14 June 2013

Free For All Friday No. 239

I love Filofaxes (as you might've guessed) and apart from a tiny bit of occasional planner envy, I'm pretty content with owning just the two. This was tested recently when I was offered the Ascot that I originally owned (and swapped for my crimson Malden).

Other Philofaxers talk about having different binders to rotate, and I must admit I was briefly tempted by the idea of having both for when I fancy a change. After some consideration, I passed up on the kind offer as I can't see myself wanting to move out of my Malden any time soon. Have you recently resisted binder temptation, or did you just go for it?
And as it's Friday, please feel free to discuss anything Filofax related.    

59 comments:

  1. The timing of this post is amazing!

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  2. I'll say! And Alan...you've got some beauties for sale. Very reasonable prices.
    I admit: I'm in a bit of an impasse. I like the mini and the pocket sizes (own a mini Rio, and a black pocket Chino and a black pocket Kensington) but the pocket size is too big and the mini size is too thick. Now, I could pull some stuff out of my Rio...but he's still too thick. He's my wallet.
    I'd really like a slimline mini...with the full width pocket! Anyone know of any binder to this specification?

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    1. I am a bit behind on my reading! Yes, I am in a very similar position to you ("straddling" mini and pocket) and have found the Gillio mini compagna to be pretty much as you describe - a slimline mini with full pocket. Very pricey but very high quality too......

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  3. I have been looking online for a while now for some small weather stickers for my Filofax. Does anyone know where I can get some?

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    1. I would just google what you are looking for. Also, avery.com allows you to make your own stickers. I hope I helped.

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    2. Someone posted about their newest buy on the facebook page and they looked perfect. I just ordered some and maybe you'll like them too. http://www.teacherstorehouse.com/product2.asp?product_key=64819&n=Weather+Stickers&order_key=&goto=default.asp%3Fpagenum%3D1%26type_key%3D%26classification_key%3D%26subject_key%3D%26language_key%3D%26season_key%3D%26grade_key%3D%26product_category_key%3D

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    3. @Christine Marie thanks for posting that link the stickers look great.

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  4. I have always been tempted by the ochre Malden. A few weeks ago I was able to buy one here on Adspot. Now I have it, I can't stand the smell. Can you imagine? I love the binder, but I think the leathery smell is the wrong kind. I used to love to smell my Holborn. My husband says I should just stop sniffing it, but I can't. Can anyone relate or am I just crazy?

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    1. Ling I completely agree, there is good leather smell and there is bad leather smell. Even when it's good, if it's too strong it's bad. And bad leather smell is almost fishy, which is definitely not good.

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    2. Exactly, for me this is the bad leather smell. Masculine and strond. It reminds me of the new car smell, which many people enjoy, but makes me nauseous.

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    3. Use a spray polish on it and that will neutralise the smell a bit. Leave it in the open air rather than in the box to reduce it as well

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  5. I have to admit that I was tempted and am now one of the Gillio fans. I recently purchased one of the compagnas, in brown croco - it is beautiful and the pockets are amazing. It has replaced my Glenroyal binder which was my favourite due to the glorious bridle leather. The only thing that annoyed me was it did not have enough pockets and no credit card slots. Because I use my planner (personal size) as my wallet the Gillio binder was very appealing. I have around 15 Filofax binders, but I believe if I had to, I would be happy to only keep four binders - my Glenroyal, Gillio, Malden and Ostrich. I would probably keep my A5 Kendal also.

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  6. I made a decision some while back (it's taken a while to implement) to only buy and keep what I can use on a regular basis, and to operate on the basis of *need* rather than *want*. This applies to binders, but also to everything else, which is why we're selling one of our cars right now. I mean, how many cars can you drive at once?.....

    I now have just the two Personal size binders (OK, the second one was an impulse purchase, a mistake, and will probably get sold in due course), and I'm very happy with that. Our latest home doesn't allow for the keeping of 'spare' goods, and in any case we're trying to make small changes all the time to move us away from the consumerist ethos in which we live most of the time. So having settled my binder and system choices, I have no plans to change again.

    I do, however, need to get myself a 2014 diary pretty soon, as dates are starting to need to be entered. I'm looking at going for the Danish cream Wo2P again after Alison Reeves gave me the 2013 version.....

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    1. I think I might be able to help you. I have a Danish one lying around that I won't be using. It has lines and times. The weekends are smaller and have only lines.

      Let me know if you want it.

