Philofaxy: January 2017

31 January 2017

Web Finds - 31 January 2017

So I hope you have had a good weekend.

So now it is time to enjoy a great collection of blog posts and videos from around the internet.

So here are a selection of the latest Filofax videos for your enjoyment.

For tips on how to improve your videos, please see this post. Also this video too Webfinds
Your Filofax/Organiser Videos could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list.

My Week Posts

Enjoy.

Free For All Tuesday - No 313

Well the last day in January already. The month seemed to go very quickly for me.

So what questions or discussion points have you got for us today?

Fire away.

30 January 2017

Date for your diary - Sunday 5th February

We are going to run another conference round-table voice/video/text chat using Skype a little later than normal this month due to my travel commitments.

When? - Sunday 5 February at the following times:

London 10:00 am,
Paris 11:00 am,
Brisbane 7:00 pm time.

Additionally we will be on line later in the day at the following times:

Los Angeles 8:00 am,
Denver 9:00 am
Dallas 10:00 am,
New York 11:00am,
London 4:00 pm
Paris 5:00 pm etc.

The timing of these two sessions have been chosen to hopefully allow as many people to join in compared to previous round-tables.

Do not worry if you aren't available at the start of one of our sessions each one lasts 2-3 hours so pop up when you are available and say hello.

Where? - an on-line chat using Skype. with voice and video (if you wish)

What do I need? - just a micro-phone and some head phones(in ear phones work fine) and a free Skype account. Using headphones or earphone reduces 'echo' on the call. Video is optional, but a few of us will be on video as well.

Who - All of you... connect up with Philofaxy and we will attempt to get as many of us linked in to the audio conference as possible. Come and listen if you don't want to chat. What do we talk about? Filofax stuff... but anything else as well. It's like long lost friends meeting up for coffee and a catch up.. but don't worry if you have never joined in before... you are an old friend too!

If you have any questions you want to ask then please let us know in the group or before we start.

How -

Connect to Philofaxy by firstly searching for Philofaxy in Skype, I will then add you as a contact.
Then 'Send Contact Request', I will then add you in to the chat room.
Then if you request it, I can add you to the audio conference as well. But if you just want to chat via keyboard that's fine. That way it's slightly less hectic for me!

Come and join in the fun, even if you only pop in to say hello... but don't be afraid to join in the discussion.

As with previous round-tables there will also be a parallel text chat room going at the same time as the voice conference, so you can listen to the voice chat and type if you wish, just mute your microphone in Skype

If you need any assistance setting up Skype, please pop a comment in this post and I will try and help you get one line. Skype is free for computer to computer calls....

Here is my post on how to improve your Skype audio with headphones or a headset.

Hope to be chatting with you on Sunday 5 February 2017.

29 January 2017

Reader Under The Spotlight - David

Today I would like to introduce you to David who kindly agreed to take part in Reader Under The Spotlight

Hi, my name is David. I'm a part time Pastor of a small local church and I work part time as a Social Survey Interviewer. I'm married and have four grown up children.

1 When did you buy your first organiser and what was it?

All my first few organizers were presents for me. My first was bought when I was a poor Theological student, bought by a slightly less poor student in about 1982. Thanks Steve H! How are you these days? It was a personal size 1 ML 1/2 That means it was a single pocket brown Moroccan leather organizer with 1/2 inch rings. It was in use for years until the rings kept falling out.

2 Out of all the organisers you own, which is your current favourite (style and size)?

I have a personal brown Kendal, which was a Christmas present in 2007. It's my main organizer. I like the idea of all one's life in one place.

3. How many other organisers or other brands of organiser do you own?

Personal size:

Brown 1 ML 1/2 (now repaired),
Red 2 ML 7/8,
Brown Kendal
Brown slimline Cuban

Black A4 Staples

4. What do you use your organisers for?

Mostly I use my Kendal for journalling and organizing. I keep a slimline WTV diary separate from my Filofax.

5. How many sections do you have in your organiser?

I have three main sections;

Journal
My organizing section
Information

6. If you could design your own Filofax, what would it feature?

Apart from a Dr Who TARDIS, which could contain everything and then collapse into a mini size... My Kendal comes close. If it maintained the tactile oiled leather feel and wonderful smell longer than few years it would be close to perfect for me.

7. What's your favourite Filofax tip or hack?

Rapesco punch. I punch all my pages and dividers.

8. Have you attended a Philofaxy meet up? If not, do you intend to do one day?

I'm too shy! No I haven't yet, but may do so.

9. What was the last movie you watched?

I've been watching lots on Netflix recently, the most recent was Limitless

10. What was the last book you read?

An autobiography of Helen Roseveare, a missionary in Africa.

Thank you David.

