Following on from my earlier post about 'collectors' and the 'collection' of Filofax organisers.
How do you store your unused organisers?
Here are some simple and common sense suggestions.
- Keep your organisers in dry conditions.
- Keep them out of direct sunlight, otherwise you might find the cover fades over time.
- Inspect your stored organisers on a regular basis (set a reminder to inspect them)
- Check the rings for surface rust. (See this post for tips on removing the rust)
- Use a leather care balm/polish only occasionally. Test it on an unseen section of leather in case of the loss of dye.
- Don't store organisers pressed against each other. Organisers such as the Filofax Original are prone to colour transfer when stored like that.
- Consider storing organisers in boxes or cloth bags. (see below)
If you don't have the original box for your organiser, there are plenty of suitable cardboard boxes available on line. Search for 'cardboard shipping box or similar. UK link or USA link
Van der Spek also sell their own branded storage bags. Link here
How do you store your organisers that aren't in daily use?
I store mine in the drawers under my bed. If I have a box that’s preferred, then a fabric jacket (including some I’ve knitted for the purpose). Then I use used brown envelopes especially for slimline organisers and vintage ones where I want something firm to stop them being warped. The rest I wrap in tissue paper and secure with masking tape, usually saved from other purchases to recycle what I already have. I limited how many sit on top of each other that are not in a box and ensure none are touching each other.
ReplyDeleteI have about 10 notebooks in my collection which are both slim and easier to store without damage.
I open the drawers regularly to air it out and move them around.
I don’t havve that many, but mine are kept lying down flat on a shelf (or on top of a stack of notebooks) or in a Hobonichi cardboard box for the ones with more delicate rings. The ones that are lying out get wiped off every so often as I walk past, so to keep the dust from getting too attached.
ReplyDeleteIn the hope that it will be of interest to others, I can expand on one of the points raised above by Our Glorious Leader.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to ensure that stored binders (and to an even greater degree, inserts) are kept dry and free of moisture from condensation, humidity and the like. One of the best ways to achieve this is to utilise silica gel. The great news is that although cheap and easy to obtain online, there is no need to purchase!
We must have all received, included in the packing of a range of products, those little bags printed with dire warnings - Do Not Consume!. Because the process of moisture retention involved is adsorption (not absorption) they can be restored to life time and time again, simply by heating briefly in an oven.
I store many of my binders in plastic storage bins and always include a few packets of gel, but it is worthwhile to protect many other items in this way. Photos, documents, tool boxes, make-up boxes, jewellery boxes, medicine containers, even knife and scissor drawers can all benefit from the company of these little pouches.
One last tip: be careful of bubble wrap. I have found that if the raised side is against the binder it can leave marks that are surprisingly hard to remove.
Thank you, Steve for another informative and pragmatic post. As always, I'm impressed by the effort you expend in running phILOFAXY and the way you continue to generate content and inspire discussion, particularly on the practical issues.
Thank you Steve for this very timely and informative post.
ReplyDeleteI purchased my first Filofax a Personal Filofax Malden in 2010 and discovered the wonderful world of phILOFAXY at around this same time. I have since purchased many more organizers — Filofax, Gillio and VDS. All have been well taken care of through the years. Each wrapped in tissue paper and stored in their own individual boxes.
I have spent the last two weeks cleaning and conditioning the leather of each one which has been quite a project. I was disappointed to find that a few of them have rusted rings and that the interior lining of three Windsors have come unstitched around the top edge. The interior of personal Amazona has developed cracks near the rings. The spine of a personal Henley has cracks as well. Both the Amazona and Henley were in almost new condition and rarely used. I have to think that some of these issues are due to inferior materials (?)
I have now replaced the tissue paper with breathable, spunbound polypropylene pouches (fit personal/medium size organizers) and placed them back in their boxes. I am considering adding the silica gel packets as suggested by UKDave.
https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-23609/Reusable-Shopping-Bags/Anti-Scratch-Pouches-9-x-12
Steve— I am happy to report that the A5 Gillio Amica that I purchased from you several years ago is still in perfect condition and a favorite of mine. 🙂
Again, many thanks to you and all of the phILOFAXY team!