Free For All Tuesday No. 173

Guest Post: The Filofax that started it all - Jane

Thank you to Jane and George for this wonderful guest post. 

Hello, fellow Filofaxers!

My name is Jane and I'm here today to introduce to you "the Filofax that started it all" for me. George Redgrave has been using ring-bound organizers for over 25 years. I'd never seen a Filofax until I stumbled across this picture in the fall of 2009....

George's notebook. I'm charmed and awed by the used look.

I'm sure many UK and European readers find it hard to believe that folks in the United States don't have ready access to a Filofax retailer, but it is exceptionally hard to find them Stateside (although it's getting easier).

Since then, George has patiently answered all my questions regarding his system, which are simple and effective.

And now, take it away George!

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How long have you been using your ring-bound system?

My children gave me a pocket size six ring binder (not Filofax) for Fathers' Day in 1988. According to Wikipedia that was Sunday 19 June but my diary entries do not start until Monday 27 June 1988

What attracted you to using a ring-bound planner as opposed to a book planner?

I had been using bound notebooks for some time but the children gave me a ring binder as a present. I don't remember asking for one or saying that it would be more useful.

What is your current Filofax model?

I have a black Pocket Finsbury.

What other Filofaxes do you use? What are their purposes?

I use a black standard six ring binder - possibly Filofax but un-named - for sermon notes (I only preach occasionally so it doesn't get a lot of use). I have a slim burgundy standard Filofax which I use as an address book - this was bought by me for my wife. I also have another standard size red leather ring binder made by a local craftsman which I bought at a craft fair for my wife but which I don't use. (I've got a spare pocket Filofax which I bought cheaply on a stall and which is waiting for my current pocket Filofax to become too worn.)

Describe how you use your Pocket Finsbury. This is the part we LOVE: the sections, specific pages you have in there, how you use your calendar with a to-do list, etc. The more details the better.

I put papers in the large back pocket - minutes of meetings, agenda etc but take them out and file/discard them soon after.

I haven't got anything in the front semi-transparent pocket at present. I have four plastic membership cards in the slip in pockets: Cyclists' Touring Club, Historic Houses etc I have a shopping list and a repeat medical prescription form in the large pocket.

The first "page" is a clear plastic wallet with a photograph of my late wife on one side and a photograph of my younger son, his wife and their three daughters on the other side. In between the photos I keep a spare blank cheque which I can write out if need be.

Inside front of George's Filofax.

Then comes a thick page (not the official page) with my name and address, land line and mobile 'phone numbers and my e-mail address (I lost my Filofax at a large Christian camp last summer and was 'phoned telling me that it had been found :) On that page I also have a check list of the things I take with me when I go out on trips e.g. camera, sandwiches, mini umbrella etc.

After that comes a 2014 calendar, this is clipped to the previous page with two spare paper clips - which I might need. Then the 2013 and 2015 calendars on one page facing the 2014 calendar.

Next comes the diary section, this is the "week to one page" style. I used to have "month to a view", making it myself for many years, but it was a little too cramped. A paper clip holds the pages with the current week and earlier weeks to the 2013/15 calendar page so that I can easily open the Filofax at the current week and look at the 2014 calendar page. At present I have inserted the diary pages only up to August to save space, then a plain page with the months of 2014 set out so that I can note things after August. On the other side of that is a similar set up for 2015 but I probably won't use it as I recently bought the Filofax 2015 Vertical year planner which I've put in already.

On then to a plain page which I've divided into two columns of six boxes headed "Anniversaries" and with the months written in them. Principally this is to record birthdays, wedding anniversaries, dates of baptism and of deaths. Some are in blue, more important ones are in green but very important ones are in red. On the other side of this page are notes of the times of last postal collections from my nearest post box, the local shops and from the main sorting office. There are a few other things too, some conversion tables of English/metric measures, bus times and train times. As this page stays in the Filofax for succeeding years I have strengthened three of the holes with adhesive tape which has fibreglass running through it. I have done this with many pages. I used to run the tape down all six holes but as this causes the pages to bulge I now put the tape over three alternate holes and then the other three alternate holes on the next page.