As you know we are always looking for new people to appear in our 'Reader Under Spotlight feature, you don't have to be 'well known' or a long term user to be considered to appear in this 'spot'.So please contact Steve philofaxy at gmail dot com today.

Thank you.

28 January 2017

Web Finds - 28 January 2017

So I hope you have had a good week

So now it is time to enjoy a great collection of blog posts from around the internet, so grab a drink and make yourself for our weekly round-up.

Here are some Philofaxy posts you might have missed this week:

So here are the latest Filofax and other brand blog posts from around the Internet. Don't forget to leave a comment on the posts you enjoyed reading, all bloggers enjoy getting comments.

We monitor over 400 blogs and sites, your Filofax/Organiser blog posts could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list.
We can not guarantee people will read your posts, but we know there is a higher chance of people reading your posts and returning to read other posts if you make them interesting with pictures and good hints and tips. Do not forget to give your posts a title...
Your Filofax/Organiser posts could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list.

Enjoy

27 January 2017

Free For All Friday No 428 by Laurie

When I first started using my Filofax, I felt like my entire life should be in one binder. I quickly became frustrated (and my Filofax quickly became full to bursting). I realized it was impossible to fit every aspect of my life into my Filofax.

I learned to divide and conquer. I figured out what information I actually needed to have in my Filofax, and what was better off elsewhere. Some things went into files in my home office. Some things went into my Home binder (especially those details that were better off not carried out of the house). Some things stay on my computer.

When I used a Personal size Filofax, I carried it everywhere. What helped me decide what to put in it or not was thinking if I truly needed that bit of information carried with me everywhere I go. Things I didn't need while I was out and about were able to stay home.

Now, I work from home so the deciding factor is what information I need at hand all the time throughout the day. I'm using a Filofax with smaller rings, which helps keep me honest about what I really need, and what I don't.

My Filofax use has changed and evolved a lot over the 20+ years I've been using ring binders. Now I feel like I finally know what I need in my Filofax, and what I can leave someplace else.

How do you decide what you need to have in your Filofax, and what can stay someplace else?

And as always on Fridays, feel free to ask/ discuss anything ring binder related!

26 January 2017

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Plannerverse - Episode 47

How to understand being a planner newbie

In this episode Karine chats with her cousin who is also Karine, confusing well not really!

Karine has only discovered paper planning in this last year and she shares how she has progressed from wanting all the planners to settling in to a more peaceful existence and shares some great ideas with Karine on how she can overcome her fears about journalling.

Enjoy the discussion I know you will.

If you have ideas for future episodes please send them to steve at philofaxy dot com

Show Notes (timings approximate)
00:00 - Introductions
02:00 - Going from the first one
02:30 - Using just one or multiple planners
03:30 - Settling in to just one planner
05:30 - What size to use
07:00 - What Karine is using
10:00 - Planners and the children
12:00 - How planning helps
14:00 - Planning is fun
15:00 - Digital and/or Analogue
17:00 - Splitting between Work/Personal
17:45 - Planner Envelopes
18:00 - Planner decoration
20:00 - Hand writing
21:00 - Journalling
24:45 - Collaging in your journal
25:30 - Vision boards
26:30 - Achieving planner peace
27:30 - Intensions for this year

Episode 47 - How to understand being a planner newbie

A direct download is also available here: Episode47.mp3

Show notes: A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf

NB: A5 is in A4 format so it can be scaled to suit A5 or A6 size. Personal is for printing direct on Personal size paper.

Presenters - Karine Tovmassian and Karine Khach
Editing and production - Steve Morton

Our Websites:
Karine T: Plannerology, Karine Tovmassian (IG)
Karine K: kkhach2 (IG)
Steve: Philofaxy, Travellers Notebook Times, Mr Philofaxy (IG)

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.

If you want a quick link to all the podcasts remember: http://philofaxy.com/podcast/

Previous Episodes:

46 - Buying and Selling 101 - A5 docx pdf Personal docx pdf
45 - A5 or A6 - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
44 - End of Year - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
43 - Digital Planning vs Analogue Planning - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
42 - Planning vs Organising - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
41 - Short and Long Term Planning - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
40 - Good and Bad Planner Habits - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
39 - Tackling Planner Size Change - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
38 - Self-Improvement or Personal Development - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
37 - What is productivity anyway - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
36 - The Planner Community - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
35 - Wellness Planner - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
34 - Listeners Question - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
33 - Pens and other writing instruments - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
32 - Proper storage, care and shipping of planners, rings etc - A5 docx pdf Personal docx pdf
31 - Guest Interview - Louise Umeki - Plannercon 2017 - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
30 - Form Following Function - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
29 - Seasonal To Do Lists - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
28 - Making and keeping annual goals - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
27 - Organising the family - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
26 - Guest interview - Theresa Hall - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
25 - Guest interview - Ray Blake - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
24 - Defining the important things from the urgent things - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
23 - Guest interview with Rita Sedani - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
22 - Printing your own inserts - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
21 - How to derail your planning system by over thinking - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
20 - Digital devices/services and your analogue planner - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
19 - What To Keep In Your 'Others' Tab - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
18 - Zombie Apocalypse Preparation - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
17 - Managing Finances In Your Planner - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
16 - Planning for those of us who actually can't live without planning, with guest co-host Carie Harling - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
15 - Automation Nirvana - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
14 - Work Life Balance and Your Planner - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
13 - GTD Productivity And Using Your Paper Planner - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
12 - Job Seeking and Keeping - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
11 - Planner Fail - A5 docx pdf Personal docx pdf
10 - Planner Hacks - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
9 - Planner Planning - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
8 - Choosing Inserts - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
7 - How do you carry your planner - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
6 - Planners on the go - A5 docx pdf  Personal docx pdf
5 - Why would you pay more than the price of a Filofax? - A5 docx pdf Personal docx pdf
4 - Using Your Planner To Create Permanent Habit Changes - A5 docx pdf Personal docx pdf
3 - Getting on with two or more planners - A5 docx pdf Personal docx pdf
2 - Where to start your planning journey and why - A5 docx pdf Personal docx pdf
1 - What size and why.... - A5 docx pdf Personal docx pdf

25 January 2017

Taking stock - by Anita

I thought that I would write a bit of a follow-up to my previous post about Filofax New Year's resolutions, and also borrow a little from Steve's one back in 2010. However, I will be focusing on accessories as I've started some decluttering, so am looking at what to use or give away.

Whilst I love stationery, I don't own very much and keep all my Filofax bits and pieces in this small box. Most of my blank paper is kept in my Franklin Covey compact storage binder and of course, there's my trusty KW-Trio punch. I will be able to free up more space in the box as there are more inserts that can go in the storage binder. I had a quick hunt in my desk drawers and around the place to make sure that it's all in here for the photo.

I admit that it's easy to just pop items in the box and forgot about them. Therefore, I thought that it was time to go through and see what treasures I can find!

Some recent purchases - new dividers (post to follow), a shopping list pad to hole punch, sticky notes and a Hobonichi stencil. I don't decorate as I find it gets too busy for me to look at, so things like this will add a bit of interest and colour.

Some older items that I'll definitely be using - Daiso tabs, Davinci inserts, Muji checklist pad, Muji checklist stamp and Muji pen loop. Haha, I've just checked back and I purchased the checklist pad at the 2012 London meet up! I was lucky to pick the checklist stamp up on eBay for a bargain price.

Other older items to be used - some remaining pages from a menu planner (also from the 2012 meet up), a Coleto multi pen and a couple of jot pads. I also have some small note pads from Artbox and Rhodia that I'm going to use as sticky notes with my one roll of washi tape.

I treated myself to a nice desk with better storage, so I will be moving these items out of the box and into a drawer for easier access and to make sure I use them up.

24 January 2017

Web Finds - 24 January 2017

For tips on how to improve your videos, please see this post. Also this video too Webfinds
Your Filofax/Organiser Videos could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list.

My Week Posts

Enjoy.

Free For All Tuesday - No 312

You had this idea or question, you don't know the answer, you are sure you might have seen it somewhere. Was it on Philofaxy? You can't remember. It has to be here somewhere. Someone must know the answer.

With nearly 3600 published posts even Steve struggles to find stuff!

But fire away with your questions I'm sure we can find the answer. Two heads are better than one ?

Questions, discussions, it is what Tuesdays are all about....

23 January 2017

Vintage Mulberry agenda: take two - by Anita

Following on from my post about cycles of buying and selling, I thought that I would reveal to you my third and final binder. Whilst I loved my previous Mulberry agenda, I wasn't convinced about keeping it as all my inserts are in Filofax personal size. However, I've since realised that I could buy paper quite cheaply, or cut up other notebooks or paper that I already have around the house.

I was having a little look on eBay, as you do, and came across this wonderful croc Mulberry for a great price (I managed to knock £10 off the buy it now price with a cheaper offer too).

It's in much better condition than my previous one and I love the pattern which reminds me of a mixture between an Ascot and a Dundee (best of both worlds). I have seen it described by owners/sellers as both Congo and croc, so contacted Mulberry to ask they could confirm for me. It seems that their photographic records don't go back that far, but I'm lucky that a member of their staff recognised it as walnut Nile leather. The internal layout is exactly the same, and the secretarial pocket plus the gusseted zipped one make a great combination in my opinion.

