The generation of Baby Boomers is now nearing or is already at retiring age. Having lived through the ‘swinging sixties’ many of us are still going strong, loving life and looking forward to many more years ahead, albeit with a mountain of pills and replacement bits and pieces.
During my working life my organisers were all to do with my work in education and I never contemplated using one in my home-life. I wanted to step out of the rat race and leave all that behind. After retirement I happily pursued all my hobbies and it was only by chance that I acquired a Filofax style personal planner from one of my forays in a Charity Shop.
That planner started me on my Filofax journey, researching different sizes and types of planners, set-ups and ways of organising. A new world opened up especially when I found Philofaxy and saw that others shared my enthusiasm for a Filofax.
Needless to say my first proper Filofax followed the look-a-like and a new hobby was born. Who would have thought that I would still enjoy using my working skills - organising, categorising, researching, planning for projects, filing and juggling commitments in my retirement years!
I now own (ahem) more than one Filofax and the collection continues to grow as I find ways to use them all. By far the main way of using the Filofax is as an organiser and planner of everyday life and I read mostly articles written by the younger generation, people using a Filofax to run a busy home, organise work or student life or run a business.
There are not many articles, blogs, vlogs or YT videos produced by us ‘oldies’ showing a Filofax in action for our age group, although thank you to the wonderful ‘older’ lady on YT who showed off her Filofax containing her bus pass, medication list, and shopping trolley coin - you inspired me greatly!
I have often wondered how many of us baby boomers benefit from having a Filofax in our lives, how many call in here looking for inspiration? Our generation still enjoys fashion, music and alternative ideas.
We like to live life to the full and with innovative planning and organising in a Filofax we can achieve this and so much more.
Hi Lynn, Your Filofax collection is gorgeous. I love the colors! I was born at the tail end of the baby boomer generation, and I get what you are saying. My Filofax is more about my life outside an office. Four years ago when I was laid off after 15 years I cried as I removed the work office pages from my beloved Filofax. Upon returning to working I started using a moleskin - keeping the Filofax for my life outside the office. We have just started looking for "our shed" (weekend getaway/future retired years home), and my Filofax is an important part of our search.
ReplyDeleteI too am of a certain age and since retiring I have rediscovered the joys of planners. I had one in the 1990's for work but went down the digital path in later years. I was never comfortable with that and also got frustrated when the system crashed or didn't link up properly. When I retired, I discovered Philofaxy and that reignited my love for a proper paper planner. I now have a bit of a collection and passed on that old work Day Timer to my daughter-in-law. Over the past few years, I would have struggled without my planners and using one as a journal is keeping me sane at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI'm a middle of the pack "Boomer" looking forward to retirement. I remember back in the 1980s when having a Filofax was the epitome of professionalism. Now I use the Outlook calendar at work to keep track of work items and my precious filos are used to keep track of my real life. The only work entries in my planner(s) relate to the things at work that bring me joy: pay day, time off and free lunches!
ReplyDeleteLynn - very interesting! I've never thought of myself as a "baby boomer". However as a 1959 vintage, apparently I am. Clearly I need to start thinking of retiring like you (and Steve!)
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so glad to find other Boomers who share the love of Filofax. I'm retired, but my Filofaxes are still going strong, having been repurposed in many other ways. Maybe we should start a Boomer group lol.
ReplyDeleteLook up the group - Filofax for Over Fifties and we'll make a start!
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