A Filofax Love Affair!
[ 21 June 2010 ]
Recently, I started to become frustrated with my Colour-A-Month Moleskines. They’re too small & there’s nowhere to write down extraneous lists or pockets in which to keep things. It was making me nuts to have to dig out another book to write down anything happening further than a month out. The romance was over. It was a dead duck. I stopped using them. I went back to index cards (aka the “hipster PDA“).
Serendipitously though, all this occurred around the same time that Kris Atomic mentioned that she had purchased a Filofax & that it was rocking her world. It planted a seed in my mind.
I started logging into the FilofaxUSA site late at night, bookmarking planners & accessories in a cold sweat. I imagined the things I would put in the plastic pockets; I fantasised about having one place to contain all my madness. Then, one night, I took the plunge. I ordered an organiser & a slew of inserts & accessories. Then I waited. (Very impatiently, I might add. I called them TWICE to track the package! I’m sorry, patient & charming Filofax customer service staff!)
When the package arrived, I rushed downstairs in little more than my pyjamas, & stole back to my room to rip the box open with fervour. Oh, it was beautiful, & worth the wait. It got better & better as I dug deeper through the box. An organiser in bright, rich raspberry; Filofax-specific sticky notes; A MIRROR; a NYC subway map; purple lined notepaper…
I am totally, totally, totally in love with my Filofax & thought I’d show you how I’ve been organising it & using it.
The Filofax organiser I bought is the Metropol Personal, in Raspberry. It’s not the most expensive one — at $34, it’s hardly a splurge — but it is the colour I liked best, & has a minimal, chic design. The colour is (let’s just say it) extremely sexual. The Metropol comes with two pen loops (I use one for my ink pen & one for a highlighter!), a pocket in the front (my passport is stashed inside), six credit card slots & a mesh pocket in the back.
I decided to go with the Personal size because it’s most convenient for my purposes. I wanted something big enough that I could write in comfortably, as I often do a lot of writing on paper when I’m out, but that was also small enough to fit in my handbag. Here is a size guide so you can get an idea of the different options!
At the very front of my Filofax is a mirror, which is genius & perfect for checking your teeth or general appearance before you meet someone — & no one even knows you’re doing it! Fab!
After this, I have two transparent envelopes which contain things I want to keep at the forefront of my mind. When Angeliska did a tarot reading for me at Barton Creek in Austin a couple of months ago, the High Priestess was a significant card that turned up. Angel told me that I should keep one around as a reminder, so I pulled mine from my deck & this is where it’s living for now.
The second pocket holds a variety of things — fortunes from cookies, a fortune from the Zoltar machine at the Wildfox Couture party, passes to clubs in Las Vegas & my Virgin America plane ticket to JFK. It has become a kind of catch-all for scraps which come my way — it needs to be reorganised! (Or perhaps I need multiple envelopes for different purposes… Mmmm sounds good!)
After that is my To Do list. I write each item on a separate line, drawing a heart as a bulletpoint & highlighting the line when it’s completed. (This is a system I’ve been using for a very long time!)
The best thing about a Filofax is that because it’s essentially a binder, it can be opened & pages can be removed or replaced on a whim. This means you don’t have to keep old lists around — it’s a brilliant way of clearing out mental clutter.
The next page is my list of things to manifest! Every sentence starts, “I am so happy & grateful…” & then I describe what I want. For example, one of them is, “I am so happy & grateful that Hank & Dolly get along like old friends & are peaceful & happy together”. I wrote about these lists in Love & Sequins #9, because they really, really work! I like to have mine at the front of my planner because I see it all the time as I am flipping through.
I use my Filofax for very important things, as you can see. Taco night = #1 priority!
My monthly & daily calendars are next. Initially I was just using the grid calendar for planning travel, but have recently switched it up & am now using it to plan out my articles for the month. This way, I can look at it & immediately see where I have a gap, & know what days need content! (Additionally, when I am ahead on my work, it gives me great comfort & a feeling of fantastic smugness to look at these pages. Hahah!)
After the grid calendar is the actual day planner. I use a page for each day, which is great. I like lots of space to add whatever I might need to remember. I am in the unenviable position of needing to write down everything, or I forget about it. I schedule in everything, from meetings to birthdays to reminders to email people about odd things.
I don’t have every day of the year in here — my calendar starts on May 25th (the day it arrived) & at this point, it only contains days up to September. I just don’t want it to be bulging unnecessarily. The rest of the calendar is stowed safely in a desk drawer, & I threw the days prior to May in the bin.
