Philofaxy: March 2024

31 March 2024

Silent Sunday

Amazing repair done on a vintage Mulberry agenda

30 March 2024

Web Finds - Saturday 30 March 2024

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.

Looking to buy a Personal-sized Urban - Filofax
Maintaining Balance - FranklinPlanner Talk
Episode #251: Projects and Next Actions - Getting Things Done
2025 Inserts - Filofax
The Franklin Five: April 2024 - FranklinPlanner Talk
Monthly Functional Planning Routine - Strange & Charmed
How to Motivate Yourself to Get Things Done Productivity - Blog – Day Designer
Leather Issues - Filofax
10 Ways to create quick bullet journal weekly spreads using functional planner stickers - All About Planners
Link Love: Life Changes - The Well-Appointed Desk
Web Finds – 27 March 2024 - 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
Follow Philofaxy on Bluesky
Follow Philofaxy on Reddit

Enjoy

29 March 2024

Free For All Friday No 803 by Laurie

Yesterday I received the email newsletter from Filofax announcing their new Filofax Reminder App (https://filofax.com/pages/app) to accompany their diary inserts. I imagine this will appeal to people who like a combined paper + digital planning system.

The email says:

"We understand that not everyone wants to carry their physical planner with them on the go, that's why we are proud to present our new Filofax Reminder App, a first-of-its-kind app that links your diary to your phone. Stay organised with our revolutionary refills featuring QR code technology."

It goes on to give these instructions on how to use the QR code on the diary pages and the app together:

"Step 1: Fill in your Filofax diary with any important dates or events.

Step 2: Download the free InkLink app and scan the QR code to add a new reminder.

Step 3: Take a photo of the entry and create the reminder.

Step 4: Set the date & time you want to be reminded of."

There is a short video on the website that shows examples of use.

It looks like all the Personal and A5 weekly and day per page diary pages for academic year 2024-2025, and for 2025 will have the QR codes on the day spaces to be compatible with the app.

To be honest I don't know how I feel about this app. I already use my phone's calendar app to set reminders and alarms for appointments. This app looks like it has more steps to input an entry (due to taking a photo of the diary page), but the advantage is you would see an actual photo of your diary page in the reminder, and you can categorise according to whether it's an appointment or a task. I can see how this would be useful for people who usually use a calendar app plus a separate app for tasks; having both in one app would streamline the process.

There are other planner brands (Moleskine comes to mind) that have apps to combine paper and digital planning. I've never used any of these, but I have noticed some come and go, which makes me wonder about their effectiveness and/ or popularity. The advantage of this Filofax app is, unlike the Moleskine app, you don't need any other equipment (no special pen, etc) to use it.

What do you think about this new app to combine paper + digital planning? I think it's a step in the right direction, but is it the most streamlined solution? I'd love to know your thoughts. Do you think you will be using this app?

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

28 March 2024

Insert Envy?

Do you ever have 'Insert Envy'? You see an insert someone else is using and start to want to use it as well.

However, you then realise it is:

It is not available in your country;
It is not available in the size you are using;
It is already sold out;
It might go out of production or it already is out of production;
You see it, but no details of who makes it, and Google doesn't show it.

It can be so frustrating, but you need to step back from your desires to use a different insert and think in a more rational way.

Yes this other insert has lots of interesting boxes, but would you use them all every day/week?
Changing size especially going up in organiser/page size can have a big impact on how you use your organiser.
If the insert is only available in a pre-printed format will the paper be suitable for the pens you use?

Sometimes you just need to review the way you are using your current set up and see if you can improve on its productivity by making a small change or adjustment.

Have organiser envy instead?

27 March 2024

Video Web Finds - Wednesday 27 March 2024

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.

