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26 May 2014

Guest Post: The Filofax that started it all - Jane

Thank you to Jane and George for this wonderful guest post. 

Hello, fellow Filofaxers!

My name is Jane and I'm here today to introduce to you "the Filofax that started it all" for me. George Redgrave has been using ring-bound organizers for over 25 years. I'd never seen a Filofax until I stumbled across this picture in the fall of 2009....

George's notebook. I'm charmed and awed by the used look.
I'm sure many UK and European readers find it hard to believe that folks in the United States don't have ready access to a Filofax retailer, but it is exceptionally hard to find them Stateside (although it's getting easier).

Since then, George has patiently answered all my questions regarding his system, which are simple and effective.

And now, take it away George!


How long have you been using your ring-bound system?

My children gave me a pocket size six ring binder (not Filofax) for Fathers' Day in 1988. According to Wikipedia that was Sunday 19 June but my diary entries do not start until Monday 27 June 1988

What attracted you to using a ring-bound planner as opposed to a book planner?

I had been using bound notebooks for some time but the children gave me a ring binder as a present. I don't remember asking for one or saying that it would be more useful.

What is your current Filofax model?

I have a black Pocket Finsbury.

What other Filofaxes do you use? What are their purposes?

I use a black standard six ring binder - possibly Filofax but un-named - for sermon notes (I only preach occasionally so it doesn't get a lot of use). I have a slim burgundy standard Filofax which I use as an address book - this was bought by me for my wife. I also have another standard size red leather ring binder made by a local craftsman which I bought at a craft fair for my wife but which I don't use. (I've got a spare pocket Filofax which I bought cheaply on a stall and which is waiting for my current pocket Filofax to become too worn.)

Describe how you use your Pocket Finsbury. This is the part we LOVE: the sections, specific pages you have in there, how you use your calendar with a to-do list, etc. The more details the better.

I put papers in the large back pocket - minutes of meetings, agenda etc but take them out and file/discard them soon after.

I haven't got anything in the front semi-transparent pocket at present. I have four plastic membership cards in the slip in pockets: Cyclists' Touring Club, Historic Houses etc I have a shopping list and a repeat medical prescription form in the large pocket.

The first "page" is a clear plastic wallet with a photograph of my late wife on one side and a photograph of my younger son, his wife and their three daughters on the other side. In between the photos I keep a spare blank cheque which I can write out if need be.

Inside front of George's Filofax.
Then comes a thick page (not the official page) with my name and address, land line and mobile 'phone numbers and my e-mail address (I lost my Filofax at a large Christian camp last summer and was 'phoned telling me that it had been found :) On that page I also have a check list of the things I take with me when I go out on trips e.g. camera, sandwiches, mini umbrella etc.

After that comes a 2014 calendar, this is clipped to the previous page with two spare paper clips - which I might need. Then the 2013 and 2015 calendars on one page facing the 2014 calendar.

Next comes the diary section, this is the "week to one page" style. I used to have "month to a view", making it myself for many years, but it was a little too cramped. A paper clip holds the pages with the current week and earlier weeks to the 2013/15 calendar page so that I can easily open the Filofax at the current week and look at the 2014 calendar page. At present I have inserted the diary pages only up to August to save space, then a plain page with the months of 2014 set out so that I can note things after August. On the other side of that is a similar set up for 2015 but I probably won't use it as I recently bought the Filofax 2015 Vertical year planner which I've put in already.

On then to a plain page which I've divided into two columns of six boxes headed "Anniversaries" and with the months written in them. Principally this is to record birthdays, wedding anniversaries, dates of baptism and of deaths. Some are in blue, more important ones are in green but very important ones are in red. On the other side of this page are notes of the times of last postal collections from my nearest post box, the local shops and from the main sorting office. There are a few other things too, some conversion tables of English/metric measures, bus times and train times. As this page stays in the Filofax for succeeding years I have strengthened three of the holes with adhesive tape which has fibreglass running through it. I have done this with many pages. I used to run the tape down all six holes but as this causes the pages to bulge I now put the tape over three alternate holes and then the other three alternate holes on the next page.