Now we’re into the section which is divided by colour-coded sticky notes. Get ready to Virgo it up!
The first portion contains lists of places to go for brunch & restaurants to try for dinner, separated by borough. Yes, ‘tis true! I collate this information from a bunch of sources (like Yelp & Time Out New York) & make notes beside each name, like the address & type of food. The Dish & I like to go on food adventures, so this is a very useful section.
The next page is an ongoing list of songs to put into a summer mixtape, which I am perpetually (but idly) working on! The tab for this page has a musical note drawn on it. I often flip to this page as I am walking along the street listening to my iPod! (Not very graceful!)
I have a page for handwritten gratitude, as well — I like to add to it when I’m waiting for people or have some downtime. Writing it on paper changes the form of giving thanks. It makes it more real, & taking the time to commit it with pen & ink is a really positive practice for me. It also gives me something to refer back to when I’m putting together Things I Love Thursday!
The page after that is for recording my dreams! I write down the date & any details I can remember. The more I do this, the more of them I remember. (It also apparently increases your chances of lucid dreaming.)
The last page in this section is my wishlist. I add to this list when I think of things which need to be replaced or purchased. (Currently featuring: Hollywood tape [I ran out in Las Vegas], Make Up For Ever All Mat primer, & “cute underwear”. Always.)
I am aware that some of the ways I use my Filofax are pretty unconventional, but it really works for me! That’s the best thing about it, it is basically a good-lookin’ binder & you can fill it with anything you like. You can create it in a way which serves you. You can use it to infuse your life with more magic. I love that.
I use a Barbie pen to write most things in my Filofax. I
it.Future Filofax plans? Yes, I have those!
While I love the Metropol, it’s not leather & so I feel like it will probably start to look ratty after a year or so of use. It’s totally no biggie — when that happens, I will probably upgrade to the Filofax Classic in pink. I’ll just scoop out the guts of the Metropol & switch them over. Easy peasy.
I am on the verge of having new business cards (& stickers!) printed up, & when they’re ready, I’ll be stashing them in my Filofax for sure. I’m going to get another envelope — one with a zip closure — to house them. I always forget to take them with me otherwise, which is tragic to say the least!
I’d love to get my hands on a portable hole punch, so I can instantly add things to my Filofax, but for now, I am pretty happy just putting important things in the pockets or transparent envelopes.
I used to have a Filofax when I was about 10 years old. I seem to remember them being a kind of trend — or were they just trendy among nerds like myself? At the time, there were also many poor imitations of the Filofax, which folded open & had magnetic snap closures. (I think I had one with a crocodile on it, which also included a crappy pen?!) I used to write my homework in it & give myself fake, “cool” homework too. Oh brother.
My life is pretty different now — understatement of the year! — & having a Filofax is the perfect complement. Sometimes, when I hold onto it, I feel like I am clutching a little binder of sanity! I take it everywhere with me, even when I think I won’t need to use it. I inevitably do, & besides, it makes me feel happy just flicking through the pages.
Extra For Experts:
Why A Filofax?
Using A Filofax For GTD: Setting Up The Pages For Tasks & Calendars
Flickr photos of how other people do it
Philofaxy is hardcore!
How do you organise yourself? Are you a Moleskine diehard like I used to be, or do you just keep everything in your head? Would you consider getting a Filofax? Tell me how you keep everything straight! I love hearing about it.
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I had been using Franklin-Covey…just because it was required by my past employer. However, it’s a little too “corporate America” for my liking and now that I’m no longer employed there, I’ve been looking for a replacement.
I think you’ve about talked me into the Filofax. It looks like it has everything I could ever need with a lot of fun options. Thanks for the great info!
XO Piper
oh my gosh, i totally used to have a Filofax too! it was probably an imitation one, and i used it off and on through high school and into my mid-twenties.
i may have to run out and get one – i love all the unconventional uses for yours, and i have been missing the feel of a binder in my world for some time now. i’m already dreaming of fun ways to use my very own!
I am in love with the colour of it!! I use a Franklin Covey planner to keep my days organised – I love their prioritising system. Mine’s not so corporate because it gets jazzed up with stickers/doodles/bright colours etc. I’ve seen filofax’s and wondered about them but now I think I’ll have to try one …
I just use my phone, (it’s a Palm Pre, so being made by Palm really should be good for organisation) but I do long for something more tactile once in a while. I use a moleskine for rough notes, etc. but I must admit I tend to go through phases of being really organised, then abandon my diary for a few months!