Could this paper be the best deal for Filofax users? - Flatability
how its going… 2024 Planner System Update - MomYePlans
Week 13 of 52 - VDS Rainbow 🌈 Planner - Nati
A5 VDS Planner // velvet stardust (edc) - crystalplans
Transforming a Vintage Leather Binder: Your Creative Input Needed! - Inktronics Blog
A filofax infodump | ep. 6 ✸ making special interest binders (part 2) - Megan Rhiannon
Why I Am Annoyed With My Planner | Moterm Pocket Luxe 2.O Caramel - My Moxie Dreams
Plan With Me || Franklin Classic Ring Binder || March 25th - 31st, 2024 || - Sandra Dahl
Plan With Me! Week of March 25th | Pale Pink Anna Binder - BuySellPlan
Gillio Pocket Compagna XL (Toscana) & VDS JL Black B6 slim with square spine - Best Laid Plans
Tour of my Filofax Saffiano... - Plan. adayshay
обзор моих обложек - moterm , filofax и другие - Lola plans
Wochendeko KW 09 2024 | Filofax Planer | Colourful Houses | Spring vibes | planerbeere - Planerbeere
Is It Possible to Find Notebook Peace? - Noteability
Frühling im Filofax | KW 11 im Planer | dekoriat - dekoRIAt
Changed my planner ,flip though and what i have changed Filofax Malden Personal - My Dyslexic Brain
Personal rings Filofax flip through - mrs Planahead
Planner Lineup | Filofax Norfolk, Pocket Planner, Personal Rings, A5 Rings, Happy Planner - Planner Lex
Minimalist filofax based EDC mini planner - another variation to consider - Flatability
Planner Haul | Gillio Medium Compagna Unboxing | Ana Jolene - Ana Jolene
Personal size planner collection- Moterm, Filofax, Gillio, Franklin covey, Filofax unboxing - Barbies Plans
Updated Planner Flip | Gillio Medium Compagna - Randi Sullivan
2024 Gillio Compagna Pocket XL Flip - introvert planner
My New Gillio Compagna Personal Wide in Epoca Cloud | Updated Flip - MaineMamaPlans
Moterm Ring Planner Flip Through - Personal with FC Compact - ZenGlyph
April 2024 Filofax Personal Rings Set Up: Work Edition - Plannerbeat
The Frankenstein Filofax setup - Marios Georgiou
Repurposing Planner Inserts - Standard Rings - Moniki Plans
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) Alternatively ensure your video contains 'Filofax' or 'Rings' in the title or description.

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.
Follow Philofaxy on Mastodon
Follow Philofaxy on Reddit
Follow Philofaxy on BlueSky

Enjoy

26 March 2024

Free For All Tuesday - No. 686

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. If you are commenting as 'Anonymous', please include your name in the text of your comment.

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

25 March 2024

Guest post series - 'Filohax' No.9 - Paul

Thanks very much again to Paul for this ninth instalment of his wonderful guest post series. You can find all of the 'Filofhax' posts here.

Balmoral 10 CLFJ 5/4

After spotting a new eBay Filofax for sale, there was something unusual about the nondescript black smudge of a thumbnail image on my smartphone that made me sit up and take notice - it had no strap and its right hand edge was not open... and it didn't have the rounded profile of a zipped binder. A quick check confirmed it was a 'back in the day' flagship of the Filofax range a 10 CLFJ 5/4 Balmoral (not to be confused with the Balmoral personal - the name has been used twice by Filofax as a model name, as discussed in Alan's guest post)

It wasn't in an auction, which meant that time was of the essence as anyone seeing, and wanting to buy this, could buy at asking price and whisk it away from me. A quick peruse of the images showed that it had had an active life, with wear to the top and bottom edges (from being pulled off and onto a shelf maybe), and the big 5/4 rings weren't 100% all in line, but for the price (sub £100) I made my bid. I'm always more interested in binders with a good patina, and my intention for it is to house the second installment of my 'Life in a Filofax' scrapbook project anyway, rather than being a EDC (every day carry).

After placing my bid, I contacted the seller - I always like to find out as much about a binder's provenance as I can, and this one had lived a bit! The one and only original owner had bought it from Selfridges London in 1984 after leaving a safe five year career with BP to enter the London fashion industry at the start of the Yuppie era. International travel to France, Italy Germany, Sweden, New York etc. at “fashion week” trade shows meant that this binder was far more travelled than I am ever likely to be, and further fuelled my interest in the Balmoral. Thankfully this bit of discourse also got me a discount on asking price, as I had shared my intentions for it to have a useful second life.

After asking the group and receiving useful advice on sprucing my new 'King' up (I like to give my binders nicknames!) I'm ready to share him with the group. Shown here with its original section and A to Z dividers, it was decorated by the original owner with mementos from her fashion show trips, and they show 'lived in' edges to the card, just how I like them!

I almost forgot, the Balmoral came in the most exquisite packaging I've ever had from a seller!

Thanks very much again to Paul for this ninth instalment of his wonderful guest post series. You can find all of the 'Filofhax' posts here.

24 March 2024

Silent Sunday


Red Winchester, Mulberry agenda and personal Kensington

23 March 2024

Web Finds - Saturday 23 March 2024

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.