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    2. Aryatjuh, that would be great - thank you! Just to confirm, I have 2013, it's 2014 I'm going to have to get.

      Yes, my current one has lines, appointment times each day from 8 until 4, and Saturday and Sunday are smaller, with no appointment times (but four lines each day). The week numbers and Sunday dates are picked out in red......hope this is the same one!

      I'll happily pay the postage....whereabouts are you? Drop me a line at davidpopely (at) googlemail (dot) com and I'll send you my address

      Thanks again!

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    3. I emailed you, David.

      I'm glad someone wants this type of diary.

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    4. Yes David - you inspire me. I have sold some of my stash - I'm getting to the 'hard to part with' ones now. The reason they are hard to part with is because they are so good to look at, or the colour is brilliant etc. I'm really downsizing myself in many ways - it just makes life so much easier!

      I'm afraid we couldn't do with one car though - we tried it when my OHs was off the road for repair for a while (an expensive repair that we have to wait to have done) and it was a problem because there are times when we are both wanting to head off in different directions... If I have to be away for a couple of days for work, then he struggled not having transport (I usually need my car for my travels).

      I have a number of items that I just hardly ever use - think like nice pens etc - Leo Babauta at Zen Habits has some interesting thoughts on this - although I don't think I could implement to the extent he has. Very inspiring though!

      I was told I should only keep things which are useful or beautiful (in an inspiring way_ so if I am going to use a planner - it has to be beautiful (to me) as well as useful.

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    5. I agree about useful *and* beautiful (that's why I now have flowers in my office, where I didn't before), and David Allen makes a good point that if you have a beautiful organiser, you'll be more inclined to write in it (with your beautiful pen/pencil!) than if you have a dull and utilitarian option. I agree absolutely with this, and both my binders are beautiful in different ways - I just don't need dozens of them (or any more than two).

      Sadly, my nice terracotta coloured Waterman pencil finally gave up the ghost this morning - the mechanism which grips the lead is finally defunct - so I'll have to look for a new pencil in due course. Something for the Christmas list I suppose. It's part of a ballpoint/fountain pen/pencil set I've had since the turn of the millennium, so a bit of a shame, but there you go....

      We've been a long time getting round to selling one of the cars ('mine') for exactly the reasons you suggest, but now the time is right, I'm no longer driving to-from London (a decision I'm glad I've stuck to despite temptation) and we're going to take the plunge. We got close a couple of months back - we even had a buyer lined up - but then repairs to each car in turn made us draw back. However, that's all done now, so if anyone wants to buy a car........:)

      If you could post the specific link to the Leo Babauta post you mentioned I'd be really interested to read it....

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    6. I'm just about to start decluttering/simplifying my possessions, & agree that Filofaxes fall into the useful & beautiful category.

      We only have one car & I occasionally think about getting another motorbike, but we're lucky not to need another vehicle currently.

      I do love looking at other people's collections though :)

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    7. Just to clarify, for me one is useful.....two is one too many (which is what I have at the moment).......:)

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    8. Most of us could manage with just one vehicle. Ok, it's convenient to know that you can just nip somewhere in your car, without a thought. But 25% of all journeys in the UK are under 2km and most of these are are done by car! Our second car was given away after it seriously failed it's MOT test. I now do most short journeys on foot or by bike and am much fitter as a result. Long journeys are now usually by train and that has given me much more thinking and planning time, I can now often be found watching the countryside whizz by with my Filofax open, collecting my thoughts, planning my week and looking ahead at goals and life dreams. Try doing that in a traffic jam on the M1! Our car mileage has dropped from 25,000 miles per year to less than 10. Yes, occasionally, there's a clash of both of us needing the car at the same time (usually avoided with a bit of Filofax pre-planning!). With the money already saved, we treat ourselves to a taxi!

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    9. ....or hire a second car for the day, 'as and when'. We live 2 miles from town - I can cycle that (we both have bikes).

      I love the long train journeys, and I'm so glad I stuck with it despite the temptation to take the car.

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    10. I completely agree with the idea of only having what you need (its just really hard to implement sometimes lol). I also recently started downsizing my possessions. I used to own around 15 Filofaxes but I have sold them all and now only own 3 - all Originals. One is my A5 teaching binder and the other 2 are personal sized which I use as my every day carry around and travel FF.

      I also owned in excess of 60 handbags which I have now whittled down to 6 - my 4 leather satchels and 2 Fossil handbags.