You can see the Anniversary page on the right hand side of his notebook here. I love how he color codes depending on occasion.

The next page is lined and has a long list of all the things I take with me when I go away, including when I go camping. It starts with "slippers" and ends with "tea towel". Shirts, extension lead, and soap appear in no particular order and other things have been squeezed in at the side of the two columns of writing. The other side of this page is blank!

The next two pages list the Folio Society (www.foliosociety.com) books I have bought with the date and the price I paid in secondhand bookshops. I love these books, they are beautifully produced with their cloth covers, slip cases and illustrations. These pages are not Filofax pages but from another loose leaf notebook and have yellow edges to the paper. This method of colouring not the whole page but just the edge is quite useful.

The next two pages are Bible texts that I particularly wanted to note. These are all to do with reading the Bible e.g. Deuteronomy 11:18 "Let these words of mine remain in your heart and your soul" Jerusalem Bible. I have noted the version they are taken from as sometimes the same verse seems to speak more tellingly to me in one version than another.

The next page lists favourite hymns and worship songs and is written on violet paper. There could be lots but I've only written down about forty or so.

Next comes section of white lined pages which I use to take notes in sermons. I usually only jot down a few points but sometimes far more. There are four sheets of paper here, two have been written on and two are blank. As the section fills up I transfer the pages to the storage drawer. These notes, on Filofax pages and in bound notebooks, go back about forty years.

The next dozen pages are in various colours but I am currently using pink paper. These are thoughts - possibly even poems, though they mostly neither rhyme nor scan. On 25 May 2004, on holiday with my elder son in New York, I wrote:

It's E to A at the corner of Fifth and West 42nd Street,
Yellow cabs stream past,
I stand in the bright sunlight,
Alone in New York.

The E to A refers to an unusual clock there, I took this photo soon after.

I was alone when I wrote this as my son had gone off to do some shopping but we met up for lunch a bit later on.

Then comes a lot of white lined paper and is the standard notebook. I jot down things I want to remember, jokes, calculations … anything that you'd do with pen and paper.

Where George jots notes.

As these notes become no longer current I transfer the pages to the storage drawer, they go back to the first loose-leaf notebook.

George's archival system. I love how he doesn't use binders to archive, just humble rubber bands.

I have a plastic Filofax ruler, marked TODAY, clipped into the rings at the point I am up to in this section. Fairly recently, and I wish I'd been doing it for many years, I have written the date at the top of a new page. There are several blank sheets here of course.

Then comes a section of unlined white paper, some currently have alphabets written by my grand daughters. I give them this section to write on when they ask me for somewhere to write or draw. I have a six hole Pocket Filofax punch (the nice metal one not the cheap plastic one - which I used to use) and put my own paper in here. I used to do the same with the lined paper but I bought a pack of 100 Pocket Filofax sheets quite cheaply about a year ago so I use that, also it's not easy to get sufficiently narrow lined paper – I used to buy cheap diaries and cut them up.

Then come a few sheets of half centimetre squared paper - I make odd notes … and my grand daughters have written here too :)

After that there are a couple of blank green pages and a couple of blue ones with nothing on.

Now we come to the beginning of the chief section of my Pocket Filofax. A photograph of which has received the second highest number of views of my photos on Flickr.

I wish I could write this small!

This is the table of contents of my commonplace book. You will see from the photograph that it is written in three columns of very small writing. It is not an index as I wouldn't be able to insert references but it just lists the quotations in order. The colours refer to the type of entry: Orange for religion, green for photography, red for art, blue for travel (mostly cycling) other things are left uncoloured. There are at present 559 entries. Some go back to before I had the loose-leaf notebook in 1988 but only a few, it really starts just over twenty years ago.

Then come the pages of quotations, they are dog-eared from much use, the corners have been worn away by the zip at the back of the Filofax (I've since taken the fastener off as it was a nuisance.) The holes have reinforcing tape on them, some early pages all six holes but latterly only three to a page. This photograph of has had over 21,000 views!

I love the classical style found in this: the elegant handwriting, the dog eared pages, and the timelessness captured in George's pocket Finsbury Filofax.

