I have heard of people using them upside down, not very convenient I would think. Although I quite often forget which is the front or back or top and bottom of my Malden Compact Zip!
Would one designed for both hands have say vertical card slots so it could be used either way up without the risk of the cards falling out.
The Slimline Finsbury pictured above would seem an ideal candidate in design terms. No clasp to worry about, vertical card slots and you could use it either way around. Small rings so they won't get in the way of your hands when writing.
Or have I missed something? What would you design in to an alternative form of Filofax for left handed people?
I use the horizontal pages, I currently use the month on one page in the horizontal format.
ReplyDeleteI use the week on one page purley becuase the days are down the left hand side. These are just slightlittle adjustments, would love to see a lef handed FF or at least some left handed inserts!
A left-handed FF would be a dream come true.
ReplyDeleteA left-handed FF would be a dream come true.
ReplyDeleteAs a leftie myself, I find we learn to adapt to a right handed world from birth. When writing in a Filofax regarding the rings, I think both left and right handed people struggle with one page or the other. I personally find the Filofaxes as they are very acceptable. :)
ReplyDeleteTotally not answering the question, but for right handers, I often think that the clasp should open to the left so it is not under my hand when writing. Is this not an advantage for lefties?
ReplyDeletei agree too
DeleteBut the clasp doesn't interfere when writing on the left hand page
DeleteI too have tried an upside down zipped organiser with limited success! The only way I've ever got on with narrow Personal size Filofax paper has been to use forms that are horizontal (so the rings are at the top of the page). But few forms have ever been produced to allow this.
ReplyDeleteI agree that us left-handers just adapt to our right- handed world. Just watch President Obama signing legislation yesterday, to see that even he struggles!
I do find it amazing that with 221 current models available (UK) that Filofax have consistently only made right- handed models. A left- handed organiser would have as a minimum the notepad holder and pen loop at the front and narrow rings to write around.
I often hear people on here suggesting to open the mechanism and take the paper out to write on each time. However, this doesn't work when out and about and with the dire quality of Filofax ring mechanisms I think they are best left closed as much as possible!
I'm a leftie and I have learned to adapt to living in a right handed world. Scissors are a challenge and wet fountain pen inks smudge but to be honest if there is a choice of left and right handed versions of something I take the right handed one as I am used to it.
ReplyDeleteI'm a leftie too and, like some others have mentioned, have learnt to face the challenges this poses! I naturally write with my hand underneath the line I am writing on, rather than to the left, mainly to prevent smudging, but also to get round binders etc.
ReplyDeleteBut don't righties have a problem too when it comes to writing on the back of the pages...? In fact, I'd even go as far as to say they'd struggle more as they haven't had to learn to change their writing style for their whole lives!
Hi Everyone.
ReplyDeleteI've added a poll in the side bar. Please indicate which hand you use...
Regards
Steve
I am lefthanded too, and have learnt to live in a right handed world.
ReplyDeleteIn my filofax i keep the diary in the middle then the rings are a smaller problem. After Kate sent me her FC inserts its not a problem anymore. The sheets are wider and much easier to use for a lefty. A notepad in the back are useless to me, unless i take it out to write.
As I.m right handed this doesn't apply unless you are making design suggestions to Filofax. I prefer the pen loop to be on the right. It is in the way on the left but mostly the clasp is really in the way when writing. Sure wish it laid flat!
ReplyDeleteI am right-handed except if I am playing a game of chess with my children in which case, to give them a chance, I play left-handed...
ReplyDeleteAnother lefty here.....
ReplyDeleteThe only real issue I've had is when testing a personal filofax, I found my hand hitting the rings when righting on the right side page.
Did not have problems when using a larger A5 filofax...
So, not sure what the solution is for lefties on personal size or smaller filofaxes other than either getting used to it or as others have suggested, forms designed to turn the page orientation so that rings are at top of page...
Agree with Tim that taking out the pages would work, but in many situations that may not be practical to do....
Also, agree that it would be nice if the closure straps lay flat...annoying when they curl up on you....
Would certainly be interested to see what Filofax came up with should they decide to create a Lefty Filofax design....
I think that both lefties and righties have issues writing in the filofax, just on different sides of the pages. I certainly (as a largely right-handed person) have problems on the right-hand side of the left pages, as my knuckles crash into the rings.
ReplyDeleteBut as for the card slots and pen-holders, maybe the Portland was quite leftie-based (going by some of the comments here) - it has card slots in the back cover and a zipped pocket in the front and two pen slots. As I have never used a notepad in the notepad slot, I don't really mind which side it would be.
That said, maybe I'm missing something, but, other than the notepad slot and pen slot (which for lefties would be better on the left), what difference does it make where any of the other bits and bobs are? When I get my cards out of my binder (left-hand side), I'm aware of crossing across the binder to use my right hand on the left side. In that way, isn't it easier for lefties?
The closure strap is certainly annoying when writing when it boings up and gets in the way! That's why I chose a Kindle cover with it on the other side so it wouldn't bug me when I was reading!
is it me or is there an unusually large percentage of left-handed filofax users? just reading the comments, it seems many of us (including myself) are lefties... interesting.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to filofaxes, left-handers have certain advantages over right-handers, if you're using a computer at the same time.
ReplyDeleteA standard keyboard has the return key, the backspace key, the numerical pad and the "arrow" keys on the right hand side. Sure, you can use a mouse on the left if you want, but you can't do much to alter the fact that the keyboard's most commonly used functions are controlled by your right hand.
Additionally, and this applies particularly if you have own a binder with "flatability" issues, it may be difficult to see pages without finding some way to hold your filofax down, if you place your filofax on the right of the keyboard as opposed to the left. Having it on the left means that, even with flatabilty issues, there's no problem viewing the pages at all.
One solution, for anyone finding that larger rings are interfering with their handwriting, is to use two or more slimlines, instead of one personal sized binder.
ReplyDeleteNot only is the maximum height of the rings reduced, but the maximum height of the paper stack above your desk is also reduced, so helping to eliminate that sudden change in handwriting for people who position their hand underneath the writing line, usually with about six or seven lines from the bottom of a standard lined Filofax page.
In personal and pocket size, anything under 5/8". In A5, anything under 3/4". I think both righties and lefties have writing comfort issues with larger ring mechanisms. Some people can adjust to it, some not.
ReplyDeleteI'm lefthanded and it really doesn't matter in regards to a filofax. The weeks, days etc are printed on both sides of the paper so 50% of the time the rings are in the way and 50% they are not. Just like righthanded people have to reach over the rings to write on the backside of the page.
ReplyDeleteUsing a binder lefthanded only sucks if everything is printed on the 'front' of the page and nothing is used on the 'back' like works sheets.
I'm a lefty.
ReplyDeleteWhen writing plenty out within the filofax, I will take out the paper and write things out, before putting them back in the filofax.
But for diary entries, I just turn the filofax diagonally so I can write without the rings getting on my nerves lol.
They have made left handed models in the past
ReplyDeletehttp://www5b.biglobe.ne.jp/%7Em-task/ashford2.htm
I have a left handed one bought from anything left handed or everything left anded,: not sure if they still do them . However the stationery made by filofax is all righthanded, so I use the horizontal diary week on two pages, which allows me to operate this with ease. for most other things I have found tabs printed on both sides allows just about every aspect to run left handed.
ReplyDelete