I used to long for a Filofax as a teenager though – I had a FunFax growing up, and was obsessed with it, so the “grown-up” version was really appealing to me!
Vixel — Ahhh yes the FUNFAX! So funny! Can’t believe you remember the name! I have tried using my (various) phones for organisation but it honestly makes me crazy. I need to put things on paper, be able to flick through, add at a whim, etc. I love technology but would rather use an index card to keep me organised than a phone!
To be honest, I switched to Moleskin this year after seeing so many people raving about them. But I don’t really find it has enough to suit my needs. Throughout grad school I used a Franklin Convey organizer and LOVED it.
I’ll probably switch back at the start of the year to something with more options (though it was good to test out other options).
YES! I just dug out a Filofax I bought myself when I was 14 & never used, and it’s totally keeping me on top of my life & game. They’re so pretty, too.
LOVE IT!
I have a pink filofax that was for breast cancer awareness, but it’s been unlovingly thrust onto a shelf…. maybe time to dust it off?!
I LOVED this post! I’m a total organizer junkie. Have gone back and forth between Franklin Covey and Filofax over the years. I like the design of Filofax pages, but Franklin Covey binders give me more room for the highlighters, pens, pencil, and eraser I need with me for managing my notes and lists. But I always cherish a peek inside the planners (and lives) of others, so thanks for the look inside yours. I’d actually love to see a book of nothing but photos of people’s agendas and life-management systems!
♥ V
www.gritandglamour.com
I use a moleskine to write down appointments and homeworks, work, anything I need to do aoutside the computer and the house. For my to do list I use Teux Deux, for events I use my Google Calendar (which syncs to my phone and iPod Touch). I also keep lists in my iPod Touch and I’ll be getting a BlackBerry soon, so I’ll synce everything there as well.
I like my moleskine because it’s not bulky and I can carry it around everywhere but I like technology better because it rings when i forget something and I often forget to check my planner when I have things to do.
I love my monthly Moleskine planners, but you’re right – they are a tad cumbersome, especially if you’re toting around two or three months worth at a time!
I’m definitely intrigued by the prospect of a Filofax. Hmmm!!!
Ooh, I have recently come to a new era of organization in my life and currently live by my google calendar. I have the moleskine 18 mo. planner, and I really love it for pasting little things from memorable days, but I do wish I had a notes section that was easy to find and enough room for a notebook, instead of lugging around two notebooks all the time.
I use a Moleskin right now – I love their plain lined notebooks for writing. I’m not unhappy with the monthly planner I have but I don’t think it’s enough for me.
Some months I plan A TON and am always writing things down – the Moleskin isn’t too fab with that. Other months, I’m pretty light with content for whatever reason and it’s fine.
I think I might need to switch it up!
I have to have one! I used to think moleskine where the best but filofax totally kicks moleskine butt! I’m off to get one now! got my eye on a shiny red one! yum!
You’re making me want to buy a Filofax! But I haven’t got the money for stuff like that, right now. Ahh.
I keep myself “organized” (hah) with my university calendar and a small notebook i carry around. It’s admittedly not the most convenient solution, space or weight wise.
I used to use a Franklin Covey, but then I found these wonderful “student planners” that come out in July (they start at August). It’s a simple calendar with daily pages too. Perfect when you don’t have a ton to plan out, but still want to keep track of dates and meetings.
oh! i want one! $34 is so in my budget if i do it on a payday ;) i have used a moleskine for a few years now & just this last year switched to the set up of a week on one page and a lined on the other half, which i like for lists. BUT .. i need moooreee
you could have a section for all your tarot daily readings!
you could have a section with outfit plans for the weekend and what worked & what didn’t!
tracking yummy lunches or recipes you love
compliments you recieved ;)
compliments you gave!
OHHH and now look at you, miss gala – you’ve made the raspberry out of stock!!
Now if I could put my iPad in one of those things, I think we have a winner. You think the Personal size would fit one somewhere inside comfortably?
Nevermind about the iPad question…just took my lazy ass to the size guide. Thanks, Gala!
Great post! I’ve been wondering what the deal is with the Filofax, I wasn’t sure about them for a while, but they seem fabulous. I have a 3.5 × 5.5 Moleskin 12 month planner that is pretty decent. But I think 2011 will merit a new filofax! The company should give you $, you’re gonna boost their sales Gala!
I used to make my own planners in college… I’d glue a month sheet in, draw in my specific page formatting for each day, & then glue the next month in, leaving spaces in the front & back for lists & drawings. Tedious, but it had to be done! (I was also kind of an ass about how I wanted things to be, so if I couldn’t find something I wanted, I’d make it myself, dammit!)
