Philofaxy: July 2023

31 July 2023

A date for your diary - Sunday 6 August 2023

We are going to run another 'Virtual Meet Up' everyone is welcome.

When? - Sunday 6 August 2023 at the following time:

Los Angeles 8:00 am,
Denver 9:00 am
Dallas 10:00 am,
New York 11:00am,
Moncton 12:00 noon,
London 4:00 pm
Paris 5:00 pm etc.

Do not worry if you aren't available at the start of the session each one lasts 1-2 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)

Join the chat here: https://join.skype.com/A85fEyS7HPUP

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 most of us will be on video as well.

Who - All of you... Join the chat here: https://join.skype.com/A85fEyS7HPUP 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.

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.

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 6 August 2023.

Please note that in September, we will be on line on the Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd September.

30 July 2023

Silent Sunday

Journal pages - thank you to Daniel

29 July 2023

Web Finds - Saturday 29 July 2023

It is time to enjoy a few blog posts from around the internet, grab a drink and make yourself comfortable for our weekly round-up.

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

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.

Filofax Pocket Holborn in Wine - This Bug's Life
What is the purpose of this? - Filofax
My Planner Year So Far - Mootastic
2024 Master Planner Launch Party - Strange & Charmed
The Ring Planner Solution: Organizing Business and Life in Style - Planners, Productivity & Home Organization
Pocket Double-sided Printing - Filofax
PLOTTER Grain Leather Pen Case Review - The Pen Addict
How to Manifest Your Dream Life Planning - Blog – Day Designer
The Value of Striving and Overcoming - FranklinPlanner Talk
DC area - Filofax
Episode #217: Slice of GTD Life with Alba Leal - Getting Things Done
Do You Struggle With Planning, Time Management And Personal Organization? - Strange & Charmed
The Franklin Five: August 2023 - FranklinPlanner Talk
Bulk Filofax A5 and Fountain Pen friendly ink paper refill recommendations - Filofax
The Art of Planning: How to Create an Effective Weekly Schedule - Planners, Productivity & Home Organization
Link Love: Media & Stationery Diet - The Well-Appointed Desk
Web Finds – 26 July 2023 - Travellers Notebook Times
Your blog post could appear here. Please let us know if you have a blog that features ring bound organisers.

Please leave a comment on any of the blogs you enjoyed reading and mention that you saw their post mentioned on Philofaxy. Thank you
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.
Your Filofax/Organiser posts could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list.
Consider joining our Facebook group - Filofax for Philofaxy fans

Enjoy

28 July 2023

Free for All Friday No. 768 by Nan

We have a saying here in the U.S., "Go big or go home." Well, I've started to feel that way about my organizer, and I'm currently using a U.S. letter-size binder! It's the largest and most common paper size where I live, which means I can punch and insert all kinds of business documents as needed. Also, in terms of archiving, I'm hoping that being able to write more on each page will let me keep an entire year in a thinner, if larger, storage binder. Over the years, Filofax has offered a host of larger-format organizers, A5 being the most popular. There are a few A4 models (the biggest), and the original 9-hole Deskfax (250mm x 176mm) can still be had. Interestingly, Deskfax is almost the same size as 7.5" x 10", which used to be a popular size in the U.S. Until the 1980s, it was the standard for government documents, and it's still used for school notebooks. What size are you currently using. Are you leaning toward sizing up or sizing down? As always on Friday, feel free to discuss any other organizer topics as well!

27 July 2023

Asking Bard AI some interesting questions

With the flood of these new AI websites, it is always fun to test them out with some known questions and answers. Then you can try it out with some difficult questions. You never know it might have some answers to those questions that you have been looking for answers for ages.

I have been testing out Bard which is Googles entry in to the world of AI. I've tried it out with various Filofax related questions and it came back with some familiar answers, some sourced from Philofaxy I suspect.

The other day I put in a slightly harder question:

Show me the perfect layout for a week on two page diary

It came back with this answer:

The perfect layout for a week on two page diary will vary depending on your personal preferences and needs. However, here are some general tips for creating a layout that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing:

Use a horizontal layout. This is the most common layout for week on two page diaries, and it allows you to see the entire week at a glance.
Include the date and day of the week at the top of each page. This will help you keep track of what day it is and what you have planned for each day.
Leave enough space for each day. You don't want to be cramped for space when you're trying to write down your appointments, tasks, and notes.
Include a space for notes. This is a great place to jot down anything that you don't want to forget, such as phone numbers, addresses, or to-do lists.
Add some personality. You can do this by using different colors, fonts, or stickers.