Why We Plan - Planner Pals (Podcast)
Hi… I’m new here. - Filofax
The Direction Correction Badge - Getting Things Done
Maximizing Productivity and Mental Clarity with Journals, Planners - Prologues (Podcast)
Filofax care - looking for tips. - Filofax
Smythson Duke’s Organizer - On Notebooks
A special visit at Gillio HQ - Gillio
What does this mean? - Filofax
International Day of Happiness - FranklinPlanner Talk
Episode #250: Projects and Someday Maybe Lists - Getting Things Done
Holborn, Norfolk, or Finsbury in personal size? - Filofax
Link Love: Sick & Tired Edition - The Well-Appointed Desk
Web Finds – 20 March 2024 - 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
Follow Philofaxy on Bluesky
Follow Philofaxy on Reddit

Enjoy

22 March 2024

Free For All Friday - No. 802 by Anita

Whilst making a cuppa the other day, I started thinking about all of the things that I need to do and consequently started to feel a little overwhelmed... Rather than getting straight back to work, I decided to get a snack and give myself a little Filofax break, which never fails to help.

If I feel a bit overwhelmed, this is my current go-to mini review:

Grab a lined insert and do a brain dump (also called a mind sweep).
Go to the projects section of my Filofax, and have a look through to check if all projects have a clear action that I am able to do. Choose one to do and break this into smaller tasks, if needed.
Check my calendar to remind myself of any upcoming events that might need preparation.
Quickly scan through the brain dump to identify either the most important tasks, or ones that might help the most with my current overwhelmed feeling.
Choose five as a maximum and pop them onto a post-it note on one of my larger page markers.

On that particular day, this took me less than 10 minutes and I was feeling much better once it was completed.

Do you do mini reviews like this, and if so, would you like to share them with us?

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

21 March 2024

Adspot on Philofaxy

What is Adspot on Philofaxy? It is a page on Philofaxy where readers can post their Wanted and For Sale adverts. Not directly, but via Steve who will get your photos and text on to the page.

Yes the page has been empty these last few months.... but not at the moment. It is full of some excellent organisers that are seeking new homes.

Please visit the page today and snap up a bargain. Full details on the page on how to place an advert.

Thank you.

20 March 2024

Video Web Finds - Wednesday 20 March 2024

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.
Follow Philofaxy on Mastodon
Follow Philofaxy on Reddit
Follow Philofaxy on BlueSky

Enjoy

19 March 2024

Free For All Tuesday - No. 685

18 March 2024

Portex - Diary and Address Book software.

A long time ago, in the days before Microsoft Windows came along to our computers, we used MS-DOS with everything done from the C:\ command line

What are you talking about???!!! Everything was text based, or using ASCII characters to draw boxes on the screen with the cursor being moved around the screen using the tab or arrow keys, no mouse control!

It sounds primitive I know, but it worked. We got our first home personal computer in about 1989, a Viglen with an Intel 80286 processor and 640kb of RAM and a 30MB of hard drive storage.... tiny by today's standards. My Apple Series 5 Watch has 32 GB of storage on my wrist!!

We used programs such as Wordstar, later on WordPerfect 5.1 for Word Processing. These were general purpose word processing packages. For more specialist applications there were lots of small companies selling software for IBM compatible PC's back then. You ordered the software package and a box of disks and manuals would arrive. Dial Up Internet didn't really become a thing until the 1990's.

Portex was one of those specialist programs that appeared in the 1980's, it offered Address Book, Diary, Word Processor functions.

Where this program differed from general purpose word processors though was its ability to print on Filofax Personal Size pages. It had all the settings for that in the options.

I bought some continuous fan fold paper that worked with our dot matrix printer with a tractor feed, I was able to print the pages then the strips tore off the sides and the pages had perforations to separate them.

Using the Portex Software and this paper together with the Filofax DIY Index (dividers) I was asked to create multiple copies of a training manual for a local company, that would be handed out to participants in a Filofax organiser.

It took quite a while to input all the text from the original files, but I was able to complete the task over a few days. Formatting the text to fit the Filofax size was tricky, but once achieved printing several copies wasn't too difficult.

I can't find any definitive information about Portex, the software was sold by a company by the name of Eurosoft International, who don't appear to be in business yet. However, I still have a copy of the software.

I did manage to get it to run in a DOS emulator program on one of my computers. Naturally the printer drivers are very much out of date, but that is typical of old applications these days. It was more a curiosity than an actual need to use it again.

Has anyone else used this software in the past?

17 March 2024

Silent Sunday

Journal pages - thank you to Daniel

16 March 2024

Web Finds - Saturday 16 March 2024

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.