Now I keep my calendar in my iPod touch (getting an iPhone soon, can’t wait to not have to drag around both!), & my to do list/scribbles in my at-a-glance. I find that my paper calendar becomes a sort of catch-all for to-do lists & notes that I take.
This, however, looks like fun. I’ll see how my phone works out, & by the end of the year, if the at-a-glance isn’t working out, it’s always nice to know about other options. :)
When I was a kid playing outside with my next-door-neighbours we noticed soemone had put a few bags out of things they didn’t want anymore… so we had a nose through them and found a big chunky leather mostly unused filofax. I thought it was amazing! I hid it under a bush in my garden so I could flip through it and mark in fake appointments and plans with my felt-tips :) I loved filling in all my info – name, address, phone number etc. – it made me feel very grown up and important!
I had a few of the FUNFAX’s too, they were brilliant.
I’m tempted to get one just like yours gala, it sounds perfect and lots of fun to use. Plus Rasberry is fast becoming my new favourite colour!I know what you mean about happily flicking through and feeling all excited seeing all your plans and ideas n stuff organised into sections, I’m like that too :)
For the past few years I’ve been using my iPhone to keep my life together. But I’m a little scared because my contract is up in August and I’m going to need to be organized because I’m moving and applying for jobs. This might be something I can keep up with. I had planners in High School and they helped out A LOT, I think I could be down with paper organization again…Hmmm researches Filofax
Thanks for this Gala! :)
Over the years, I’ve had about a jillion day planners, of various stripes.
My biggest difficulty with them is fitting them in my purse, as I tend to be Uber-Scout and have a bit of everything on me at a given time – I moved to a Palm waaaaaaayyy back in the day, and have since moved to using Google calendar + Outlook + Blackberry for most of my needs. Of course, I can’t glue/ stash/ store things in as nicely as with a book-type system, but on the other hand, I can’t glue/ stash/ store things in, so I tend to be less clutterbug-y than I would end up being .
... Having said all that, I DO go through cycles where I dig out my day planners and try again.
I currently use a notebook with inserts to hold extra papers, not very cool, but it’s thin and easy to take with me everywhere I go. Im constantly making lists and checking things off, so I need some sort of notepad with me at all times.Your FiloFax is amazing, Im going to have to invest in one of these myself!
Ha! I love that the day you blog about the Raspberry Filofax, it sells out on the website. You’re a powerful force Miss Gala!
I considered getting a Filofax when you began to mention them, because my undated agenda is about to expire… I looked at it in a store and well, it all just seemed like too much to me! I’m no Virgo so all this hyper-organization, while incredibly appealing for some reason, is just utterly alien and a bit overwhelming for me.
Instead, I’ve bought this Le Petit Prince agenda cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?... and am currently anticipating its arrival. It’s not as fast and loose as the Filofax, not being interchangeable and all, but has more features and structure than my current agenda so I think it will be a good transition. I plan to use this one more consistently than I did my old one, so as I figure out what I need from an agenda/get a better handle on being able to organize for what I need, I’ll consider getting a Filofax.
Currently I’m using a small Moleskine for random notes, ideas, doodles, and lists. It’s sort of my mental dumping ground when I’m out and about. When I get home I sort through these and type up the ones that I want to keep. Planner wise I’ve got a Day-Timer Portable. I love my calendars in it. The monthly calendars help me keep track of important dates coming up and the daily helps me keep track of my days and expenses. It’s the right size for my bag but I wish I had a little more room in it to add things.
Oh! Is that holographic Ganesh a preview of your new business stickers?
I am blessed with extremely good memory (and maybe not so blessed with extreme disorganization). I don’t really need to write anything down, and when i do, i just write in on a piece of paper and throw it in the purse (hence the disorganization). I do have a small moleskinne planner, which i rarely use, but really wish i did. It was thanks to you i even bought it, with your moleskinne obsession in the beginning of the year. my sister already used them, but for drawings. And since you talked so much about it, i bought it on new year’s day. I used it a lot in the first month, for quotes, notes, reminders, lists and that kind of thing. but then the pages start to get blank and empty. For some reason i carry it with me anyways.
I love the filofax, too. You make me want to buy it, but i wont, because I know I wont use it.
Maybe someday when I have an extremely busy life like you or when the memory starts to give in, I’ll need it. But for now, my memory is working well, and life is pretty peaceful.
