Guest Post - Perfect Planners - Guido

We all have some idea of what our perfect planner would feature... Thank you to Guido for sharing his 'Perfect Planner' with us.

My A5 from diBerardino is the perfect planner: Italian leather, build-in page lifter, zipped. I could not ask for more….except perhaps bigger rings. They are 25mm and during the years I have developed a need for bigger rings.

However, my binder has awkward fixtures for its back plate, so exchanging them for bigger rings is a no go. If you can get a pair to exchange them with by the way, because I have searched internet more than I bargained for without success.

I tried other binders, such as a 35mm from Time/System, but these were clasped binders and not zipped. And do not get me started on pages getting stuck on rings which I despise. So I settled for a binder life less perfect and swapped inserts accordingly.

Until my wife surprised me for our anniversary with a gift. She said I have been eyeing for bigger rings for so long, why not have VDS build you one! Did I mentioned that besides the perfect binder I have the perfect wife? Because I do!

Before I placed my order I first contacted Petra to see if VDS would accommodate for my customisations - most importantly a zipped binder which they do not carry in their substantial collection of organisers. The short and sweet answer was no, they did not. So far for me and my wish list. Or was it?

I do have an advantage when it comes to VDS: we are located in the same country! Their office is about an hours drive from my house - so I contacted Petra again and asked if VDS would be up for a challenge themselves: to build me the ultimate organiser. Petra used her charm on her dad and after evaluating my wish list Mr. Van der Spek accepted the challenge! I asked if I could come over and show her what my exact plans for my binder were. She agreed and some weeks after we met.

She was very kind, showed me around the shop and explained how producing customised organisers works. Then we got down to business and I explained my wishes. Mr. Van der Spek soon joined the conversation. Their love for planners soon surfaced particularly when it came to my current binder: appreciation of craftsmanship, curiosity how parts were build, et cetera. Interesting conversations indeed.

I asked for the following: a zipped A5 binder with 35mmm gold rings, 3 secretarial pockets on top of each other, business card slots on top of those pockets and 1 slip pocket underneath. In addition, I asked for a build-in fly leaf slash ring protector slash page lifter.

And if the zipper was not challenging enough I asked for the rings to be placed off centre to the right. One of the reasons we need page lifters in the first place is because the rings are in the centre of the organiser. If the rings are located to the right (see for example Chronoplan or Tempus A5; both from Germany) then you eliminate half of your problems. My diBerardino has a similar layout.

Such a customisation does require additional filling of the organiser (VDS calls this blown up) and alterations to the back plate as well (because these tend to be rounded rather than flat as they are meant to be installed in the spine of the organiser).

To their surprise I did not want pen loops. They get in the way of my dividers and my pens do not fit most pen loops anyway. Moreover: I already have 2 pen cases from VDS so no need. In terms of colour I chose to fit the binder to my pen case (I know: that is usually the other way around!).

And this Saturday I received my custom binder! Which now leaves me with one challenge: what to do with my other near-perfect binder? I hate to leave it unused although I am an one-binder guy. I am open to suggestions: what do you do with multiple planners if more than 1 are great?

A huge thank you to Petra and Mr. Van der Spek for making my ultimate organiser! It is beautiful!

It almost took my breath away when I first saw the photographs. Another magnificent job done by Petra and the team at Van der Spek.

Filofax Holborn Comparisons

The Filofax Holborn is another favourite of mine, the interior design hits all the right spots for me. But there are some interesting differences between the clasp models and the zip models.

So first of all let us look at the Personal size here in brown in Zip and in black for the regular clasp model.

Externally they have used a similar styling. The Zip model has a useful outside slip pocket which you can use to put papers or a smart phone in. Naturally the physical size of the zip model is bigger than the clasp model.

Unzipping the Holborn Zip Personal, it has the same size rings as the clasp model. As you can see in the photo it doesn't quite lay flat. Both only have a single pen loop. Oddly the Zip has 7 card slots, the clasp only 6 card slots. 

Now look at the two photos and note where I have slotted the Philofaxy cards in. On the clasp model you effectively have too additional slip pockets that aren't present on the zip model.

Both have an additional zip pocket on the inside back cover.

Of the two formats I've used the clasp on more than the zip model. However I like them both equally.

Looking now at the A5 Holborn. Again I have the zip in brown and the clasp in black. There are a few more differences in this size.

Once again the zip has a slip pocket on the front cover.

Opening up them both. The A5 Zip does lay flat with no training. The A5 Zip has 30mm rings where as the clasp A5 only has 25mm rings. The Zip gains an extra pen loop on the inside front cover as well. 

Both have 5 credit card slots. Again they have the same pocket arrangement as the personal size with the zip loosing the inside slip pockets again shown by my business cards. 

With the clasp model only having 25mm rings it is quite compact for an A5 and I've found it great to carry around in my bag and use at my desk. With all of those pockets it can hold lots of additional paperwork. I've used the A5 Zip for several trips where the zip closure offers additional security to prevent things falling out of your organiser. 

The Filofax Holborn continues to be available in Pocket, Personal, Personal Compact and A5 sizes and at the time of writing in Black and Brown colours. 

In the past the Holborn was also released in Wine and Grey colours, it appears they have discontinued the Zip models. 

Overall the Holborn is a great organiser, the leather is soft and supple. The clasp models have stiffener between the interior and exterior leather. The Zip models do as well, but it is thinner and less obvious.  

If you can't pick one up new, I'm sure there are plenty around pre-owned. You can of course put in a Wanted advert on our own Ad-spot page. 

You can find other posts about the Holborn range here.