The Mulberry leather is wonderful. I know that this would've been pretty expensive new, but I'd be happy to shove it in a bag as it's definitely not delicate. When it arrived, there was this scratch on the front which you can see now barely shows in my first picture. I slightly dampened the area and then rubbed with my finger and the leather got its shine back. It was described as 'used but well loved and great patina', so I was happy anyway, especially at the price that I paid.

Once again, it has that great little design feature that the strap shortens or lengthens, depending on which popper you want to use. It's also handy as it tucks out of the way when you're writing inside.

After I'd left feedback on eBay, I contacted the seller to ask if she knew anything about its history. She had actually sold it on behalf of a friend and then very kindly passed on the lady's name and phone number (with her permission). She also said the following - 'I know it was bought in Norway when she worked for someone she's not allowed to talk about, wink, wink !! It's an interesting story'. I had to follow that up as I was curious... I finally managed to get through to the previous owner, and she was polite, but obviously a little bemused about my interest. I explained about being a planner nerd and that I was writing a post for here, hoping to hear a little more. Basically, she told me that she'd purchased it in Oslo about 25 years ago in the small Mulberry shop there, which was before when the company was more well known. And that was it! I politely thanked her and laughed lots once I was off the phone, as either the friend had misunderstood, or the lady decided that she actually didn't want to tell me after all.

I have a suspicion that I may not have purchased my Holborn if I'd found this first, but I feel that I have a good range to choose from. Whilst I love both my Kensington and Holborn, I think that if I had to choose only one, it might be this one. However, that decision may have changed by next week so I'll be keeping the three for now...

22 January 2017

Sunday Start Diary Inserts

I infrequently get requested for diary inserts with the start of the week on a Sunday rather than Monday. We also get some really odd requests for 5 day week (no weekend) or Thursday start inserts etc.

So we do not offer a customised service for one off inserts, and if you look at the list of inserts we already provide a large number of different inserts already and we are not going to start offering them with Sunday start as well as Monday start.

Hopefully with the help of this post you will be able to adapt our source files to create your own Sunday start files should you wish to have that feature.

The change over is relatively easy to do. But you need to follow the steps to achieve the end result shown here:

So we will be using this example. Firstly you need to download the two source files (Word and Excel) the Word base file and the Excel data file you will need both.

First step is to open the Excel file.

You will see something like this:

We need to change the first row to look like this:

Things to note:

The column headings are the same, they have just been reordered to move Sunday to the start of the week. No other row is changed.
The date for the Sunday in Cell A2 is obviously changed compared to the original.

So having made those small changes save the file to the same folder as you have the Word file in.

The next step is to open the Word file you downloaded. It will look something like this:

If you go in to the Mail Merge Manager (the location of this will vary depending on which version of Word/Office you are using)

If you toggle the 'Preview Results' the page should change to something like this:

The merge labels are fairly clear as to which ones they are. We need to shuffle things around a bit to get things to a Sunday start, to something like this:

Now if you toggle the preview button again you will see things are in the correct order but Sunday and Wednesday will not look quite right, this is because they have moved from one side to the other. And if you look at the earlier images you will see that on the left hand page it is date then day, and on the right hand page it is day then date.

But there is an easy fix. Toggle the Preview Results again until you can see the Merge Fields again.

Right click on <<datesu>> and click 'Toggle Field Codes' Then change it to

{MERGEFIELD DateSu \@ "d DDDD"\*lower }

Basically you are just repositioning the lower case d to move the date to the beginning. And do a similar change to <<datewe>> and move the d to the other side of the DDDD part of the field code.

Then do 'Update Field Code' then click on Preview Results and everything should look as you need it to be.

Also note that the header fields are changed to <<datesu>> inplace of <<datemo>> and on the other page to <<datewe>> instead of <<dateth>> This just ensures the correct month is shown in the header.

Then do 'Update Field Code' then click on Preview Results and everything should look as you need it to be.

If everything looks as it should, it is now time to do the mail merge as usual to create your new file.

Insert the blank page at the start of the new file and remove the section breaks (^B) and you have your file ready for printing.

If all of the above was a little bit too much for you here are a set of files to help you get started:

The source files Word and Excel.

And I've also done some 2017 files as well in Word and PDF ready to be downloaded and printed in the usual way.

Oh and then I broke all the rules, so here is not only Sunday start... but Letter size or Half Letter size when booklet printed!

I've not been able to 'test' this variant because here in the modern world we only have ISO size paper!

However, if you want to play with the Letter size variant you will need to use:

The source Letter files Word and Excel.

And I've also done some Letter 2017 files as well in Word and PDF ready to be downloaded and printed in the usual way.

Converting other files to Sunday start is similar.

Enjoy.

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