Gala – there must be something in the air! Two weeks ago I bought the Metropol Personal, but in black, to match my handbag. I’ve tried diaries and notebooks and all kinds of ways to keep myself organised but nothing excites me quite like this! Although I do admittedly have quite the stationery fetish!
My boyfriend recently bought me the cutest Hello Kitty planner. It has teapots and teacups and bows all over it, it reminds me of Alice in Wonderland (which is one of my favorite things). It’s a lot like your filofax, it’s basically a little binder with plastic pockets and places for pens and things. I haven’t had the heart to write much in it yet because it’s so pretty. It’s been super helpful at keeping me organized, I love it. I also keep a tiny Hello Kitty notebook inside just in case I need more paper.
Ha, the raspberry personal metropol is sold out…coincidence? I used to have various planners during school (I had four running at one time my senior year of high school…one for school things, one for assaignments, one for my work schedual and to do lists, and one for at home things)(College classes, moving out, and being a manager of a pizza joint all at 18 needs some serious organization!) Right now I only use my moleskin page-a-day since my life is pretty uncomplicated (I’m playing the role of a kept woman ;)) So that’s limited to the bill cycle and the honey’s work commitments. But a filofax is on the wishlist for 2011!
I think organizers diaries where “in” at some point, when I was like 13… but I didn’t like them because the pages came off too easily and I didn’t have that much to write…
So I moved to daily planners… this year I bought a weekly planner, but I’m not using it very much… even though I need to remember things and to become a much more organized person…
maybe now an organizer can help me, thanx!
I got myself a Moleskine pocket daily planner, thinking it would help me greatly.. however, I rarely use it now. It’s too small & I can’t put all my other stuff (like important notes, cards, etc.) in it. And there’s no pen holder so I have a bunch of stuff inside my purse & it’s so hard finding what I need. It’s definitely time for an upgrade ASAP!
I love the color of your planner! I need something just like that for my life. I should look into planners & see what I can find for my liking. Thanks for the post, it’s definitely pushed me to get off my butt & start moving! Happy first day of summer! `=)
I had several Funfaxes as a kid, I had the Magic one and the Spy one and one about school full of rude stuff about teachers.
Okay, I say ‘had’ but actually I’ve still got all of them in my cupboard! Hahahaha!
At the moment I’m on my second year of using the Mslexia Writers’ Diary. You get a week to view opposite a page with space to write whatever you want on it, and that page has either a quote or a book recommendation on it. There is also a submissions diary, books borrowed/lended section, addresses, extra blank pages, menstrual calendar, plus various little sections of information like a competitions list, ‘websites for writers’ and ‘how to run a writer’s group’, these vary slightly every year. It’s spiral bound so it opens flat and has plastic pockets inside the covers. I absolutely love it. www.mslexia.co.uk/shop/diary_b…
I use my iPhone to keep myself organised. I have atrocious handwriting and I always forget to write things down, so having it all on my phone is super convenient. I can also set my phone to remind me of things and it syncs with Google Calendar as well.
I also take a lot of medication (for medical problems) and vitamins and I use a really great app to remind me to take my meds. It’s really helpful for me, since I am always “dans la lune” and tend to forget stuff.
I also keep a journal on me at most times, for creative writing or journaling. I feel that that is a different thing and shitty handwriting or not, I need to use a pen to get stuff like that down.
Hi Gala!
Could you put a list or something of what you purchased? Like what accessories, and what came with the one you got? That would be so, so, so, helpful, thank you!
I LOVE Filofaxes… The Flickr page you posted is GREAT, oh my gosh. Also, Ashley Olsen has one in this movie she did – New York Minute – and I’ve kept screen caps of it in my inspiration folder for years, haha!
img.photobucket.com/albums/v42…
img.photobucket.com/albums/v42…
Really wish I had my own, but I can’t afford the one I want right now. :( I’ve tried using the 18-month Moleskine planner, but it just doesn’t function the way I need it to – it’s hard for me to keep track of my assignments; I end up using the lined pages for other lists too (quotes I like, things I want, random ideas), so all of my assignments sort of get lost…
I get student planners from the university I attend, but after a while, I end up switching over to other methods… Not sure if it’s because I’m too lazy to write stuff down, or because these planners simply don’t meet my needs! (I’m going with the latter, hah!) Anyhow, during the school year, I usually carry my laptop around with me, so I’ll make a to-do list via Text Edit or Google Tasks, and then schedule events, dates, deadlines and such on Google Calendar. (Google Cal is super useful, though it would be nice not to have to rely on my computer/the Internet so heavily…)
Really, I need something with a monthly view (it helps me gauge how much time I have left to finish papers, projects, study for tests, etc.), but also has space to make all sorts of lists. I’m thinking about using one of the two planners I bought in Taiwan a few years ago. They’re very small, but very cute, and also have binder rings, so I can take out pages and add them as needed.
