My FiloPal Filofax

A few weeks ago one of our readers Steph set up an interesting project on her blog My Once Upon the Moon called FiloPal. I signed up for the project because I liked the idea and also l like to support all new projects, if I can.  The project initially was about people writing to Steph. But as it got under way Steph suggested people might like to write to each other in the group.

At first I just kept the odd letter I had received in the front pocket of my main planner. When Steph showed off her Filofax that she is using for the project it got me thinking of doing something similar.

So I picked out one of my grey A5 Maldens and decided what I was going to put in it. When I looked at what I would need for this organiser it came down to just writing paper, information (addresses) and the received correspondence. I also store some stamps for European post as well.

I've also produced a 'Letter' A5 template which I just did in Word and ran off a few sheets, they have my address details on one side and they are blank on the other side.  I find unruled A5 easier for me to be able to hand write on compared to ruled or ruled personal pages.

Sorry about having to obscure my address details... but it's for obvious reasons!

Not everyone is using A5, but personal pages fit in to the A5, you just have to bend up the bottom corner on the side of the rings to avoid the clash with the rings.

One of the main advantages of having a separate organiser for this project is I can just grab it off of my desk and go and sit elsewhere around the house and I have all I need with me.

Why not join the project? Contact Steph and get added to the list of correspondents, you don't have to write to everyone on the list. There are some people on there who I'm in regular electronic contact, so I have been picking out people I've not come across on the net so far.  But if you write to me.... you will get a reply I promise.

Must dash... got to catch the post!

All Change!

Having printed my A5 inserts for next year, I decided to have a session sorting through my A5 inserts and A5 organisers to get them in to order properly. It's quite therapeutic and I now understand the enjoyment some of you get from this sort of task.

Top Left to Right, Spare inserts in box, Filo Pal Malden , Archive Diary Finsbury
Bottom Left to Right, Work Holborn, Main Malden

So what changed.... first up I wanted to turn my A5 Finsbury into my Diary Archive binder, with big 30mm rings I figured it will hold at least a couple of years worth of diary inserts. So I removed all the pages. I then gave it a little clean up.

Here's a tip on the cloth interior of the Finsbury you often get paper dust sticking to the cloth. Take a length of sticky tape (scotch tape) press it sticky side down on to the cloth, then rip it off and the paper dust sticks to the tape and you get a nice clean and dust free surface. You might need to do this a couple of times, but it works! Also great for getting dust out of the turn ups in your trousers!

So with this years archived pages moved in to the Finsbury I put that back in the cupboard. Next up I got down my Holborn Zip. It had come with a standard fill with the exception of the diary. So I removed all the pages put them to one side and then slotted in the pages and dividers from the Finsbury. The Holborn is now my Property Search organiser, the content is the same as described here, so I won't repeat myself, but what I like about the Holborn with it being a zip organiser I will be able to keep a better check on house description sheets, business cards etc that sometimes slip out if they haven't been punched.

I also emptied my two grey Malden A5's they were just carrying spare pages. I was then able to sort though all my spare pages and inserts in A5 size and get those in order. I don't have too many inserts for A5 as I tend to print what I need when I need them.

The smaller ring grey A5 Malden I've now turned in to my Filo Pal organiser, which I will tell you about in another post. The larger ring or standard 30 mm ring grey A5 is now empty and on standby should I wish to swap out of my orchre A5 Malden which is my current main planner. Like a good pair of leather shoes it is good to give them a rest every so often!

So how often do you sort through the contents of your Filofax, what ever size it is, or shuffle the contents from one organiser to another?

Web Finds - 13 November 2012

Here are the latest Filofax blog posts from around the internet:

1. Card arrived for my Filofax dividers! - Jagged Little Thoughts
2. My Filofax Regency Compact used as a wallet! - My Filo World
3. Mein Filofax Jahreskalender 2013 - Month on 2 Page... - Chaotic Perfectionist
4. Blogging Schedule Insert: Revisited - Planning with Printed Portal
5. Budget pages for your Filofax for free download - My Life All in One Place
6. Filofax Arrival; Personal Adelphi Purple Review - My Filo World
7. Colors, Colors, Colors! My Colorful Filofaxes Malden, Adelphi and Amazona - My Filoworld
8. 13.5 lists - Bits of Me
9. A Virgin Planner - Bits of Me
10. What was your first filofax? - Paperplane Thinking 
11. Filofax 365/30: What colours should they add to the existing Filofax range?  - Planning with Printed Portal
12. A spot of Filofaxing ready for 2013... All Things Stationery
13. my filofax week #30 - Paper Lovestory 
14. Organizing: Filofax - Diary girl 
15. Another Filofax To Add To The Collection - Typecast
16. My Bargain Filofax !! - Filo Obsessed
17. Filofax Pen Loop hack with the Leuchtturm 1917 - My Filo World
18. Getting ready for Christmas - Cloudberry Musings
19. Filofax - Puddytat Purr
20. What I write and keep in my Filofax :) - Filofax Love
21. In which we discuss Planner Fail and Downsizing -  Honey and Filofaxes
22. Tutorial! And something my Momma gave me - AppleHead Threads
23. The Secret Language of Planning - Daily Thoughts and Random Ideas 