Here is an example of a week on two page diary layout that you can use as a starting point:

Left Page

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Notes

Right Page

Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Notes

You can customize this layout to fit your own needs. For example, you might want to add a space for weekly goals, a to-do list, or a monthly calendar.

Here are some additional tips for creating a week on two page diary layout:

Use a lined or gridded notebook. This will help you keep your notes organized and easy to read.
Use a pen that you enjoy writing with. This will make the process of planning your week more enjoyable.
Be consistent with your use of the diary. The more you use it, the more helpful it will be.

With a little planning, you can create a week on two page diary layout that is both functional and stylish. This will help you stay organized and on track throughout the week.

Whilst I was trying to relate the text to an actual layout I noticed the 'Google It' button at the bottom of the results page.

Clicking on it brought up a search results page

And the first one in the results is this one!!!

Yes our very own Enhanced Time Manager Insert..... seems we got it right!! Although it is not exactly as they describe!!!

Prototype Inserts for Personal and Pocket Size.

Following the release of a new insert recently for A5 organisers. I had a couple of people request something similar for Personal and Pocket Size.

Given that we already have similar inserts in those sizes (2.5.1 and 3.4.1) I realised already that there wasn't a lot we could do in those sizes apart from reverse the pages, so with the tasks on the left and appointments on the right.

Personal Size

Pocket Size

It would be possible to redesign the tasks page and divide it up differently, but I suspect everyones requirements are going to be different. Therefore as usual we are making the source files available so you can 'have a go' yourself!

These like the original files are printed on to A4 paper, then you can cut out the pages and punch them accordingly.

I've also created a set of files for 2024 as well.

These inserts aren't going to be added to the diaries page just yet because I don't think there will be a huge demand for them?

The 2024 files ready to print are available here:

2.5.1R Personal size - .docx .pdf
3.4.1R Pocket size - .docx .pdf

The source files are here for both sizes. You will need both the Word and Excel files.

2.5.1R Personal size - Word Excel
3.4.1R Pocket size - Word Excel

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.Please download, adapt, use, share, but do not charge or use commercially.

26 July 2023

Video Web Finds - Wednesday 26 July 2023

I hope you have had a good weekend.

Now it is time to enjoy a great collection of videos from around the internet.

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

Please leave a comment on any of the videos you enjoyed and mention you saw a link on Philofaxy.
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.

Enjoy

25 July 2023

Free For All Tuesday - No. 651

What questions or discussion points have you got for us today?

It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or a more experienced user of organisers, we want to hear your thoughts, questions, opinions etc.

We are here to answer your questions.

Make today the one day you post a comment or post a question.

It is Tuesday after all, so fire away with any questions and comments.

24 July 2023

Guest post series - 'Filohax' No.6 - Paul

Thanks again to Paul for this sixth instalment of his wonderful guest post series.

You can find all of the 'Filofhax' posts here.

Filohax on holiday

After being inspired by some of Daniel's recent posts, I took the plunge and created my own scrapbook inserts of a recent holiday in Devon.

I've already been experimenting with using the ring system to display ephemera, handwritten notes and sketches and before leaving for the Break decided to consciously collect items of interest and notes while on holiday, giving me 'content' to work with later.

I wanted the result to make the most of the ring system, which by definition means items can be collected in place without having to stick everything down on the page. The result is a rich layered effect where items themselves can have a 'back', and using tracing paper to allow show-though to items below, I'm really into making the most of those rings!

As you can see, I'm a keen sketcher and these add variety, along with receipts from memorable locations, snippets from brochures, holiday photos, ice cream labels, even dried flowers.

My original intention was to keep it to just two pages of personal sized inserts, but even keeping the daily journal notes to a minimum has pushed it to four.

I'm sure most people would prefer to scrapbook in A5 format, but I've found the personal format has challenged me to edit more ruthlessly and feel I've established a format to use going forward.

Journal - some text removed to protect privacy

23 July 2023

Silent Sunday

Journal pages - thank you to Daniel

22 July 2023

Web Finds - Saturday 22 July 2023

It is time to enjoy a few blog posts from around the internet, grab a drink and make yourself comfortable for our weekly round-up.

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

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.