You can see the Anniversary page on the right hand side of his notebook here. I love how he color codes depending on occasion.
The next page is lined and has a long list of all the things I take with me when I go away, including when I go camping. It starts with "slippers" and ends with "tea towel". Shirts, extension lead, and soap appear in no particular order and other things have been squeezed in at the side of the two columns of writing. The other side of this page is blank!

The next two pages list the Folio Society (www.foliosociety.com) books I have bought with the date and the price I paid in secondhand bookshops. I love these books, they are beautifully produced with their cloth covers, slip cases and illustrations. These pages are not Filofax pages but from another loose leaf notebook and have yellow edges to the paper. This method of colouring not the whole page but just the edge is quite useful.

The next two pages are Bible texts that I particularly wanted to note. These are all to do with reading the Bible e.g. Deuteronomy 11:18 "Let these words of mine remain in your heart and your soul" Jerusalem Bible. I have noted the version they are taken from as sometimes the same verse seems to speak more tellingly to me in one version than another.

The next page lists favourite hymns and worship songs and is written on violet paper. There could be lots but I've only written down about forty or so.

Next comes section of white lined pages which I use to take notes in sermons. I usually only jot down a few points but sometimes far more. There are four sheets of paper here, two have been written on and two are blank. As the section fills up I transfer the pages to the storage drawer. These notes, on Filofax pages and in bound notebooks, go back about forty years.

The next dozen pages are in various colours but I am currently using pink paper. These are thoughts - possibly even poems, though they mostly neither rhyme nor scan. On 25 May 2004, on holiday with my elder son in New York, I wrote:

It's E to A at the corner of Fifth and West 42nd Street,
Yellow cabs stream past,
I stand in the bright sunlight,
Alone in New York.

The E to A refers to an unusual clock there, I took this photo soon after.


I was alone when I wrote this as my son had gone off to do some shopping but we met up for lunch a bit later on.

Then comes a lot of white lined paper and is the standard notebook. I jot down things I want to remember, jokes, calculations … anything that you'd do with pen and paper.

Where George jots notes.
As these notes become no longer current I transfer the pages to the storage drawer, they go back to the first loose-leaf notebook.

George's archival system. I love how he doesn't use binders to archive, just humble rubber bands.
I have a plastic Filofax ruler, marked TODAY, clipped into the rings at the point I am up to in this section. Fairly recently, and I wish I'd been doing it for many years, I have written the date at the top of a new page. There are several blank sheets here of course.

Then comes a section of unlined white paper, some currently have alphabets written by my grand daughters. I give them this section to write on when they ask me for somewhere to write or draw. I have a six hole Pocket Filofax punch (the nice metal one not the cheap plastic one - which I used to use) and put my own paper in here. I used to do the same with the lined paper but I bought a pack of 100 Pocket Filofax sheets quite cheaply about a year ago so I use that, also it's not easy to get sufficiently narrow lined paper – I used to buy cheap diaries and cut them up.

Then come a few sheets of half centimetre squared paper - I make odd notes … and my grand daughters have written here too :)

After that there are a couple of blank green pages and a couple of blue ones with nothing on.

Now we come to the beginning of the chief section of my Pocket Filofax. A photograph of which has received the second highest number of views of my photos on Flickr.

I wish I could write this small!
This is the table of contents of my commonplace book. You will see from the photograph that it is written in three columns of very small writing. It is not an index as I wouldn't be able to insert references but it just lists the quotations in order. The colours refer to the type of entry: Orange for religion, green for photography, red for art, blue for travel (mostly cycling) other things are left uncoloured. There are at present 559 entries. Some go back to before I had the loose-leaf notebook in 1988 but only a few, it really starts just over twenty years ago.

