Planners are great things ONCE you figure out which inserts work best for you and how to make those inserts work for you. In this episode, the gruesome twosome tackle the gruelling subject of selecting proper inserts, discussing various types, sizes, layouts, paper quality and thickness.
We also discuss whether printing your own inserts is the way to go, particularly when comparing the price of paper and printer ink versus having custom inserts printed and what type of printers are the best for handling insert projects.
If you have ideas for future episodes please send them to steve at philofaxy dot com
Show Notes (timings approximate)
01:00 - The simple solution... Philofaxy Inserts
02:00 - Preprinted or Print Your Own
04:45 - The inserts Steve uses
06:45 - Check your printer specification
08:00 - Choosing a printer
10:30 - Filofax inserts as currently used by Karine
11:30 - Using an Office Services shop to get inserts printed
13:00 - Using pre-printed inserts
14:00 - Buy a sample insert part way through the year
16:00 - Preparing for the new year
17:30 - Changes to your inserts
18:20 - DaVinci Paper
20:00 - Choosing the right insert for you, it might take a few different ones
22:00 - Go back to Episode 1 to help you decide what size
29:30 - Tips of the week
Episode 8 - Choosing inserts
A direct download is also available here: Episode8.mp3
Presenters - Steve Morton and Karine Tovmassian
Our Websites: Philofaxy TN Times and The Streamlined Life The Streamlined Life (FB Group)
Naturally we would love to hear your feedback on the podcast. If you use iTunes please gives us your rating or reviews of the podcast.
Previous Episodes:
Episode 7 - How do you carry your planner
Episode 6 - Planners on the go - Travelling with your planner
Episode 5 - Why would you pay more than double the price of a Filofax?
Episode 4 - Using Your Planner To Create Small and Permanent Habit Changes.
Episode 3 - A Multi Plannerverse: Getting on with two or more planners.
Episode 2 - Where to start your planning journey and why....
Episode 1 - What size and why....
Excellent podcast! So many great things covered in this one. The struggle is indeed real. I've tried for years to get various things to work for me, only to be frustrated. Now I am embracing A5 (in a binder with smaller rings) and am finally starting to figure out what works well for me.
ReplyDeleteYou both touched briefly on the fact that different people are in different stages of planning: some are new, others have been planning a long time. Something else to consider is the planning needs of an individual in different stages of their life. Back when I was a student, a simple weekly planner worked fine for me. Now that I have a busy family and work from home, I need a more complex system to keep everything going.
Yes, I know for certain that my requirements changed quite dramatically back in 2010 when I went from working to retired (and moving to foreign parts too!). When I think back now I was almost in a fog for a few months!!
DeleteFor a second I thought you would suggest drawing the format for the third option. This year it has been a breeze to draw my layout and trim the pages. I can understand that many people would not consider this way.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if someone (may be on Etsy) produces pages that are printed with just the Day and Date and then leave the rest of the page blank. Which would allow you to free style your dated pages as required.
DeleteIt would be very easy to create the files for someone to print these off in different sizes.
Steve, thank you for the clever suggestion!
DeleteTerribly good podcast!
ReplyDeleteFor the Tomoe River paper... I use something quite similar, in 60 gsm. My printer is probably one of the cheapest in the market many years ago when I bought it and if I stack the paper as it comes, it will get stuck and pages will get stuck to each other. However, I noticed that when I go through the pages beforehand and separate them and then stack them atop each other all over again, my printer will print them with no hickups whatsoever. The pages just need be punched afterwards.
I too use my own weekly pages, I made mon-sun pages with chronodexes on the other side and a blank page on the other. To the blank page I just write all the things that need be done during that week and since every week is a bit different, I noticed that preprinted "tasks" etc. don´t always use the best real-estate of the paper. But then I made DO2P where I slapped a chronodex on the other page and notes and tasks on the other page, as well as linear timetable (I have several things overlapping on daily basis). Now, added with notepaper, monthly pages, information and project pages this all could add up to the thickness but... printed on 60 gsm. paper it all adds up- with tabs that are cardboard and plastic pockets- the overall thickness is less than 2 cm´s.
What prompted me was the need for a5 but joints that are genetically programmed to be weak and wobbly. So I use 12,5-13 cm papers in width (they used to be in bound form in 13 cm´s wwhen I tried to live without rings. I somehow lack the capability to organize my life without rings besides, I needed to add many sections with the abity to shuffle paper about. So when I moved back, to my great relief, to rings- I just slashed the pages from their notebook-binding. Hence the 5 mm´ish varying widths), but a5 height. This all makes the binder quite light to carry.
After all, there is such a difference between personal paper and a5.
I'm really enjoying the podcasts! I've just tuned in and am playing a bit of catch up. Steve and Karine, you are both very well suited to doing podcasts (very listener-friendly voices) and I hope you continue to do these. Even thought I'm a long time planner user (and still struggle with settling into one size/type of planner and insert style) I find lots of useful formation in these podcasts. Thank you for your efforts...much appreciated.
ReplyDelete