Horse Hair II – An Evolution of PLOTTER Leather Story - PLOTTER USA
Episode #250: Let’s Talk About Contexts - Getting Things Done
Are you using the right vertical weekly planner? (10 layouts to consider) - All About Planners
It’s Okay to Use Several Systems - Planner Fun
Creative Refills S1E3: Behind the Scenes with PLOTTER Japan - PLOTTER USA
Practice Law 3: When Your Daily Practices Reflect Your Governing Values, You Experience Inner Peace - FranklinPlanner Talk
“The only thing constant in life is change.” - The Well-Appointed Desk
Selling my Collection - Filofax
Announcing New PLOTTER US Retail Partners - PLOTTER USA
This Mama Plans - The Pocket Diaries
The Science of Luck - FranklinPlanner Talk
Link Love: Oscar-Worthy? - The Well-Appointed Desk
Web Finds – 13 March 2024 - 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
Follow Philofaxy on Bluesky
Follow Philofaxy on Reddit

Enjoy

15 March 2024

Free For All Friday - No. 801 by Steve

We went away for just one night this week. I find these days that it doesn't matter how many nights you are away for, there is still the same amount of 'base kit' you need to take with you and the multiple of shirts etc is the only variable.

I started to make a hand written list but gave up very quickly when I realised that this was getting silly and quickly reverted to one of my pre-printed travel lists that I can quickly cross out things that I wouldn't need to take as it was a 'local' over night stay.

Those lists have been 'fine tuned' over the years for most trips that I make, I just adjust the clothing required to suit the length of our stay, but there are many basic things I need to take now with medication, toiletries and electronic accessories dominating the list!

We had a lovely stay in Tours seeing friends and celebrating my birthday.

Do you use your organiser to plan your travel and luggage? Of course it is Friday (checks calendar!) so please feel free to discuss anything else Filofax related.

14 March 2024

Favourite pens and pen loops - by Anita

After reading Steve's post called Pens and Pen Loops, I decided that it was time for me to have a look at my pens and write about the subject too.

When I purchased my first Filofax back in 2009, I just used any old pen that was laying around, but over time I've become a bit more picky and have decided to treat myself to something that I really enjoy using.

Here are my favourite pens to use with my organiser (including two recently acquired vintage ones on the right):

Ballpoint - Parker Jotter
I don't remember a time when there wasn't a Parker Jotter knocking around in the house when I was a kid, but I hadn't used one for quite some time until I started getting into vintage Filofaxes with their teeny-tiny pen loops. I think I'd been using a freebie biro in my first Winchester which kept drying out, so I searched around and found my faithful burgundy Jotter. From a pen loop point of view, I don't think that you can go wrong with a Jotter as they're slim enough for most organisers.

Gel pens - Pilot G2 Limited
I love a G2, so I decided to upgrade and buy a gold Limited version, which has a nicer grip. However, rubber pen grips are not a Filofax's best friend, so this is a pen that will either just have the clip attached to the pen loop or I'll use an Oli Clip to keep it inside the rings.

For highlighting and for a bit of colour - Staedtler Triplus Fineliner
Before I started using gel or fountain pens more in my organiser, I'd use a normal highlighter, but moved over to Triplus fineliners as otherwise there would just be smeared ink. Instead of highlighting, I will just add an asterisk or shade around something to make it stand out. I also like using a different colour when using my Hobonichi stencil to draw lines or checkboxes.

Most of my organisers haven't had two pen loops (apart from the Dundee and Van der Spek), so my small Oli clip is attached to the flyleaf and the second pen sits within the rings.

Fountain pens - Kaweco Sport, TWSBI Eco and vintage Parker 51
For a long time, my favourite fountain pens to use with my organiser were my Kaweco Sport and TWSBI Eco. I've found that the Kaweco is small enough for many pen loops, but it also works with a Muji metal pen loop like this with a Kensington:

My TWSBI Eco is too large for most of my organiser pen loops, but it'll happily sit within the rings and is large enough that it doesn't tend to fall out, so I don't need to use an Oli clip.

However, I've been busy this weekend with giving some vintage pens a bit of TLC, so I'm all about the vintage ones right now. My late Mum gifted me her beautiful Parker 51 some years ago, but I admit that I put it away in such a 'safe' place that I couldn't find it! Thankfully I finally found it recently and am absolutely delighted that it's working well as it hasn't been used for such a long time. I've never used a Parker 51 before, and it's an amazing pen that thankfully fits in the Kensington pen loop too.

I also have a couple of other vintage pens (the two that are placed vertically in the photo above) that I'd promised to get working for a family member, so I may be able to keep one of those and instead donate some of my others instead. The black vintage pen is a Parker Slimfold, but I'm not 100% sure about the blue one yet, as it doesn't have a model name on it, but it might be a Parker 17 Lady.

In general, I think that the best organiser pen loop that I've come across is on organisers made by Cordwain Higgler (sadly no longer trading) as they are adjustable. The leather has a slot cut out of it and then it feeds through itself to loop round to allow a pen to be inserted.

What are your current favourite pens for using with your organisers and do they fit in the pen loops?

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