Then come the pages of quotations, they are dog-eared from much use, the corners have been worn away by the zip at the back of the Filofax (I've since taken the fastener off as it was a nuisance.) The holes have reinforcing tape on them, some early pages all six holes but latterly only three to a page. This photograph of has had over 21,000 views!

I love the classical style found in this: the elegant handwriting, the dog eared pages, and the timelessness captured in George's pocket Finsbury Filofax.
I have photographed all the pages in case I lose it. This is what I'm well known for by my acquaintances, I whip the notebook out and quote from something at the least opportunity. I also read these pieces culled from over twenty years of reading when I've got a few idle moments – standing at the supermarket checkout for example.


At this point we must stop. Not because the notebook finishes here but because all the rest of the pages are written upside down so… we turn the Pocket Filofax over and start again at the back. I do this as it's easier to find the end sections this way.

The first thing you would notice is that the leather clip to hold the notebook shut is missing.

The front of George's Pocket Finsbury.
I cut it off some while ago as I keep the Filofax in my hip pocket and the clip jams when I put it in or take it out. I have to alternate which pocket, left or right, to keep it in as my trousers were wearing out on the right and even my car seat was showing signs of distress. I have also removed the pen holder loop for the same reason. Actually I think that the Pocket Filofax is a little too large, a previous leather loose-leaf notebook I had took the same size pages but the covers were a little smaller. The zip fastener has gone as well. I keep three cards with prayers on in the pocket together with some mini post-it notes to use as book markers – mostly in books other than my notebook.

The "first" page is another clear pocket with a photograph of my three children, two daughters in law and three grandchildren … one had not been born when the photo was taken. On the other side are two photos, one of my grandson, now twenty, when he was about ten, and one of my grand daughter now ten when she was about two.

Next come some pages with addresses and telephone numbers that I want to have to hand, these pages have purple edges.

Then there's the accounts section.

Are you as up to date on your money as George? Me either.
I write down all my expenditure. The five columns are:
a & b spending on two credit cards
c what it was for (centre column)
d cash in (forth column)
e cash spent
I reckon it up each Saturday and carry it forward. I've been doing this for nearly forty years and have all the records in the drawer - though I've organised it more systematically over the years. I total up on Saturday and start again on Sunday. Sometimes I can't account for things which I've probably forgotten – or lost – hence the question marks.
The next section on yellow edged paper is a list of books that I see or read about and would like to buy. It's got a bit out of hand as I'm up to book 1,364 and I don't often get them but … there it is.

George's list of book titles he finds interesting. A check means he's read that title.
Then there are four pages of ideas for photographs, some taken from books a good many years ago others are fairly new which I've thought of.

Next is a list of people who've borrowed books from the Camera Club I belong to – not very many books are borrowed, I started doing it in 2000 and I've only just gone onto the second sheet of paper.

The next two sheets are really only there for sentimental reasons, I rarely look at them. They list the Anglican churches within about a ten mile radius of my former house, the distance from that house, the time it took to cycle there, the date I went and the type of service. I used to set off early on Sunday morning and go to 8.00am communion services, being back in time to go to church with my family. The paper is the original paper from the notebook my children gave me in 1988. The dates range from then and become fewer until the last one is in 2002 … and I live about three miles away from that house so the distances are wrong and I'd be much slower riding them now :)

Next is a printed Filofax list of weights and measures with metric and Imperial equivalents, over the page are some facts about time and the calendar.

And now we've reached the quotations in the commonplace section coming the other way :)

What is your favorite feature of your current binder?

It's got fairly big rings to keep quite a lot of pages, previous non-Filofax binders tended to be smaller. The binder is pretty tough - I've been using it for about seven years and it's still more or less OK.

If you could design your perfect Filofax, what would it include? How would these adjustments help you (others)?

No zip pocket, no pen loop, and a slightly smaller cover – but with the same size rings. I now keep a slim stainless steel Papermate ballpoint pen in the rings of the binder. It fits well but would fall out so I have a piece of string with two loops, one at each end, to slip the pen through and clip it onto.


