those are my suggestions for must-have stock! Does anyone else have other recommendations?
Refills.....a wide range. If you can source refills from other manufacturers on better quality paper, even better.
DeleteOr get Ray and Steve Inc to suppply you..........
if you are selling at fairs I'd say go from Malden downwards in price as otherwise your stock might be too expensive for that casual impulse purchase ( assuming you are not talking trade fairs). Slightly off point but I have been to your site and see you stock writing paper. i cannot find for love nor money pads of letter paper of any size which have a design on them. Only wallets where there is one or at most two sheets per envolope and only ten to fifteen sheets which does not suit long letter writers. If you could source something elegant and pretty you would have me as an instant customer!
DeleteI am waiting for new stock of writing paper - I will be getting boxes of handmade treeless paper which comes in boxes of 50 sheets but I have sourced other paper so please do keep checking back! Thank you for your tips on what to stock in ff range, I should be placing my first order tomorrow, all being well.
DeleteDavid, I shall start searching now! Steve, is that a possibility?
DeleteSorry Mags, no our Diary Refills are only available for non-commercial use.
DeleteThat's ok, I didnt think they were available but it was worth checking ;)
DeleteMags - Maudie Made creates some interesting inserts - she might be interesting in supplying you for fairs etc: http://www.maudiemade.com/shop/
DeleteI think you should have at least one high-end option, like the Luxe. It's expensive, but not so expensive that you feel you couldn't save up for it. (Hell - if I, a poor university student with not-so-very-good-student-loans could save up for an A5 Luxe bought for the full retail price, then other people who wants a little something extra could too! ^_^)
DeleteI also think that the Cuban is pretty much necessary if you want more male buyers (not to mention it's gorgeous anyway!).
The Guildford would be a good choice for targeting the business market as it's affordable and very durable.
Those are my thoughts on the more high-end Filofaxes without going truly nuts in the luxury area.
As you're mainly selling at fairs, I agree with the rest of the speakers - Holborn and Malden is probably the way to go. But you could be surprised, some people can dish out a lot of money if they recognize something is very precious. *thinks of her own art-and-antiques-fairs shopping results*
But I still say to have at least one or two higher-end styles in stock as you do have a webshop. :)
Hope I helped some.
Thank you everyone, that gives me some help as I feel when the brochure arrives I may get carried away!!! I am now away to contact Maudie Made as well.
DeleteI am not sure if you have the permission or the desire to sell second hand things but there is a huge market for gently owned Filofaxes from recent years (the Winchesters for example are a whole other area) like the Baroque and the Domino snake. I would go nuts if I saw a selection of those all in one place! And of course cute stickers and little stamps are always immensely popular.
DeleteI have just found a supplier of stamps and also cute stickers etc so ......
DeleteRe the gently owned filofaxes, how where etc could I find these?
Steve - I have a couple of Pocket sized templates which may be useful for your 'Files' site - A month on one page and a weekly time map in landscape. How do I send them to you?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Marcus
Yes please, the address is on our About page. Thanks
DeleteSteve
Can anyone tell me what they do with spare diary inserts they're never going to use?
ReplyDeleteI have a 2012-3 WO2P that is surplus to requirements - does anyone have a good use for it? Or even, would anybody like it? (I'm happy to post it to someone who'd use it.)
I've got a whole stack of surplus A5 inserts if anyone's interested. Has to be Uk though - I was going to send them to Fiona in Oz but had to send just the Personal ones due to Royal Mail Customer Filleting policies. Many are 'time management' sheets - email me if you want to
DeleteDavid - What sheets have you available for A5? Or shall I email you?
DeleteI use empty day to a page diary inserts as notepaper for lists, etc. You might have a little more trouble using the week on two pages but if you're not fussy it's great for catching all those scribbled notes that you haven't time to find a home for.
DeleteI am at the moment wanting to donate all my spare inserts and binders to a project like Dressed for Success http://www.dressforsuccess.org ----- they provide clothes and other help for disadvantaged women entering or re-entering the workplace.