Have you ever owned a Holborn?

Zip or Clasp?

I'm still experimenting with various organisers in pocket and personal size to use as a wallet/organiser. I've not really reached any conclusion yet as to which is my preferred option.

This experiment isn't just about what I like or what works for me. We all have different requirements, so the experiment is also looking at all possible options so we can highlight some of the issues/problems with different sizes and configurations.

I don't have many zipped organisers, most are clasp closure.

What is your preference Zip or Clasp? Please let us have your thoughts in the comments below.

There's something about A5

I've previously owned two A5 filofaxes, a vintage pink Malden and a Domino Snake. I returned the Malden and sold the Snake after deciding that A5 is just too big for me as my only binder and I didn't want to own more than one filofax. And then I found myself one night clicking on buy it now on a wine zipped Holborn on eBay for a great price, d'oh. I had planned to maybe give it to a friend, but purchased a blue A5 Finsbury instead as I realised that she would prefer a brighter colour. I had no plans to keep it at that point, but when I opened the packaging its soft leather and gorgeousness started to win me over...

  

Steve wrote a great review about his brown one here which I enjoyed reading, and I found myself absent-mindedly stroking Saz's lovely wine A5 one at the Philofaxy meet up, so I knew I already liked them. I think the soft pliable leather and contrast stitching is what I also like about the Maldens.

I've also realised that I can't fit everything into a personal sized filo and a zipped A5 is so handy for popping paperwork into, zipping it shut and it's ready to pick up to finish at a later time. I don't have a huge amount in it yet, but its main uses will be for reading and working on projects as I find personal size paper a bit small for planning and mind maps.

Laminated Getting Things Done workflow map as my flyleaf  

I've realised that I'm now comfortable with owning more than one filo, so one personal and one A5 is going to be perfect for my needs in terms of both portability and extra writing space.

My only slight concern is the gappy top two rings which have appeared as it's started lying flatter but they don't seem to have got worse and paper doesn't catch on it, so fingers crossed.

Here is my dream team :)

Cuban Zip Review

Firstly, thank you to Filofax UK for supplying me with the Cuban Zip for review.

The zipped range of organisers from Filofax are not high in numbers. In a recent post I asked for peoples thoughts on zip or clasp closures. As you will see from the comments some people like the extra security that a zip organiser gives them whilst others prefer the 'speed' of being able to open and access their information.

The point of this review is to look at the Cuban Zip in detail and pick out the differences and the features contained in this particular model/design.

The Cuban Zip is of all leather construction, although the many pockets are lined with a textile material. The leather is smooth Italian leather and the one in the pictures is the saddle brown model with cream stitching. It is also available in chilli red.

The personal size Cuban Zip is slightly bigger in overall size compared to say a Malden Personal. It's also thicker, but it does have 30mm (internal diameter) rings rather than the 23mm rings in the Malden.

On the outside front there is a vertical pocket, this has a small flush magnetic closure on it. This pocket would be useful for tickets and papers you need speedy access to whilst travelling. It would save you those vital seconds to unzip the organiser. I'm surprised other organisers don't have this feature.

Opening the organiser after unzipping it on all three sides. My first thoughts where how small the pages looked inside the organiser! A combination of the slightly larger size and of course the large rings I suppose.

One of the first things you will want to know is 'Does it lay flat?' No not out of the box is doesn't. But I know with time and a little 'training' and some leather treatment it will improve, although I might need to borrow some dumb bells if I am going to follow Terri's example!

The inside left hand cover has seven credit card slots, although using the very top slot is a little fiddly next to the zip... not that I have that many anyway.  There is also a business card slot at the bottom of the inside front.  There are two individual lined vertical slot pockets and also a deep vertical zipped pocket.

On the inside right hand cover there is another vertical pocket, this will hold a personal size notepad if you require it.

There are two pen loops, one each side on the inside of the zip, so you shouldn't lose your pens. Both pen loops are leather with a short elasticated section included in them. These hold most pens I've tried nice and snugly.

The larger size rings certainly gives you more capacity. As a comparison I removed the standard page fill supplied with the Cuban and then replaced it with the pages I currently have in my Malden. The Malden I would say is about at capacity in terms of being comfortable to be able to turn the pages and to be able to close it easily. Although I have seen pictures of people with a lot more pages than I have in similar personal size Maldens!! But the Cuban just swallowed the contents of my Malden as if it was just a snack and it laughed back at me 'So where is the rest then? Plenty of room in here!'

I have tried my two diary insert set up in the Cuban and it fits easily. In the Malden this same set up is a bit of a squeeze and I have to be selective as to what pages I include. Oh for a Malden Personal with 30mm rings!

Another advantage possibly to using the Cuban I discovered is because the organiser is wider than the clasp closing type it has the extra space required to be able to use Franklin Covey Tabbed pages without them sticking out the edge of the organiser.

To be honest I'm still undecided on my preference if I had to decide between the Malden or the Cuban Zip, both have their advantages and disadvantages for me. I will alternate between both to try them for more than just a few days, to see if there is one that I like more than the other.

Other zipped organiser posts:

• Migrating to the Cuban Zip - Filofax Fixation
• Never ask a lady her weight - Filofax Fixation
• Filofax Cuban Zip Personal - The Life of the Perpetual Student 
• My Filofax My Love - Rori Rants

Once again thank you to the people at Filofax for supplying me with this review sample.

Zipped or Clasp?

This question has been asked before I think, but in relation to the smaller size organisers.

I would like your opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of a zipped Filofax compared to a normal clasp closure Filofax?

Please pop your thoughts in the the comments below.

Thank you.