I think I love the simplicity of his notebook. Its small, portable, and does the job. Plus, I'm really envious of his small script. If we compared handwriting to shoe size, he's got a petite 5 (EU 35/ UK 2.5)  and I'm the awkward size 10 (EU 42/UK 7.5).

A huge thanks to George for being such a great sport and answering all my questions! I'm so lucky he's so gracious and I'm grateful he's willing to share his Filofax with us.

Jane

84 comments:

  1. This is the greatest post! I loved every bit of it! Wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elise,
      Thank you so much for sharing your enthusiasm for George's binder. Is it just me, or do you want to hold it and read it in person??
      Jane :)

      Delete
  2. This is the greatest post! I loved every bit of it! Wonderful!

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  3. You cannot know how very inspiring this post was!! Thank you. He is so very unselfconscious about his Philo and not surprisingly, therefore, it is truly a work of art. Inspired me to become much less worried about what mine looks like and more concerned about what is in it!!

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    Replies
    1. Joseph,
      Although I do believe stickers and color coding have their uses, I too am inspired by the simplicity of his system. Be sure to go to Flickr and follow him. He has many other beautiful photos, including more of his 'notebook' as he calls it!
      Jane :)

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  4. Thanks for using this, I really love my Pocket Filofax :)

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    Replies
    1. George,
      Thank YOU for sharing so willingly with us!!! And be sure to check back here, I'm sure folks might have a question or two for you.
      Hugs,
      Jane :)

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  5. What a joy. Timeless. Simply beautiful and practical. A snapshot of history. This is without doubt, the best post I've read in ages. Thanks for sharing George - you have beautiful handwriting.

    I too have a much thumbed quotations section, in my Mini Portland Filofax, but I never thought of a colour coded index - I shall ‘borrow’ that great idea. I colour code the edge of pages in my Mini as it obviates the use of dividers and tabs - especially useful as Mini has been my journal in my travels all over the world.

    Love the Folio Society – beautifully bound books. The Shakespeare letterpress series is sublime. I’ve just ordered 'Worst Journey in the World' to complement the 1937 editions in my collection. One day I need to catalogue my 'library' and you've given me some ideas. Thanks!


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cloudberry,
      Thank you so much for expressing your sentiments. I completely agree and wish my Filofax was as cool as George's notebook.
      I'm sure loads of folks would love for you to do a guest post on your quotes section in your Mini Portland...
      Jane :)

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    2. I second that!

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    3. Oh my goodness, what an honour that would be; my life in miniature! My mini Microfile predates my Mini Filofax, so I have dog eared diary and note pages dating back to 1995 and even my last address book in pre mobile phone days. Much of my angst and quotes back then still hold true today! Here's one: "The quest for money should not take priority over one's enjoyment of life and work".

      Delete
    4. Cloudberry,
      That's a great quote. I would love to see more.
      And that's a NOT so subtle hint. :)
      Jane

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  6. This is an amazing use of a Filofax! Every single centimetre is covered with writing. No stickers or washi tape!! It is refreshing and inspiring. I loved reading this post.

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    Replies
    1. Alison,
      I agree--I wish my handwriting was smaller so I could use a pocket. Maybe I just need to start practicing daily...
      And as I said before, I think stickers and washi can be useful, but they can certainly be a detractor.
      As a minimalist, I completely appreciate George's style.
      Jane

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    2. As an aspiring minimalist, I certainly appreciated the use of space, but also the old-style indexing system. I've been looking at commonplace books in general since reading this, and in particular John Locke's 'A New Method of Making Commonplace Books' (pub. 1685!) Fascinating stuff. I'm again reminded of Nicholas Carr's book The Shallows, and his analysis of how the internet may be 'messing with our minds' and decreasing our capacity for what he call's 'deep thought'. Thank you both again for letting us have this post - remarkable.