      Downsizing has freed up so much space in my bedroom and makes life so much simpler. I'm planning to start downsizing CDs, DVDs, clothes and shoes, once I finish school for the summer.

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    11. I can related to every.single.thing.you.said. :)

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    12. We have gone from two cars to one car very successfully, but have just swapped it for a van (I am White Van Woman) to transport all my stock to craft shows, dogs to the woods for walks, logs and timber, and sundry items from Ikea.
      And I have inherited my Mum's one lady owned 11 year old Skoda Fabia automatic with 12,000 on the clock because she has given up driving.

      We tend to fight over who gets the van though!

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    13. Sorry David - I meant Leo per se not an individual blog post. Here is his list of posts that he has done - you may find some interesting posts here: http://zenhabits.net/archives/

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    14. That's OK.....I know his blog well, I just thought you were referring to a particular blog on that subject

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    15. I'm rather jealous of your well developed rail system in the UK. Here in the USA it's abysmal. Expensive, inconvenient, unreliable. And I live in the Northeast which is arguably the best place to use trains. Anyway... We own one car and I often think of selling that as well. We both walk to work and I can do a lot of errands on foot or by bus, and the taxi is always an option. But what with our miserable public transit I can't comprehend how to make this work.

      I currently have four planner binders; the Winchester, a black 1980's slimline, a green FC compact from the 1990s, and a green vinyl zipped FC compact from the 1990s.

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    16. Who said our rail system was well developed?!!! It's still more expensive to take the train from London to Middlesborough than to fly (as a client of mine did a while back) - ditto London to Manchester. Having said that, the 0800 Pullman *is* very nice, provided one has a beneficent employer willing to pay.....something I haven't enjoyed since the 80s. there *was* a time when our rail system was the envy of the civilised world, but Dr Beeching fixed that permanently in 1964. Now a decision to use trains is strictly counter-cultural, as the Government seems happy to simultaneously wring its hands concerning Green issues (mostly just before elections) while encouraging us all to buy new cars to boost 'the economy'.

      For me, train and car work out more or less equal economically, *provided* I book a month in advance and restrict myself to specific trains in either direction. The *only* benefit always present is the ability to use my Filofax when travelling (well you could add reading and enjoying the countryside I guess).

      This is what they now call 'progress'. Strangely, like all other forms of 'progress', it almost always makes things worse, and more difficult, which is why I love my Filofax (leaving aside the decline in standards of manufacture and quality)and intend to use it until it is eventually prised out of my cold, dead hands.....

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    17. Reading about this 'nipping' to the shops makes me envious! It is one thing I think I would enjoy about living in the UK, sadly my local shopping centre is a good 15kms away...the joys of living in australia..

      I also am trying to become a 'needs' not 'wants' type of person when making a purchase. So far no new planners have been purchased since March...

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  7. With 50 Filofaxes to choose from, I keep "rotating" them all of the time, depending on my mood, my needs, the season, my handbag or whatever...

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  8. Every time I feel tempted to buy/use new one, I look at my Deco and realize there is nothing more beautiful :o) I`ve saved a lot of money, since I got the Deco :o)

    The other day I was looking for new Deco for my friend, and I found few on Amazon...first I thought they must be joking....look at the prices.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004X0JNVA/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc/191-0826816-3426351?ie=UTF8&condition=new

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    1. That's just crazy! So expensive :o

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    2. I have noticed both of these companies and I can't but help think...their conversion rates are off.
      Waaaaaaaay off.
      How could I email them to make them aware of this?

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    3. Surely this is missprintt by AmaZON (£609.53)

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  9. I have a query I'd like some help with if possible? I bought an A5 finsbury off Amazon around 9 months ago and have noticed that a huge gap has appeared in the bottom rings, I'm talking 2-3mm huge. Do I contact filofax UK or go through the Amazon shop? Thanks!

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  10. If anyone is looking for A5 paper with a multitude of purposes (it has weather symbols at the top, make your own date) try this

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Refill-sheets-Standard-Filofax-9978A/dp/B0042EOLWI/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1371200572&sr=8-14&keywords=filofax+paper+a5

    There is a photo of the top here (zoom in)

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Refill-hole-standard-Filofax-9978A/dp/B0047ONM1O/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A236BLKTIIMOI4

    They also do Personal size

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Refill-Lined-Papers-Personal-Filofax/dp/B001VGNJAA/ref=sr_1_6?m=A236BLKTIIMOI4&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1371200736&sr=1-6&keywords=filofax+paper

    and Pocket

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pocket-Filofax-Insert-papers-Notebook/dp/B00CVYMQFA/ref=sr_1_8?m=A236BLKTIIMOI4&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1371200736&sr=1-8&keywords=filofax+paper

    The A5 is thickish paper, in cream, not white. I'm not sure about the others, I have only seen the A5 in real life.
    This might be a solution for those who want to use one stack of paper for Diary, Journal, ToDo lists done daily.