I have photographed all the pages in case I lose it. This is what I'm well known for by my acquaintances, I whip the notebook out and quote from something at the least opportunity. I also read these pieces culled from over twenty years of reading when I've got a few idle moments – standing at the supermarket checkout for example.

At this point we must stop. Not because the notebook finishes here but because all the rest of the pages are written upside down so… we turn the Pocket Filofax over and start again at the back. I do this as it's easier to find the end sections this way.

The first thing you would notice is that the leather clip to hold the notebook shut is missing.

The front of George's Pocket Finsbury.

I cut it off some while ago as I keep the Filofax in my hip pocket and the clip jams when I put it in or take it out. I have to alternate which pocket, left or right, to keep it in as my trousers were wearing out on the right and even my car seat was showing signs of distress. I have also removed the pen holder loop for the same reason. Actually I think that the Pocket Filofax is a little too large, a previous leather loose-leaf notebook I had took the same size pages but the covers were a little smaller. The zip fastener has gone as well. I keep three cards with prayers on in the pocket together with some mini post-it notes to use as book markers – mostly in books other than my notebook.

The "first" page is another clear pocket with a photograph of my three children, two daughters in law and three grandchildren … one had not been born when the photo was taken. On the other side are two photos, one of my grandson, now twenty, when he was about ten, and one of my grand daughter now ten when she was about two.

Next come some pages with addresses and telephone numbers that I want to have to hand, these pages have purple edges.

Then there's the accounts section.

Are you as up to date on your money as George? Me either.

I write down all my expenditure. The five columns are:
a & b spending on two credit cards
c what it was for (centre column)
d cash in (forth column)
e cash spent
I reckon it up each Saturday and carry it forward. I've been doing this for nearly forty years and have all the records in the drawer - though I've organised it more systematically over the years. I total up on Saturday and start again on Sunday. Sometimes I can't account for things which I've probably forgotten – or lost – hence the question marks.
The next section on yellow edged paper is a list of books that I see or read about and would like to buy. It's got a bit out of hand as I'm up to book 1,364 and I don't often get them but … there it is.

George's list of book titles he finds interesting. A check means he's read that title.

Then there are four pages of ideas for photographs, some taken from books a good many years ago others are fairly new which I've thought of.

Next is a list of people who've borrowed books from the Camera Club I belong to – not very many books are borrowed, I started doing it in 2000 and I've only just gone onto the second sheet of paper.

The next two sheets are really only there for sentimental reasons, I rarely look at them. They list the Anglican churches within about a ten mile radius of my former house, the distance from that house, the time it took to cycle there, the date I went and the type of service. I used to set off early on Sunday morning and go to 8.00am communion services, being back in time to go to church with my family. The paper is the original paper from the notebook my children gave me in 1988. The dates range from then and become fewer until the last one is in 2002 … and I live about three miles away from that house so the distances are wrong and I'd be much slower riding them now :)

Next is a printed Filofax list of weights and measures with metric and Imperial equivalents, over the page are some facts about time and the calendar.

And now we've reached the quotations in the commonplace section coming the other way :)

What is your favorite feature of your current binder?

It's got fairly big rings to keep quite a lot of pages, previous non-Filofax binders tended to be smaller. The binder is pretty tough - I've been using it for about seven years and it's still more or less OK.

If you could design your perfect Filofax, what would it include? How would these adjustments help you (others)?

No zip pocket, no pen loop, and a slightly smaller cover – but with the same size rings. I now keep a slim stainless steel Papermate ballpoint pen in the rings of the binder. It fits well but would fall out so I have a piece of string with two loops, one at each end, to slip the pen through and clip it onto.

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I think I love the simplicity of his notebook. Its small, portable, and does the job. Plus, I'm really envious of his small script. If we compared handwriting to shoe size, he's got a petite 5 (EU 35/ UK 2.5)  and I'm the awkward size 10 (EU 42/UK 7.5).

A huge thanks to George for being such a great sport and answering all my questions! I'm so lucky he's so gracious and I'm grateful he's willing to share his Filofax with us.