      Delete
    3. David,
      Where/how did you locate the 'A new method of making Commonplace Books'? I'm seriously going to try to inter-library loan it, but I'd love to hear more of their suggestions!
      Jane

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    4. Hi Jane

      I think you're going to have your work but out to find a paper copy. There are some advertised on ABE as appendices to other works - see

      http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=4201640745&searchurl=an%3Djohn%2Blocke%26amp%3Bsts%3Dt%26amp%3Btn%3Da%2Bnew%2Bmethod for example. It seems mostly to be appended to his 'On the Conduct of the Understanding' ISBN 9781140789345

      I've read passages from the book and it's not an 'easy read', but the 17th century English will yield to sustained concentration!

      Good luck!

      Delete
    5. Wow, yes, that may indeed take a bit of digging to find.
      I think I'll turn that work over to the hands of a professional librarian :)
      Interlibrary loan it is!
      Thanks for that ISBN number.
      Just out of curiosity, how were you able to read it in digital format?
      Jane

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    6. There are several articles online about John Locke's indexing method. If you are interested in the "original" translation, check Online Library of Liberty: http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/locke-the-works-vol-2-an-essay-concerning-human-understanding-part-2-and-other-writings If the link takes you to the beginning of the translation, scroll down the table of contents to A New Method of a Common-Place-Book. It's a great read.

      Delete
    7. Many thanks T-na - I can't now find the URL for what I was able to read, but it was only an extract. This is a much better link.

      Delete
    8. T-na,
      Thank you so much for posting this! I really appreciate it.
      :)

      Delete
  7. This might be the very best post I've ever read! Totally inspiring...I didn't want it to end! And all in a pocket Filofax -- amazing. Thanks so much for sharing, Jane and George!

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    Replies
    1. Claudia,
      Aren't his pages motivating?
      Go to Flickr and check out Georgie R's photostream. He has more notebook photos there.
      Enjoy :)
      Jane

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  8. This post make me understand better why people are into Filofax. I might surprise you one day Jane when I show you one I have purchased. Or maybe you need to help me select the "perfect" model for me. Thank you for sharing. Love you, Mom

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    Replies
    1. Mom,
      YOU HAVE A PLANNER? SINCE WHEN?
      Love you!
      Jane :)

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  9. Love love love this post. I've seen George's pictures on Flickr and wanted to know more about him and his Filofax, so thank you for this.

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    Replies
    1. Lisa,
      If you're familiar with George's account, please please go there and thank him personally!
      And ask for more pictures!
      Jane :)

      Delete
  10. What a fabulous post! I can't believe he keeps all of that in a Pocket. I kept looking back to make sure I read it right.

    He has given me some ideas to try in my own FF...but, more importantly, he has inspired me to look at it in a whole new way. Thank you, George and Jane!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Allee,
      I think because I was introduced to Filofax as using it George's way, I've avoided the decoration bandwagon. I've tried multiple times to make a pocket work for me, but it just didn't. However, a slimline did. I can't stress the importance of using what works for you.
      Isn't his system brilliant in it simplicity?
      Jane

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  11. Fantastic post - thank you! I found this very inspiring, and a great example of the absolutely maximal use of the available space! All this in a Pocket binder - amazing. I've been using *either* a Filofax Personal *or* a TMI binder since 1982, but, alas, I haven't kept all the pages, and now wish I had. However, I still think the use of page space here is truly amazing, and for once I'm really happy that I too have small handwriting!

    I *love* the idea of using my Personal as a commonplace book (indeed, I love the idea of a commonplace book altogether), and am going to think about this some more. I suddenly see the point of different coloured papers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David,
      Do it! Create a common place book you cherish.
      Be sure, after you've made it to share it with us! I'm sure George would love to see how his system has helped inspire other's creativity!
      Jane

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    2. David,
      If I can get his address, I will send some of the Davinci Tomoe River paper for the pocket models, I think he would put it to good use!