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    1. Hi Natalie....did you get my email sent yesterday?.....

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    2. I did thank you, it was really helpful, will reply later.

      When I saw this paper (above links) I thought of you! Not sure if they are all cream but the A5 3x pack certainly is so it might be worth a punt to try Personal?

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    3. Thanks.......I'll definitely check it out!

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    4. Just replying to myself to say that the Personal size paper in the link above is wider than FF paper, 106mm not 95mm, I was about to order some and double checked first.

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  11. I need to take lessons from many of you. When I want something - normally that is a bit pricey - I'll torture myself for weeks about getting it, knowing full well that I'll eventually get it. So recently I adopted a "no torture" policy and just made the purchase when something caught my eye! I've got bags, wallets, and planner in excess but I can't bring myself to part with any more....though this post has got me thinking about it again.

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  12. I'm still doing pretty well on resisting temptation - my Malden still has me pretty darn happy. Though if a vintage racing green binder ever pops up, I may be in trouble!

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  13. I'm getting better at resisting temptation, although my current problem is with vintage Oakley sunglasses. I'm up to 14 pairs at the moment and still eBay calls...

    Before that it was vintage fountain pens. I think I've more or less exhausted that one, although I did spend a sizeable chunk of wonga on a vintage Omas 360 Vision demonstrator a couple of months ago. The ink collection we won't discuss... it's too scary.

    I managed to cut the filofax addiction short having very rapidly found my two perfect binders - a red A5 Pimlico and a black croc-print A5 Ascot. Between them they meet my needs very nicely - although I will admit to having a 'filofax vintage' saved search on eBay just in case!

    Funnily enough, we used to have two cars, but then a job change for both of us meant that we could manage with one. 'My' car (a Subaru Impreza Turbo) became a company car for a member of my partner's property management business, and we've now been coping with one car for about 10 years. There are times it is an issue - just this morning I would have liked to go out to the supermarket to get some bread (all we had in stock had gone blue and furry...) but couldn't because my partner was out in the car and while it's not too far to walk, it's too far to walk in the time available. Like David P I travel long distances, for work at least, by train and wholeheartedly recommend it. I started doing that years ago after one particularly evil drive to work one monday morning which took 4.5 hours... 1 hour of which was spent getting from one end of Shepherd's Bush to the White City roundabout, all of about half a mile.

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    1. My worst ever business drive was in the snow at the end of last year/beginning of this, when we were still in West Wales. Got to client at 8.30 a.m. intending to stay until lunchtime, then it started snowing heavily. Lots of warnings on the news etc. Abruptly terminated my meeting just before 10 a.m., started out from SE London at a stately pace, spent all day on the M4 arriving home at 6.00 p.m. It was around that time that I seriously started planning to travel my train on a permanent basis. The worst part of train travel is that as I'm usually committed to specific trains for reasons of economy, if a meeting cancels on me I have to doss around waiting for the pre-ordained service, but that's far outweighed by the fact that I can relax on the train (even in standard class if I try hard) and get my Filofax out......

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    2. I enjoy rail travel, but most of my work involves visiting organisations who are nowhere near a railway station. In some cases it can take me a lot longer by rail than in the car.

      However I use the time to listen to audio books which is remarkably relaxing ...

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  14. Yes, I rotate and yes, I'm tempted by just about everything I see or everyone has. LOL The problem is, once I finally do get one in my hands, sometimes the novelty wears off or its just not the right one for me. I still lust after the Ochre Malden but I'm not sure why. Its not a color I would particularly be drawn too as a fashion accessory, however, there is something sexy and appealing about it and I can see using it in the fall/winter with my deep chocolate and tan leather satchels, shoulder bags, etc. Plus, it would look great in my kitchen, living room, den, etc. as all my colors there are chocolate brown, russet, copper, black and deep golds. I can see the Ochre Malden on the corner of my coffee table and it looks sharp! And so, I'm sure one will actually be there one day. As far as the temptation goes, I'm always tempted and have only been able to resist temptation in the past couple of months. Too many home repairs, home remodels, car repairs, and a big party event on he horizon so finances must be focused elsewhere. And when you get right down to it, as much as I LOVE my Filofaxes, sometimes a girl's gotta remodel a bathroom/guest bedroom and pretty up the outdoor living space for the out of town company coming! When I first got hooked on Filofax's I was buying them like they were going out of style. I've learned though, that I can pretty much find what I'm looking for. When you're ready to buy, with the exception of the vintage models, they can be found through this group or one you've been looking for pops up unexpectedly. And, for me, the chase is half the fun!