BTW, here’s another FABULOUS resource, for anyone who has a LiveJournal account: community.livejournal.com/orga…
Oh mannn, I’m so tempted to buy one of these! I currently use my iPod for to do lists and such, but it automatically updated a few months ago and I lost everything, so it would be useful to have something like a Filofax that I could always rely on.
I used to have a Winnie The Pooh Filofax type thing when I was younger but never really made proper use of it!
Luinae — Here’s what I ordered (copied straight from the email)...
Metropol Personal Raspberry
Assorted Sticky Notes Personal
Personal Ruled Notepaper – Lavender Personal
Personal NY/NJ/CT Transit Map Personal
Mirror Personal
Personal Envelope Personal
Personal Manattan Map Personal
Personal Month On Two Pages Personal – 2010
Personal Day Per Page Personal – 2010
& the Metropol came with…
Supplied with a July 2010 – December 2011 week on two pages diary
Address Sheets
To Do Sheets
Top Opening Envelope
Ruler/Page Marker
White Ruled Paper
World Map
As you can see, I bought a day per page diary to use instead of the week on two pages diary that came with it. I got rid of the address sheets & world map too. Hope this is helpful!
I used a filofax a couple of years ago, before becoming a Moleskine planner devotee. One of the problems was that I’d bought a toty one so it was too small to write in and read from comfortably. You may well have given me a good enough case for switching back, though! I carry an unbelievable amount of crap with me so I tend to leave my planner at home… this might well consolidate most of my madness, though!
It’s… a planner. They handed these out at school when I was a kid. I still have mine, jammed full of crap from middle school. I understand the usefulness, but I’m missing the novelty, I think.
Very helpful, thank you!
What have you done?!??
Now I want a filofax instead of diary and bits of paper. I hate using my phone etc. for planning and I think filofax is the answer. I want the city dweller pack. Mostly because it has an outfit planner and self check list.
FILOFAX should pay you commission…i went to take a peek at the page (via your link) and the raspberry is completely sold out…if you master the art of subliminal messages (a la Derren Brown) then the world is in trouble…but a delicious, uber-fantastic sort of trouble to be sure.
:)
Deb — City dweller pack? What is that? I searched but couldn’t find anything! Outfit planner?! I MUST KNOW!
I had a Funfax as a child and I LOVED it!!
I’m currently using page-a-day Moleskine which suits me pretty well but sometimes I want to make notes that aren’t date-specific and the Moleskine lacks a decent amount of regular note-paper. Also it’s only June and the back pocket has already split because I have too much stuff jammed in there!
I have both a Moleskine NYC Planner from MoMA as well as a Filofax mini. I use them both for different things. I actually just did a post on the differences and pros/cons of each on my blog.
Both are with me at all times. Both are on my desk right now. I find that my Moleskine gets more creative uses while my filofax is more business oriented. I do love that I can keep it year after year whereas I have to replace my moleskine all too often (though they do make a lovely collection of memories on my bookshelf).
Oh, I have so many notebooks! I have a Moleskine diary (which I dramatically fell OUT OF LOVE with in Paris when I tucked my train ticket in the back cardboard pocket and it had disappeared when I needed it through a magical hole) for my to-do lists, to-read lists and other organisational bits & bobs, then a slew of different sized Moleskines for daily doings, quotes, reading reviews, travel planning…and now I’m slathering all over this post! My friends sometimes have to restrain me from going into Paperchase…!
xx
Moleskine yearly planner. Has a whole page for every day. I wanted to use as a planner but now it’s more like a diary of my days which I like. I will be able to look back and hopefully laugh and feel good about what happened.
This is a brilliant post! I love how thorough it is, and now I’m thoroughly obsessed with getting a Filofax. I’m always on the lookout for a planner that includes both a monthly overview and a weekly spread – surprisingly hard to find.
Interesting…I currently use a composition notebook and a Blackberry for all my life planning needs. The composition notebook hasn’t failed me yet (have been toting various ones around since I was about 10). However, I also have a bit of a fetish for books for jotting down things and may have to check this filofax thing out. :)
philofaxy.blogspot.com/
a small gift for Gala to share her filofax love.
Oh boy. Now I have to run out and buy one. Thanks for the idea! It’s just what I need for my new desk.
