2009 a year in review...

So another year is nearly over. I suggested to Nan and Laurie before Christmas that may be we should do a review of the year. But it would be like repeating the year. What could we leave out?

I have taken a look back over the year and each time I do it with the intention of writing something about the year I get engrossed in the articles and especially the comments you all make. No self discipline!!

The big change for me this year has been your contribution via the comments, which has been huge, and we thank you for your valuable input.

As Nan mentioned over Christmas the addition of Laurie and myself has added breadth/depth to the coverage of Filofax topics. Our coverage in the media and the internet has increased in the last year. We have got Philofaxy noticed that's for sure! And again we thank you for your mentions, which I'm sure have contributed to more visitors to the site.

When I got the invite to be a contributor in June from Nan, I sort of panicked at first, what can I write about often enough to keep you all interested. But my fear was short lived. I just write about more or less what I like on topic... and it seems to spark your interest.  I'm sure the three of us will continue in our own style in 2010, giving you all ideas, making you pause and think 'why don't I give that a try' 'oh I like that idea' I'm sure you have had those moments after reading a post.

I will do the occasional 'One Year Ago on Philofaxy' post in future or some other interval in the last 5 years of  Philofaxy to remind ourselves of earlier posts and ideas contained in them, there are plenty of them as I discovered!

If you would like to contribute an article at any time we welcome your input. Please contact us by email: philofaxy@gmail.com

So once again thank you for everything in 2009 and I wish you all the best for 2010.
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The Life of Ideas

One of favorite uses for my Filofax is idea capture. I keep lists of little ideas like books I want to read and websites I want to visit, to the big ideas: my next career, plans for my house, blogs to create. I have to admit, I obsess about these ideas. I'm afraid of losing any of them. Switching from one planner or format to another is especially traumatic, because I have to decide what to do with the idea lists. Copy them over? Archive them? Toss them out and move on? I almost think of the ideas as living things.

It's strange that I cling so tightly to these ideas, because I don't act upon most of them. But when I go over old idea lists, I find that lots of them do get done, but not at the same time or in the same way I originally envisioned. After I record an idea, it really does seem to have its own lifecycle.

Some year I have tons of ideas. At the end of 2008, when I switched to Cotton Cream paper, I reviewed my existing lists, which were on a slew of colors and sizes of paper, and wrote the ones that seemed most significant onto the new paper. I found that 2009 was not a year of ideas for me. I added very, very few new ideas to the lists. Maybe that's a sign I need to either act upon or get rid of the existing ones.

I've been obsessing about what to do for 2010. Just keep the 2009 lists and put them in my City Dweller? Or do a complete reboot?

I've decided on a complete reboot! Go over all of my existing lists. Rewrite the items I want to keep, and say goodbye to the rest. Just let them go. Stop carrying around thoughts that are no longer right for me.

That's what I'm doing today.

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3D Browsing!

Filofax.co.uk has a new viewing feature that lets you see the exact contents of the City Dweller, Family Organizer, and Travel Journal packs before buying.

For example, go to http://bit.ly/FilofaxCity to see the City Dweller. Click the image, and you'll see an animation of the pages turning in 3D. You can click through and see an example of all of the different leaves that come in the pack. The image is enlarged so you can really see every detail, and some of the pages have been filled in with handwriting so you can get some ideas for using them.

This feature is now part of Filofax.co.uk's online store. For the Personal size, for example, go to this page: http://www.filofax.co.uk/store/paperessentials.asp?tn=1&control=processrequest&SizeId=3. Click the link that says "Flick through the pages in 3D."

For 2010, I'm using the City Dweller as my personal organizer. I ordered it several months ago, when the preview wasn't available, so I had no idea what the pages would look like. I don't regret the purchase, but I'm glad that Filofax added this new feature so future customers can get a wonderful 3D preview of what they're buying!

Indexes?

I think we all use the A-Z index tabs for addresses and for sorting notes for projects. I've also used the blank tabs for my own section dividers.

Anyone know what you would use the numbered ones for (1-6) ? They appear to be available in Personal and Pocket sizes only.

I noticed them on the Paper and Essentials page

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New Years Resolutions?

So the year is drawing to a close... time to think about what new years resolutions you might set yourself in 2010.

I'm normally not very good at setting myself such objectives/targets. Although I did fairly well in 2009 to record more of my life on a weekly/daily basis in my A5 Filofax journal organiser. I feel this coming year I'm better prepared. I was slightly phased last new year when I quickly realised I might have bought the wrong refill for 2009.

This coming year is likely to be a fairly busy one for my wife and I as we are hoping that our house sale is finally concluded and we emigrate from UK to France... there will be another blog! So my Filofax organisers will be more and more important to the smooth running of my life this year.

So share with us your Filofax resolutions for 2010, if you have thought of them yet...