Guest Post - My Favourite Filofax - David

Thank you to David for submitting the details of his favourite Filofax Organiser. 

1. What is your favourite organiser?

A4 Durham Deluxe Leather, I had a couple of personal size faxes before this one. I had a very nice heavy black leather personal, I cant remembers the name but it had huge rings and I could fit tons of stuff into it. I still have it somewhere.

The written word has always been problematic for me as a dyslexic so at some time in the early 90’s as I was walking down the Tottenham Court Road in London I saw the Psion range of pocket computers. My first was the 3a, a wonderful thing that I could take notes with, on a proper keyboard (no touch screens then) and a diary with alarms and all the toys. This lasted quite well but eventually the hinge broke as they mostly all did so I went out and got the Psion 5mx. It was nice but a bit over complicated with an expanding keyboard, not as easy to use as the 3a buttons. A fault on these was the ribbon cable connecting the screen would crack and then that was that.

I went back to my Filofax personal with a landscape week to view diary and to take notes I flipped the book around so that the rings were always on the left.

2. How long have you had it?

Since 2001 and still used almost daily.

3. What is it that you like about it so much?

The A4 Durham was a gift from my mother, I worked in various jobs in the voluntary and charity sector from youth work, family support, advice, after school projects and centre and building management. All of this requires a lot of record keeping, accounts and client notes. Things that although my writing was awful was very difficult to keep on a computer so paper was the only way. It was the only thing that was portable and as it had no internet connection, private. (In 30 years I have only found 3 people who could read my writing so it was nearly as secure as a book code)

The personal size was easy to update, did not need batteries or break when things fell off but it used its own size of paper, was difficult to photocopy as a backup and most of all you needed lots of other folders, bags and envelopes to keep all the stuff together.

The A4 was a complete change, not only did I have enough space to keep a proper diary with the 5 distinct sections (client/building/account/personal/stuff) plus info on the person I was carer for but i was also able to print off my own topic specific papers. Add a cheep 4 hole punch and I could put anything I wanted in it. Even through job changes its nice to be able to use the same fax with minor changes to the interior. 

I loved that when sitting in meetings the topic of dates and bookings came up all of us analogue, paper diary people could work out dates and times faster than the e-organiser people, at that time it was palm pilots and now google calenders and ios stuff. With a paper year planner working out the dates for meeting on the third Thursday every month is so much simpler. (no doubt an unhealthy level of inverted snobbery)

If I have to write fast or for a long time the dyslexia will pop up and kick you in the head so a simple answer was to have a selection of pens, different body thickness and weights and to use fountain pens. It had been suggested that I use T-Line short hand so have been learning that, it’s made a world of difference, I would recommend anyone who struggles to learn a shorthand.

One of the greatest benefits has been nothing really to do with Filofax but hand written stuff in general. There have been many cases when colleagues have had their phone, e-organiser or tablet stolen but no one touches a paper book even when wrapped in expensive leather.

4. Do you use it all the time?

I do use it all the time and have done since 2001. This was through several jobs, being a carer where you have to admin that persons appointments and health care as well as acting as account book and journal of an amateur radio club I am treasurer for.

The diary I use now is the week to view printed from the Philofaxy site and each year all the pagers are covered and the 4 holes are used for a Japanese stab binding and are kept for ever.

All other sections are job, client or industry specific so I print them myself and the dividers are a simple multicoloured plastic 10 section that also serve as a storage space for stickers I acquire on my visits.

5. Do you think the design could be improved?

The improvements would be to fix the zip that broke in the first couple of years, I have had a spare in the draw for about ten years now but never got round to doing it. But from a Filofax point of view, the inside of the covers had a nasty plastic coating, over the years this has flaked away leaving the dark grey fibreboard visible looking a bit tatty.

I have looked at the A5 and in the past my mum had a couple of Deskfax folders but in the end the easy of use, the ability to print all my own papers make the size and not considerable weight worth it. It  is a shame that Filofax do not make the Durham any more as I would get another.

David. 

Thank you David

As you know we are always looking for new people to appear in our 'Readers Favourite Organiser' feature, you don't have to be 'well known' or a long term user to be considered to appear in this 'spot'.