I’ve tried to use Moleskine’s as well but it just was not working for me either. I prefer to have my lists and my planner together instead of separate plus like you mentioned you can’t store anything in it. I’m liking the sound of the Filofax. :D I’ll have to check it out.
Holy shit this is like organising-porn, it’s making me salivate! Yep, now I definitely need a filofax. Oh lord. Thanks for writing this though Gala haha! Def. helpful and inspirational! Looks awesome!
xxx
Fleur
p.s. I saw the city dweller comment and found a link here (I think it’s originally a british concept?) :
www.filofax.co.uk/lifestyle/li…
I use a weekly Tokidoki spiral planner (here is the 2011 one: www.amazon.com/Tokidoki ) to organize my life. Everything from blog posts (color coded on a whim by the week), post-its with to-do lists, descriptions of what I got done, important days, movie/book release dates, when bills are due, birthdays, etc.
I also print out a grid with due dates, approximate pay dates, and amounts for all the bills I have to pay which lives on my bulletin board each month. Every time I get a bill paid I write in hot pink over the name/amount PAID in big letters which feels good.
I also have a stack of Moleskine notebooks on my desk that I keep future post ideas, lists of books/movies/music/poems/short stories/fashion designers/etc, 2 different moleskine passions notebooks (one for reviewing, or keeping track of reviews, books and the other for movies).
I generally keep my to-do lists on single sheets of magnetic notepad paper that I buy from Target’s $1 bins once every few months. I usually grab something bright and girlie, cupcakes/Hello Kitty/etc and write them in bright colored ink.
I also keep notes in my cellphone of article/post ideas whenever they come to me and I don’t have a pen/paper handy. These get transfered to my long list of ideas in one of my Moleskine cahiers later.
—————-
Since my organization leaves me SO scattered I have thought about getting a Filofax but I can never decide between committing to a super bright color or black. I’ve had planners like it in the past and used them pretty frequently when I was in school, but I am not the greatest planner keeper in the first place.
I use a Moleskine daily diary which I’m pretty happy with and a standard lined Moleskine as a personal journal.
Though, next year I will be buying a Filo Fax for uber organisation in my last year of uni. I work at a store that sells Filo Fax products and have slowly become enamoured with their usefulness and adaptability, though I’m not a 100% keen on all the designs.
I am incredibly intrigued…I am VERY disorganised. I write myself ‘TO-DO’ lists on scrap paper that vanish (I swear that if i actually followed any of these lists I’d have a totally different existence….or maybe just get stuff done!) I do like nice hand-sized journals…tempting tempting….
I’ve used many kinds of calenders and notebooks, but a couple of months ago I thought i needed a succes agenda (similar to filofax) and i loved it fromthe beginning. i’m actually using it in a very similar way. I also have the hole puncher, which i adore. i still use moleskines and other notebooks, but less and less.
Just love the binder. BTW i’ve also printed out images and texts, using the hole puncher i put them in the binder as well
You’ve jump started my memory, Gala ! I had one of those faux-crocodile
skin ones with the crappy pen. I loved it, even though I was about nine and nothing worth writing down. The little calculator was cool though.
This is total modern witchery. Filofax, more like grimoire! ;D
I never go anywhere without my planner. I tried to get into putting events in my phone, but there’s nothing like flipping to a week and writing it down. I’ve been rocking a black planner for years – it may be time to upgrade to color!
Just ordered my Filofax for the next school year. I needed a new way to organize my life and this article helped me! I bookmarked it on my computer to go back and forth with it.
Also, the way I keep myself organized is writing lists on my computer and save them to my flash drive. I also have a composition notebook in which to write down things, but I have noticed lately I haven’t really looked at it as a planner but more so as a journal, which I have a lot of. Plus with a Filofax, once it comes in, I can use it to hold tickets and stubs and various other things and get rid of my bulky black wallet as well as my large purse/handbag addiction that I have been trying to break.
XOXO,
Danielle
What a great post – I love to see how other people organize!
I was using a Palm Pilot until it automatically changed time zones on me one time when I was in Chicago, resulting in thinking my flight was an hour later than it was and having to catch a frenzied ride to the airport in pajamas. Horrible.
After that, I switched back to the Circa organizing system (from Levenger), which is what I had been using in law school. This time around, I got the hole punch, so I can punch “holes” (actually little divets in the side so that the pages can be pressed in anywhere) in anything I want and jam it in! I am never without the class schedules at my favorite Crunch locations any more. :) I should do that with a subway map, though, that would be handy …
Wow this post reawakened a stationery fetish in me I forgot I had! I am a Moleskine+Google calendar girl, but your lists pages are perfection!