      Delete
    3. Hi Crofter

      I'm afraid I don't have it......maybe Jane can help, or you could contact him through Flickr? Trust all is well with you. I now have a good supply of the Tomoe River pages, thanks to your introduction! Still meaning to write you a 'real' letter - apologies for the delay.

      Delete
    4. Crofter,
      I notified George of your generous offer of the paper. He's been a tad busy responding to friend requests and other emails:)
      Very nice of you by the way--I love our community because of our giving spirit!
      Jane

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  12. So glad that George has made an appearance here after looking at his Flickr photos for so long!
    I agree with David about him being able to fit so much in the pocket size & thanks for such a great post.

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    Replies
    1. Anita,
      Aren't his photos drool-worthy?
      Since you know him from Flickr, please take a moment and thank him personally on one of his photos.
      Plus, as we're simplicity gals, it kinda makes you rethink what do we *need* in a planner, right?
      Jane

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  13. The first photo is the reason my interest in the filofax started. I saw it on flickr, and the rest is history! Great post.

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    Replies
    1. Terri,
      It sounds like our histories are similar!
      Is your Filofax as awesome as George's? If so, contact Steve for a guest post!!!
      Jane

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    2. Wow! Fantastic! Wish I had saved all my old FC pages which I used while raising family. What a legacy. I use my pocket size occasionally and you really can fit a lot in it...but this example goes beyond the limits of my imagination!

      Delete
    3. Cheryl,
      Instead of wishing you'd done something, just simply start today.
      Pull out your pocket and start your common place book :)
      Jane

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    4. Back visiting this great post...and took your suggestion. :-)

      Delete
  14. Not only George's Filofax is really inspiring, but also his photostream on Flickr: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/funfilledgeorgie/

    In fact, George is one of the most inspiring people i know.

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  15. Thank you, Jane for this great post :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oliver,
      Please thank George, not me :) I hounded and pestered him for ages, trying to understand his system. If he hadn't of photographed it, and uploaded it to the web, I'd had ZERO idea about Filofaxes, probably to this day.
      Imagine how floored I was when I asked if he'd do another guest post and he said he hadn't done a first. :)
      Jane

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  16. What an amazing system. I've always been intrigued by his photos. Thanks so much for this post.

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    Replies
    1. Robyn,
      Aren't his photos drool worthy?
      Jane

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  17. Blown away. This is what I've always envisioned a datebook, organizer, filofax, whatever- to be. Thank you Jane and George for this wonderful and inspirational post. I am going to spend some time contemplating this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christine,
      I'm sure George will be thrilled with this news and, like me, would love seeing what you come up with!
      Jane

      Delete
  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. I have been following Georgie on his Flickr pages for years, once you view his creativity there, you will appreciate his Filofax even more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I second that. Check out the photo I like to call "Death by Laundry."

      Delete
    2. Hi – I'm really interested in the paper … can you contact me on Flickr?
      https://www.flickr.com/photos/funfilledgeorgie/

      Delete
  20. Incredible. I savored every word. For me this is what the Filofax represents, not about fads but a life well lived with thoughtful intent and the joy of documenting the journey in a special and familiar place. For over 30 years my binders have traveled with me, a little slice of home whenever away and always stuffed to the brim with a chunk of my life. Really, really enjoyed reading this post. Thank you Jane and George for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lore,
      If you've been using binders for over 30 years, I think I hear the words...GUEST POST! Contact Steve. He'd be happy to have you :)
      Jane

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  21. I teared up (in a good way) at the picture of the archives kept in the drawer. Your children will treasure those pages, George. And your great-great-grandchildren will have a way to REALLY know you, a gift most people don't have.

    I wish my greats had a method like yours! As it is, I will be grateful that I saw this post. All the strangers trying to shake your hand in heaven in a few generations will be the children of those of us you've inspired with your work (and all our local historians, I expect!)