Jane

Reader Under The Spotlight - Sophie

Today I would like to introduce you all to Sophie

Hi! I'm Sophie, an almost-30 year old living in Oxfordshire, UK. I work for the oldest English-speaking University in the world (according to wikipedia) and love skiing, eating good food, going on adventures with my husband and, of course, all types of stationery. I blog at aboutasnowflake.blogspot.co.uk and you can also find me on YouTube.

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

I've been using paper diaries and planners since secondary school (apart from a dabble with digital for a few years after graduation) and I bought my first Filofax in May 2013 with a John Lewis voucher from my birthday. It was a compact aqua Saffiano.

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

I've used generic diaries and planners from WHSmith and Paperchase but the only ring organisers so far have been filofax. I do however have a Van der Spek custom A5 Manager winging its way to me right now for my birthday in May!

I do also use a Midori Traveler's Notebook and two 'Raydoris' made by Ray Blake. I had been using this style as my planner since late 2013 but I've recently changed my set up to go back to rings (all due to the VdS).

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

This does change all the time, and I'm assuming will change again with the arrival of the VdS, but I do love my black leather Deskfax at the moment.

4. How many Filofax or other brands of organisers do you own?

I own 4 filofax organisers: two A5s (Cuban in Chilli and Holborn Zip in Wine), one compact (teal Calipso) and a black Deskfax. With the VdS that'll be five ring bound organisers. I also own a Midori Traveler's Notebook in brown and two notebook covers by Ray Blake, a green regular size which fits up to 6 notebooks and the limited edition Spitfire field notes size.

5. What is the oldest organiser in your collection?

The Deskfax. I have no idea how old it is as it was bought preloved (in fact from the Preloved website!) from a retired teacher in Dorset. It's battered and not in the best condition but I wouldn't part with it.

6. What do you use your organisers for?

• Cuban: main planner which lives at home/projects/trip planner/blog/YouTube planner/cleaning and household/family finances. This will be split when the VdS arrives.
• Holborn Zip: Brownies (the Girl guiding section, not the cake!). I'm a Brown Owl and all my planning for meetings, budgeting and tracking goes in this. The zip is invaluable for keeping everything together.
• Calipso: wallet and satellite planner. This is a new thing I'm trying out. I'm sure I'll blog/vlog about it soon!
• Deskfax: family tree research. I started researching this for my father's 50th birthday 6 years ago and absolutely love it. I'm really nosey and this is a great outlet for that!
• Green traveler's notebook cover: 'happy book' containing four books for my journal, quotes, lists and art/doodles
• Midori Traveler's notebook: spare inserts. I buy a stack of notebooks every so often from pencils.jp to save money (take care with import VAT if you use them in Europe) and keep them in here.
• Spitfire: this hasn't got a use at the moment so suggestions are welcome!

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

The flexibility. It all starts as just a diary and some notes and then it grows. I love how I only use one as a true planner and the rest have different uses.

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

It would be A5 with some structure, full width wallet pocket, a secretarial pocket with credit card slots at the front and a gusseted zip pocket at the back. Colour wise I'd have British racing green nappa on the exterior and cream on the interior (to match the vintage Jaguars). 28mm rings would be big enough. I'm waiting on Petra Van der Spek to design this for me (as is most of the facebook group)!

9. How do you carry your Filofax?

Compact in my bag, Holborn in my Brownies bag, others on my desk.

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

The Temperley Violet Organiser. I know the Temperleys are a love/hate collection for many people but I'd love one as a wallet. Don't know if I'll buy it as the other option is a new VdS!

The others I really like the look of are the plum Osterley, the green Original and the red Charleston (although I hate the pocket configurations on all of them). 

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

On Filofax - £39.99 (I love TKMaxx in the UK, I got both A5s in there). My VdS cost my husband (birthday present) over £200 so it's a big leap!

12. What's your favourite Filofax tip or hack?

Deskfax rings are spaced the same as personal (thanks Steve) so if I'm only carrying my compact when I come across some family tree stuff I can make a note in there then transfer the sheet into the deskfax for writing up later.

