Many, if not most, of us have our little idiosyncrasies when it comes to organizer use. Here are some of mine:
1. I like to use ultra-fine-point pens in my organizers because the lines are narrower than on most writing paper.
2. I need lines to keep my writing neat and even (ref. No. 1 above).
3. Sometimes I buy an additional format and not use it. For example, I decide to start using weekly as well as daily, so I order a year of weeklies. When the weeklies arrive, I may no longer want to use them, but I keep them in case I decide to use it later. Case in point: I currently have 2 different A5 weeklies and one Personal weekly for 2026 so I always have that option ready to go.
4. When I switch diary formats or sizes, I like to go back to January or July and copy over my entries onto the new pages. It may sound like a waste of time, but it helps me review my year. (Yes, I'm currently doing this going back to January of 2026.)
5. I never draw or doodle in my organizer. I don't like to look back and see messy doodling.
6. I carry my organizer everywhere I go, except when when I go to places that limit you to small bags for security reasons.
As always on Friday, all discussion related to ring organizers is welcome. If you're really brave, you can share some idiosyncrasies of your own!
I fully agree about the narrow lines. I tend to stick to using either a 0.3 fountain pen nib or an OHTO needlepoint ballpoint refill.
ReplyDeleteCopying over entries between formats is just good practice isn't it? I don't see that as an idiosyncracy, rather a pro tip from an experienced Filofaxer.
I tend to use a retractable pencil. If there’s a change in sched, I can erase and redo. I have loads of blank sticky address labels going back to the 1980s. I use a hole puncher to make my own repair patches, and carry a few in case I need them.
ReplyDeleteOne of my idiosyncrasies is the exact opposite of yours. If I try a new format for the year, and realize just three weeks in that I hate it, I finish out the year. I want the whole year in one place, and I'm too lazy to copy over.
ReplyDeleteProbably my biggest one is that I will write down things I already did just so I can check them off. I know a lot of people do that, but it's still pretty weird.
If I see an insert I like but I don't necessarily need it, I will buy it just in case I think of a use for it and just in case it is no longer available.
ReplyDeleteI don't always write on the lines. Sometimes I use two lines at a time; sometimes I ignore the lines completely; sometimes I just use blank paper. Oh, sometimes I do actually write on the lines.
I hate fine point pens. They're like nails on a chalkboard! My favorite pen is a black bic with the clear barrel. You can get 12 for $2 at Walmart. My only complaint about them is that they have a cap instead of being retractable. I really prefer a retractable pen in my planner.
I can't stand straps on a binder that have a lot of frou frou (no idea how to spell that), like buckles. Franklin Covey always had a lot of planners with buckles and things and I hated that.
Patty Gardner