Mid-Year Planner Check-in - Laura Jane Creative
The Story of DP Paper – Part 1 - PLOTTER USA
Episode #216: Optimizing Your System - Getting Things Done
Sustaining your changes {post new moon} + Journaling Prompts - Lime Tree Fruits
Franklin Planner System – Introduction & Review - FranklinPlanner Talk
PLOTTER coming to 2023 Pen Shows in DC and San Francisco - Plotter USA
Reasons Why Paper Matters When Using Fountain Pens - The Goulet Pen Company
Stationery shopping at Itoya in Tokyo - All About Planners
Kate Spade? - The Pocket Diaries
Link Love: Pencils For The Win - The Well-Appointed Desk
Web Finds – 19 July 2023 - Travellers Notebook Times
Your blog post could appear here. Please let us know if you have a blog that features ring bound organisers.

Please leave a comment on any of the blogs you enjoyed reading and mention that you saw their post mentioned on Philofaxy. Thank you
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.
Your Filofax/Organiser posts could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list.
Consider joining our Facebook group - Filofax for Philofaxy fans

Enjoy

21 July 2023

Free For All Friday No 767 by Laurie

I'm currently about halfway through a two-month stay in a different country. Coming here I had to pack light because I only had carry on bags, so I brought minimal planner supplies.

Now, I am missing my big Filofax, my planner supplies, and the ability to print pages to play around with. As I do when I'm out of my usual scheduled life, I'm thinking about ways to change and tweak my system. I'm itching to print some pages to try out, move things around in my binder, experiment and play with my system to see what works. The beauty is, if it doesn't work, I can change it back immediately.

We'll see if I actually do any of this. When I get home next month I'll be immediately thrown back into my busy schedule, and I might decide I don't have the time or energy to overhaul my system.

Do you ever come up with ways to change your system but then don't actually do them?

As always on Fridays, feel free to ask and/or discuss anything Filofax related!

Here's the Filofax I'm missing, my big and beautiful A5 Kendal:

20 July 2023

NEW - A5 Diary Insert - Week on Two Pages Time Management Revised.

This work by Philofaxy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. Please download, adapt, use, share, but do not charge or use commercially.

19 July 2023

Video Web Finds - Wednesday 19 July 2023

I hope you have had a good weekend.

Now it is time to enjoy a great collection of videos from around the internet.

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

A5 Filofax - Commit30 - Moniki
Detailed Planner Flip! June 2023 - BuySellPlan
Work Bullet Journaling - what I do and what I use - Thoughts Along Life's Highway
Pocket Sized Productivity EDC System - How I combine analogue with digital. - Flatability
Filofax Mediterranean Collection - Filofax
Plan With Me Reel! - BuySellPlan
Best Notebook for University Students? Filofax Refillable Notebook Review & Unboxing - Lola Moro
Plan With Me || Franklin Classic Laura Binder || July 17th - 23rd, 2023 - Sandra Dahl
Gillio Medium Mia Cara || Распаковка и первые впечатления - Live love and plane
An alternative way to use a ring binder. - Flatability
Filofax Pocket Flip Through - allesaufpapier
One book July | Filofax Malden | Cash Envelope Update - Lina Jonell
July 2023 A5 6-Ring Filofax Monthly Setup | Plan with Me - kristina summer
My travel filofax - Flatability
personal filofax malden planner flip through | summer 2023 planner set up - Ashton Womack
filofax planner setup personalrings flip through - kti. plans
Franklin Compact Plan With Me || July 17th - 23rd, 2023 - Sandra Dahl
Simple | Minimalist | Plan With Me | July 2023 | A5 Ring Agenda |...and a great gift idea - Saray Bailey
Is this my ultimate EDC notebook? - Flatability
How I Archive & Store Unused Inserts | Personal Filofax - NatalieWritesPlans
Inside My Filofax Personal Malden: A Planner Review and Flip Through - Mariane Cresp
Your YouTube video could appear here. If you have a YT channel that features Filofax organisers or similar, please let us know. (steve at philofaxy dot com)

Please leave a comment on any of the videos you enjoyed and mention you saw a link on Philofaxy.
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.

Enjoy

18 July 2023

Free For All Tuesday - No. 650

17 July 2023

Filofax and Artificial Intelligence

There has been a slew of new Artificial Intelligence sites coming on line this year. Some more accomplished than others. Before you can believe anything they say you have to test them out with something you know to be true yourself.

Google recently launched 'Bard' so I have been trying out a few simple questions:

Why do people still use Filofax organisers?