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    1. Cheryl,

      I too want every one I see in a video/blog. Then I get it and it's not for me. I have a whole collection just sitting there that I really just need to sell.

      But, at no time was I ever interested in the Ochre Malden (even though I love the Maldens). Now, thanks to "Its not a color I would particularly be drawn too as a fashion accessory, however, there is something sexy and appealing about it and I can see using it in the fall/winter with my deep chocolate and tan leather satchels, shoulder bags, etc." I am tempted. I. Must. Stop.

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    2. Hahahahahaha Allee I'm so sorry...didn't mean to be an enabler! ;-)

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  16. I only have a couple. My A5 Malden which I keep coming back to every time I think I want to downsize but have such trouble doing so! And I have two personal sizes. A Malden which is okay but I don't care for the way the front cover lies when it's open, and a Holborn which I REALLY thought I wanted and after receiving it and using it for about 3 days I realized I don't like it and it's just wasting away in it's box now. What I know I really, really want I can't seem to find as I believe it's been discontinued, and that's a personal size classic in the color pink. So I will just be content with my Malden and maybe someday something else will come along that will catch my eye and I will succumb to temptation~

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    1. Valerie,

      Just posted this under the wrong person...sorry!

      I, too have been looking for the Pink Classic. Filofax France has it. It's no bargain. I live in the US so I have that expense too. What to do, what to do?!

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    2. I know someone in the US who recently got one on ebay -- and I saw another pop up there not long ago - just checked and they just have the pink in pocket and A5.

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    3. Valerie,

      If you are still looking for the pink Classic Personal, check out Amazon UK. It's about half the price of FF France...but still pricey. It's about $90 USD, including shipping to the US.

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  17. Another weird thing is I am tempted by the Purple Malden as it looks lovely online but I fear I will get one of those crinkly ones and have to send it back. And nothing drives me more crazy than having to send stuff back. I've sent a few Filofax's back and its so annoying dealing with it. I also get tempted by the Crimson Malden which is strange because I am not really into that color. But it looks lovely when you all are showing them! Then one Vintage model that would really tempt me would be a Portland Grand because of the large rings and the Cavendish because I just love Joshua LaPorte's! Not sure if that has larger rings or not.

    I do plan to sell some of my Filofax's though. Even though I rotate them at times I find some are just sitting on the shelf taking up space and I am not particularly bonded to some of them. I now know that even though I like a compact for travel, I did not like the Chameleon compact. It was just too stiff. But I love the Holborn compact. As for Personal's, I have a few that are just too 'wide' if that makes any sense. I like the slimmer profile of the Finchley and am trying to remind myself to check out the binder dimensions before being tempted by color so I don't make any more wrong purchases for me. I don't mind that the Malden is a little wider in profile. After buying various models, I think I am a little smarter about my purchases than I was in the beginning where I was randomly buying everything on a whim.

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  18. Am I correct in assuming the Filo A5 is equal in dimensions to the FC Classic size and Day Timer Jr. Desk?

    Thanks,

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    1. No! Absolutely NOT! Whilst most countries around the globe (even the UK!) use ISO paper sizing (millimetres), the USA and Canada still use Imperial (inches). A5 is 148.5mm x 210mm. Franklin Covey Classic and Day Timer Desk are both 5.5 inches x 8.5 inches - that's 140mm x 216mm. Similar, but not the same! I discovered this to my cost, trying to fit a Plannerism Planner (216mm) into a Filofax Flex cover (210mm).

      See Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_size) for a more detailed explanation.

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  19. I've long thought that at a future meet up we could have a Filofax Workshop the sort of thing such as creating dividers, any tips that might be passed on, a swapping of materials papers etc. Lucy had a technique for lining up holes for punching new inserts. There was a video on You Tube someone had use a Silhouette Caameo to create designs etc.

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