DeleteHi Alice
ReplyDeleteIt will be worth the wait for your personal Malden of that I'm sure. Post a comment or two when you've time and let us know how you get on. I was but a babe in arms and not really able to comprehend the significance of those important words from my great, great, great great grandfather :-))
As a point of information only... if you post a comment and it hasn't appeared in the post, don't panic it's most probably been trapped as SPAM and I have to manually release these.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why this only happens to some comments and not others... but I'm sure you welcome not having to peer at those silly words and number things these days!
Oh I wondered why some of my Comments had vanished. I was blaming the grossly out of date browsers at work but could hardly refer it to IT given what I was doing :)
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ReplyDeleteHi Romina
ReplyDeleteThe Filofax Mini Barley Pen, hope that's what you mean. It's 110 mm in length and the ink supplied is Black. I ordered blue refills at the same time. I think the width tends to be Fine point having compared with other ball point pens. The pen fits into the pen loop on your Filofax. There is a milled section 40mm at the end this helps whist writing. Due the fact they are shorter than the average pen I think you have to hold it slightly different. Hope the above helps you decide.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have some problems with my planner. when is something an project and when an task? how do you can tell the differint between them. I'm getting out of control to keep track of them and how to prioritize them in some sort of order. For example. I'm going to my whole administration and do i have to put it on the project or when by a task....I'm confused the girl who made some video's about her filofax in tree parts in the last one she has made dividers in health, social and events and so on...she put it al on the project list. how do you dived it up in task. I hope that i'm not confuse you becaause i'm really confused and really strugle with it.
Rianne,
DeleteYou'll get different answers depending on the system used. For me, a project is something that takes more than 2 steps or tasks to complete (a la GTD). So I have a list of current projects that I review weekly; from there I note down tasks (aka "to do") to be done that week to move those projects to completion. I do not have dividers for each projects. I use dividers to designate Areas of Focus (some may call them Big Projects, Areas of Responsibilty, or Roles). Some of my Areas of Focus (AoF) are Practice Management, Patient Care, and HealthyMe. Then behind the dividers for these AoF are my projects and plans. Tasks for these projects are included in the plans; then when I am ready to do them that week, I transfer them to my current task lists ("next actions").
FWIW, the dividers in health, social and events are not project dividers to me. A project is something that can be completed. A specific event can be a project but not "Events" in general.
Hope that helps.
It may be that others use the term differently but I would say that a project is the general descripton of the end result. So a project might be 'Set up a new website' or 'organise a wedding' .. Whatever. The tasks for me are then the steps I need to get to my goal or to complete that whole project. If the project is a big one like the two examples I gave you might want to subdivide so that you have Big Tasks and Little Tasks. So say for the wedding your big tasks are Get My Outfit, Sort the Catering, Get Invitations Printed, Book the Honeymoon etc. the each would breakdown further into little tasks. So Get My outfit becomes, choose dress, get good underwear, choose shoes, find veil etc. You might then want to have a divider for the wedding and a number of to do lists for each Big Task. Thats one way of doing it. I think the key is just doing it a way that suits the way you live and think so that the planner assist you to the maximum. There is no right or wrong way.
DeleteNot to confuse the matter, but don't want you to think you cannot have a project divider. You can (may?). If there's an important and involved project, I do give it a temporary divider to help organize it. Once that project is done, I remove that divider. That's the wonderful flexibility of the Filofax!
DeleteI'm with T-na here, and by extension with David Allen....a project is *anything* which takes more than one action to complete. Simples.
DeleteI love the concept of using A-Z index for my reference and project support notes but am finding the index pages are taking up valuable space in my pocket Kendal. I only keep often needed info (e.g. bank routing numbers in codes) and current project notes with me as all "keeper notes" are entered in a text doc (in a tiny usb key that's kept in the Kendal pocket). Hence, quite a few letters have nothing behind them. Am thinking of replacing the A-Z index with a single index page listing the topics/projects. How do you organize your reference information in your filo? Alternatives to the A-Z index?
ReplyDeleteYou could try removing the dividers and putting a sticky tab with the same letter references on the first page of each section of notes so you have the same system you have now but without the bulk.