    Thank for for sharing with us, and thank you Jane, for making sure we all got to see this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jen,
      I agree with you entirely. I love, LOVE George's notebook. I, too, wish my grandparents had kept such a neat record of their history.
      Be sure to look at the rest of George's photos on Flickr.
      Now, we must find our own way to utilize George's system :)
      Jane

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  22. Thank you so much for all these kind remarks :)

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    Replies
    1. George,
      Thank YOU for sharing with us.
      As my sixth graders say, "You're the bomb dot com."
      Jane

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    2. Hi George,
      If you would send your mailing address to me at: hillcrofter at gmail dot com I would like to send you some Japanese paper to try, it is some wonderful stuff, and is pre-punched to fit your Filo. Thank you for your time and effort to let this community know how use your Filofax.

      Delete
    3. Crofter,
      Can you read George's request above? Let me know when you hear from him :)
      Jane

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  23. 1. Best pf post I can recall, thank you.
    2. Remember the Davinci/Tomoe pocket paper size is not exactly FF pocket size, fractionally taller & narrower but I should think it would still work well for most people.

    Dave.

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    Replies
    1. It works extremely well. I use it in a Guildford Extra Slim, and this is the best paper I have ever used.

      Delete
    2. Crofter,
      Is the paper you've mentioned pocket sized?
      Thanks!
      Jane

      Delete
    3. Yes Jane, 5mm ruled and properly punched. They also make personal size 5 0r 7 mm lined or you can get blank, it also is punched to fit Filofax.

      Delete
    4. Crofter,
      I'm in the US. Do you know a site that has these? I assume this is the Da Vinci paper? I just read Cloudberry's review of it and I LOVE how thin it is. Too bad onion skin paper isn't really around anymore, huh?
      And they have it just blank, right?
      Jane

      Delete
    5. Hi Jane,

      I get mine from Jet Pens. Sorry it took me so long to see your question. They have lined or blank, plus some others.

      Delete
    6. I'm in the UK and I get mine from Jetpens - the postage is horrendous but it's still worth it!

      Delete
    7. Crofter and David,
      Thank you both!

      Delete
  24. Reading his story and seeing the richness of his well-used and loved FF pages is like having a lovely drink of well-aged scotch.I lapped up every drop of text. It was delicious reading Jane. And thank you George!

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    Replies
    1. Kent,
      Aww, you're a sweetheart! But really I think the credit should go to George: all I did was add in my commentary. I've pestered him for about 2 years now and you'd think I'd have my system down by now...
      Jane

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  25. Of all the wonderful posts I've read here, I think this may well be my favorite. I so enjoyed seeing the history and care of the Filofax. So many good ideas. I especially love the commonplace book; I'm inspired to start one of my own. Thank you Jane and George.

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    1. Cathy,
      Once you've started your common place book, please PLEASE offer to do a guest post. And the more pictures the better!
      So glad you're inspired!
      Jane

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  26. How nice of you all to say these kind things :)

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    1. George,
      We appreciate how willing you are to share with us!
      Thank YOU :)
      Jane

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  27. This is the very binder that restarted my love for paper planners! I found his photos on Flickr as I was searching journals and diaries. Thanks to you and to George for sharing!

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    1. Sharon,
      I've said it before and I'll say it again, I absolutely LOVE your Franklin Covey video on YouTube. It is such a comprehensive system. If anyone needs any info, check out Sharon's awesome vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IogI1n5_Cyg&list=TL_K9nSjGVM5bEwbOI380WYU366QgxtEdW

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  28. The setup is so pretty and inspiring! I almost can't believe the pocket filofax holds it all.

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  29. Thank you! Absolutely wonderful! I always moan that my personal filofax is not big enough, and now I'm embarrassed seeing how wonderfully George has been using his tiny Finsbury.

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  30. Thank you for reposting this article. This is, in fact the post that got me I to Filofax, and George. I still follow him on Flickr where he occasionally posts a photo of this planner.

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