And it came back with a great answer:

Filofax organizers are still popular for a number of reasons:

They are versatile. Filofax organizers can be used for a variety of purposes, from personal planning to business use. There are a wide range of inserts available, so you can customize your organizer to fit your needs.
They are durable. Filofax organizers are made from high-quality materials, so they can withstand everyday use. They are also water-resistant, so you don't have to worry about them getting damaged if they get wet.
They are portable. Filofax organizers are small and lightweight, so you can easily take them with you wherever you go. This makes them ideal for people who are on the go or who need to be able to access their planner at all times.
They are stylish. Filofax organizers come in a variety of colors and styles, so you can find one that matches your personality. They also make a great gift for anyone who loves stationery or who is looking for a way to improve their productivity.

In addition to these reasons, some people also prefer Filofax organizers because they believe that they are more conducive to focus and productivity than electronic devices. The act of writing things down can help to solidify memories and ideas, and the tactile experience of using a Filofax can be calming and meditative.

Of course, there are also some downsides to using Filofax organizers. They can be more expensive than electronic planners, and they can be more difficult to keep organized. However, for many people, the benefits of using a Filofax outweigh the drawbacks.

Ultimately, whether or not you decide to use a Filofax organizer is a personal decision. However, if you are looking for a versatile, durable, and stylish way to stay organized, then a Filofax organizer is a great option.

Note that it used the American spelling of organiser even though I used the normal English spelling! They describe it as an experiment. It might be fun to test it out with some other day to day planning problems.

16 July 2023

Silent Sunday

Journal pages - thank you to Daniel

15 July 2023

Web Finds - Saturday 15 July 2023

It is time to enjoy a few blog posts from around the internet, grab a drink and make yourself comfortable for our weekly round-up.

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

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.

Comparing Portable Photo Printers - Planners, Productivity & Home Organization
Update on VDS pocket planner in Undyed Janet Leather - This Bug's Life
Release the old, welcome the new - Lime Tree Fruits
Filofax Norfolk - Filofax
Japanese Stationery Haul (washi tapes, pens, stamps, highlighters) - All About Planners
Episode #215: The Next Action: Lion, Tiger, or Bear? - Getting Things Done
How Planners Help Tame Your Busy Life - Planner Fun
Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood (Habit 5) - FranklinPlanner Talk
Best Selling Fountain Pens at Every Price Point - The Goulet Pen Company - Goulet Pens Blog
How I plan for a new financial year (review questions, tools and my favorite finance books) - All About Planners
Podcast/ talk about bullying in the planner community. BE AWARE Named and shamed - Filofax
Improving my Weekly Planning System - LAURA JANE CREATIVE
Link Love: Optimus Prime - The Well-Appointed Desk
Web Finds – 12 July 2023 - Travellers Notebook Times
Your blog post could appear here. Please let us know if you have a blog that features ring bound organisers.

Please leave a comment on any of the blogs you enjoyed reading and mention that you saw their post mentioned on Philofaxy. Thank you
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.
Your Filofax/Organiser posts could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list.
Consider joining our Facebook group - Filofax for Philofaxy fans

Enjoy

14 July 2023

Free For All Friday - No. 766 by Anita

I admit that I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed recently, so I sat down with my Kensington and had a bit of a look around to see if I could identify why that might be. It was immediately clear to me that I've overdue a bit of tidy and a review. However, I guess I just don't feel like I've currently got the spare energy to do a proper job, so got my thinking cap on about how I could make a small tweak that would help me immediately with not too much input.

So, I purchased a colourful today marker, which makes me smile and is large enough to attach sticky notes to. OK, so I didn't really need to purchase anything to make this work, but sometimes it's nice to buy something cheap and colourful for my planners...

Purchased from CuteOrganizing on Etsy - not an affiliate link and just sharing as I'm a satisfied customer.

This is something that I used to do, but have more recently gotten out of the habit... I make a list on Sunday or Monday morning with my 'big rocks' for the coming week and then it helps me focus on the really important things that I need or want to get done.

Once I'd written this little list, I felt an immediate sense of relief and that general feeling of overwhelm definitely shifted!

Have you implemented a small change like this recently that you'd like to share?

And as always on Fridays, please feel free to discuss anything organiser related. I hope that you have a great weekend.

13 July 2023

Van der Spek - New Touch Me Collection Launch

The TM Collection in the NEW colours TM Alezan, Rhapsody and Thuya will be available online from July 14 on! (July 13 for those who subscribed to the launch notification).