I also love the hack to use the Rapesco punch for A5 sheets, found that on YouTube!

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

The variety. I love Readers under the Spotlight to find out how others use their planners, web finds for the same reason, tip and hacks for new ideas and product reviews to see the new must-have!

14. And what do you not like about Philofaxy?

There's not enough on Adspot??

15. What was the last music track you downloaded or bought?

Little Me by Little Mix, really uplifting track.

16. George Clooney or Brad Pitt?

George - he's the Sean Connery of his generation, gets better with age.  

Thanks!

Sophie

Thank you Sophie. And if you would like to appear in this regular on Philofaxy, then please contact Steve at philofaxy at gmail dot com thank you. 

Web Finds - 24 May 2014

I hope you had a good week? Time to enjoy a great collection of blog posts and videos from around the internet.

So here are the latest Filofax blog posts from around the Internet:

1. Filofax Mini Meetup Stockholm – 20th May 2014 - This Bugs Life
2. Conquering My Notes Section - The Storage Studio
3. Brain Dumping it all out! - Lime Tree Fruits
4. Filofax Free printable: Diet Diary Personal Size - My Last Eureka
5. When To Customize A Planner - Giftie Etcetera
6. Rainbow- A-Z A5 Tabs - Incarnations of Organization
7. {Filofax Friday} What’s In My Bag - Renew Your Space
8. I've Been Cheating on Filofax - Coffee and Stationery
9. Guest post by Mrs Brimbles - She's Eclectic
10. Gillio Medium Mia Cara: Epoca Purple - OATTblog
11. DayDex, Bullet Journal ... che dite .. combiniamo? (Updated: Filofax A5) - My Last Eureka
12. Filofax: Personal Deep Pink Domino - What? that pink Filo!
13. Planning My Day - One or Two Pages Per Day? - Sparkle Frogs
14. Bullet Journal Setup & Review - Spread the Giggles
15. The New Filofax Collection! - Filosophical
16. Giorno su una pagina v-2 Filofax A5 Pre-datato - Giugno - (ITA) - My Last Eureka 
17. Opening my new A5 calipso filofax in bright blue (love!!) - Organised Life Style
18. Free For All Friday No. 36: Time To Think, Space To Think - Plannerisms
19. A Summer Bag For My Filofax - Roses in December
20. Filofax Focus - Steve Morton

• We monitor over 500 blogs and sites, your Filofax/Organiser blog posts could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list. 
• We can not guarantee people will read your posts, but we know there is a higher chance of people reading your posts and returning to read other posts if you make them interesting with pictures and good hints and tips. Do not forget to give your posts a title... 
• For some general tips on Filofax Blogging, please see this post

And here are a selection of the latest Filofax videos for your enjoyment.

1. Filofax a5 Original in Nude/Cream - My Life Re-Organised
2. Van der Spek planner with Life is Crafted inserts - My Life Re-Organised
3. Gillio Medium Mia Cara: Epoca Purple! - OATTblog
4. My Gillio Collection May 2014 - Nancy Zarroli
5. Filofax Planner Setup - Personal Holborn in Brown - Kerrie Lynn
6. Introduction to my Gillio Collection - Little Bird Studio
7. DIY Leather damage - Recolouring Gillo matte croco leather - Little Bird Studio
8. Decorating my Filofax: Week 21 [HD] Mits t
9. New Pocket Filofax Share - A Pink Apex - AKCaraboo
10. How To Use Different Kind Of Pages For Your Planner :) - Jessica Bella
11. filofax decor week 6 - Stampingsongbird

• For tips on how to improve your videos, please see this post.  Also this video too Webfinds 
• Your Filofax/Organiser Videos could appear in this list, just contact philofaxy at gmail dot com to be added to our monitoring list. 

Enjoy

Free For All Friday No 288

I've seen many people are slimming down their Filofax and streamlining sections lately. Some people are lightening their load for summer, others seem to have reached a critical mass and are now going in the opposite direction.

Are you streamlining your Filofax lately?

As always on Fridays, feel free to discuss and/ or ask anything ring-binder related!