ReplyDeleteNot a question, but need some commiseration: was just browsing at City Organiser and saw the new Bostons listed, including a Compact (Personal) Boston in ::swoon:: violet. I love my Crimson Malden, and swore I wouldn't consider a new Filo this year. Well, unless one came out in cobalt blue. Or unless one of the new Temperleys is both affordable and wonderful. But the Boston just looks so good, and in violet just so crisp and lovely...even though I am decidedly not a Compact person and this is supposed to be a no-buy month. So, has anyone seen the Boston in person? And more important, has anyone felt it? What's the leather like?
ReplyDeleteooh and I see it comes in 'ultraviolet' in pocket size, and ultraviolet is a colour you would never lose in your handbag! But really, the plain violet, boy that's nice. Ack, I can feel the no-buy resolution going out the window.
DeleteThe leather is sooooo soft, puffy, silky and... and... *can't find words*. It's like a Guildford, only smoother and softer, and more squish-able... and wonderful and... and... *swoons*
DeleteYes, I fell in love with it and it has joined the list of "to buy".
Just a brief idea.
ReplyDeleteThere´s been lamenting over the lack of rulers & bookmarks. I´ve done myself a few and it´s ridiculously easy and fast. What you need is a sheet of laminated paper, cut a desired width and length of it depending if it´s a bookmark / tab or a whole sheet you need and want. Punch holes and cut straight from the holes to the side thus creating " openings " from which you´ll slip the thing on your binder. I´ve used this trick on my FF and also on my son´s communication binder. Works like awesome magic!
Will these (see link below) and other paperchase inserts fit in a personal sized Filofax?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.paperchase.co.uk/invt/00478368/
Nat x
Yes, they do fit, I have seen the "to do" sheets and "notes" sheets inside a personal-sized filofax, but I can't find the picture of this anymore. Their "mini" sized refills are compatible with filofax pocket organisers.
DeleteBest confirmation I could find is :
http://withindreamswelive.blogspot.fr/2012/07/filofax-paper-alternative.html
Ok; got your confirmation :
Deletehttp://princesstygerouttatheblue.blogspot.fr/2011/11/new-setup-new-me-part-2.html
She uses a diary from paperchase, in a personal-sized Filofax.
Voilà :)
And a more definitive proof (I *knew* I would find it again) :
Deletehttp://girlinmaths.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/finishing-while-filofaxing/
Hi!
ReplyDeleteJust a curious question: The Nivea Treatment. Do you guys use the "white" Nivea Soft Cream or the "blue" Nivea Creme? :D
I think it's the blue one... which means I've forgotten one item in the grocery list! http://vanjilla.blogspot.it/2011/11/filofaxs-facial.html
DeleteI use the white cream, in the original-style blue tin. I'm in the middle of a guest post on just this topic, as I'm currently trying to restore a 1928-vintage binder. Stay tuned....
ReplyDeleteAn interesting fact.....(I am a nerd of note I am afraid)....the Nivea in the blue tin that is most highly sought after in the US is made in Germany. Fans in the US often avoid the cream available in drugstores and seek out Afro Caribbean shops which often import from Europe. Apparently the formulation is different.
DeleteI stumbled over forums devoted to discussion of this fact a while ago and it fascinated me (as do most things :))
I am interested in donating some of my Filofaxes and planners for this and next year to Dressed for Success (http://www.dressforsuccess.org). Does anyone know of any other programmes that do similar things?
ReplyDeleteRomina-Hi!
ReplyDeleteI just purchased the Filofax " mini pen " and it's quite nice. Unlike the nice, but more expensive Barley pen, it costs about $25.. It comes in many colors that are close matches to he different Filofaxes & you can get them in half metal/half enameled color, or all color. I got one in a nice tortoise shell color that goes great with the brown Aston. The weight is fine for a small pen-it has a little heft to it that feels quite nice. The click that you get when you twist it to pull out the point is satisfying and will not leak. Really good pen for such a low price!
I am planning a trip to Belfast and London in September. I would love to treat myself to a Filofax A5 while there - any good shops that are in tourist areas you would recommend?
ReplyDeletethanks!
Hi Sandy, what are your London dates? I would recommend a trip to Filofax in Conduit St, south of Oxford St
ReplyDelete