And here are the latest Filofax videos from around the internet.












Enjoy

Free For All Tuesday No. 93

Tuesdays are your chance to ask any Filofax related questions you might have.

So fire away and we will collectively try to answer your questions or offer opinions.

Reader Under the Spotlight - Coralie

Hi everyone, I'm Coralie and I am delighted to participate in Philofaxy's Reader under the Spotlight.  I am based in the UK and have an addiction (or rather passion) for notebooks, Filofaxes, stationery and organisation.

I have recently started 2 new blogs called Printed Portal and Planning with Printed Portal. For all you Filofax lovers planning with Printed Portal contains all my filo ramblings while printed portal is focused on organisational notebooks.

1. When did you buy your first Filofax and what was it?

As a kid I had all of the funfax range (they are probably still knocking around in my parents attic somewhere). My first "adult" purchase was a pink personal sized Metropol which I bought last November.

2. What other brands have you used or considered using?

I have toyed with purchasing a paperchase own brand binder, as some of the patterns are so     pretty, but I have yet to make the plunge.

3. Out of the organisers you own which is your current favourite (Style and Size)?

I love them all, but my current favourite it my personal cross in chocolate. It is providing much amusement as I am still perfecting my set-up.

4. How many Filofax organisers do you own?

I own 5. Two personal metropols (one in pink, one in lavender), personal cross in chocolate, personal London 2012 sporting icons and Malden mini (vintage pink).

5. What do you use your Filofax for?

I have a different set-up in each of my Filofaxes.

• Personal metropol (lavender): this is my diary (wo2p inserts) and contains my after work schedule notebook and to-do list.
• Personal metropol (pink): this contains my lists and key information. I am still working on turning this into a proper stay at home fax as my bag can't take it anymore.
• Personal Cross: this is my blog/notebook filofax. It contains a planner, ideas list, blog post info/drafts and time recording among other things - I am still perfecting/experimenting with this set-up.
• Mini Malden: this is my wallet and financial Filofax.
• London 2012: my Filofax lists 365/30.

6. What was the feature about Filofax you like most?

I can personalise my pages to suit my needs and the fact that I can add and remove pages - and most importantly - experiment.

7. If you could design your own Filofax what would it feature?

A larger pouch/pockets for notebooks - I already comfortable carry a6 and pocket sized notebooks in my personals but it would be nice to slot them in securely/neatly.

Other than that I am more about customising my inserts rather than the binder.

8. How do you carry your Filofax?
The mini malden, both personal metropols and personal cross currently get carried about in my bag. Yes - it is heavy.

I am looking to change my pink metropol into a complete stay at home fax (the two metropols used to be one binder before I ran out of space) and/or get a slimline for my diary...

9. Which Filofax in the current range do you like the most? Are you going to buy it?

I am currently eyeing up a Cuban slimline (currently in the sale at WH Smiths) Although I would happily purchase a Filofax personal Classic in Pink or Holborn in Wine.

10. What is the most you have ever spent on a Filofax? Which model?

The most expensive was my mini Malden which I bought from City Organiser. Can't remember now how much I paid for it.

11. Turning to Philofaxy, what do you like the most?

Everything: it is a great community and I love the way everyone shares tips and ideas.

12. And what do you not like about Philofaxy?

Nothing not to like - other than the fact I have time blocked out in my schedule for web finds and general catching up with Philofaxy.

13. What was the last music album CD you bought or downloaded?

 I don't listen to a lot of music, I tend to enjoy the radio more. I have currently stolen my partners "take that progress" cd for the car to listen to when the radio is boring.

Thank you Coralie for agreeing to go under our spot light. 

If you would like to to be a future 'Reader Under The Spotlight' please get in touch with us at philofaxy [at] gmail [dot] com