Cycles of buying and selling - by Anita

Since purchasing my first Filofax back in 2009, I admit that I've purchased many and if I'd kept them all I'd have quite an impressive collection by now. However, as a minimalist at heart, I've never wanted to own too many, so tend to sell to fund the new one and also to keep numbers down. I can sometimes be a little bit hasty in selling, but I feel grateful for the variety that I've been able to explore with all my sales and purchases.

Whilst I've enjoyed this in the past, I guess that I've had enough and that's what my zero spend was useful for, even if I didn't ultimately stick to it... I've spent a fair amount of time wanting to own just one binder, but with more experience understand that I do enjoy more variety.

I've spent a bit of time looking back at past purchases and figured out my preferences and needs:

• I have given up on the A5 size once and for all - my focus is so much on my main binder that I don't look at it. My A5 Leuchtturm notebook is working much better for me for when I need extra space for planning projects, or making more in-depth notes
• Any binders need a suitable layout to be used as a wallet - I don't always combine my planner and wallet, but do so when travelling and like the option to be able to
• I like black binders, but also need some colour - I'm using my Kensington to process some old notes and will move back into it in the spring or summer
• I always come back to red - I mentioned in a previous post that the colour of a Filofax doesn't matter so much to me, but I now understand that it does, especially in the darker winter months
• I like croc prints - have owned multiple Ascots, Amazonas and my Dundee
• I'm still tempted/curious about the A6 paper size, but sold my vintage Mulberry as all my supplies are in personal size. However, I don't own as much as I thought that I did, didn't spend that much on it and I do have other paper that I could cut into A6 size. Also, paper in that size from the Stationery Emporium is much cheaper than inserts from Filofax. 

For me personally, this little journey has been about working out what I need and want, with the idea of keeping my favourites so that I won't feel the need to buy any more. It's not about depriving myself, but taking the time to find the ones that I will feel content with. If I owned a larger collection and wanted to downsize, I would spend some time using each one to identify their pros and cons and ultimately if I enjoy using them. Right now, the optimum number seems to be three for me. I may reduce that in future, but I'm resisting that temptation currently to ensure that I don't start looking around for something else...