Looks like you’ve got yourself a perfect organizer there! The colour is divine.
I am in love with my Witches Daybook by Llewellyn. Its divided up with three days on one page, and two on the other. they may not be much room, but I find that I mainly use my planner for keeping track of assignments and important dates. So its really all the room I need.
The coolest thing about the Witches Dayplanner is that it gives you a ‘colour of the day’ which is perfect for helping to choose eyeshadow colours/clothes. It also has phases of the moon, important Pagan dates, recipes, astrology and the various types of moons. I’m in love with it!!
Great to see you have joined the Filofax World… come and see us and share your experiences…
Steve
ooooooo ive been trying to find my perfect binder planner for months, ive looked at day timers as they have a two page per day option (i need lots of space) but i cant find a binder that i like! I guess i could settle with a one day per page style and then just insert a page in between to have extra space?? Hmmmmmmmm lots of planning and research to be done!! Awsome post, im just obsessed with organisation!!
I am the hip kid who’s entire house is covered in sticky notes and index cards. All my frinds make fun of me for it but I HAVE to right things down or they fly right out of my head. TV schedules, wishlists, to-do’s, and bands to check out clutter my desk. At least I remeber things! Might check out a filofax though sounds like something I could do!
Gala, you made me want one too. And I don’t really have a working planner right now, my life is a mess, and I keep forgetting appointments.
I definitely have motive.
Aaaaand, I’m trying to save money. Oh no.
You should have just worked with sales. Do you realize that you can sell anything!?
I was given a beautiful planner during my internship – www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygpb6g… – but it’s so huge, I can’t take it with me everywhere. I’ve been working exclusively on my graduation projects for the past semester so there wasn’t much planning that had to be done that wouldn’t fit in iCal, but now that I’m done, I need something a bit more portable. Moleskines are my usual go-to planners but they either start in january or september I think, and I don’t want to wait that long. Maybe I’ll pull out the pretty planner for now, it is so nice to look at… :)
Well I took your advice and bought one! Powers of persuasion; you most definitely have them.
I had a Filofax for about a year, but since I didn’t get any of the swish extras for it – different calendar layout, etc etc – I didn’t really get into it.
I LOVE my Moleskine page-a-day diaries.
This year, however, I decided that I would try something else. So I bought the Kikki-K page-a-day diary, because it was right there when I was thinking about buying one, and have been regretting it ever since. It’s too chunky for me to want to carry it around, and therefore I’ve been lazy about getting around to filling everything in (which is a shame, because this year has been more interesting than last!).
I bought the Moleskine Colour-A-Month this year and I’m not as impressed as I thought I would be. It’s a little too small for my liking and I’ve been carrying around a few months at a time. I haven’t been using it as much due to this and I’ve been thinking of getting a Filofax instead. I need pockets and organizers in my day planner and I’ve been debating whether or not to take the plunge and buy one.
Haha I love that you used to give yourself fake ‘cool’ homework! I think I used to do this too…
I do most of my organisation digitally, via my iPhone or Google Calendar. Appointments go in the calendar (now synched with my phone), to do list is continually updated on my iPhone (a godsend to my productivity), and smaller lists (eg, shopping) and other ephemera go in ‘notes’.
Longer term (3-12 month) planning tends to go in a paper notebook I bought from the markets a couple of years ago, which also features notes from conferences, random thoughts, and diary-style giggling about boys.
You know, I was just swimming in the creek yesterday near where we did that reading, and I was remembering how pretty the light was that afternoon and how wondrous you are! Yee! Mmm, Filofax lust.. I’m contemplating it, seriously. Late night visits to the website to drool.. I love my Moleskine, but yeah – I need more room! I need to always have something on me for my idea explosions, planning etc. You may have lured me over to the other side! I really need to hold one and see it in person soon to get the feel. I’m going to go check out those links now and see what I can find! Organization fetish porn!
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Hi Gala! :)
I’ve been reading your online magazine for I think three years now and I have to say I absolutely LOVE it. It’s given me so much inspiration on how to improve my life.
ANYWAY... I’ve always loved Moleskines. I used to make my own planners and write about everything under the sun in them whee! I also tend to forget just about everything if I don’t write it down immediately… but I just recently bought another Moleskine planner (soft cover mmmm yummy) for the upcoming year and after reading this post about your Filofax it made me wish I got one too! I hate having to start again with a new afresh every year. You might have just inspired me to get a Filofax for next year! Your organizational quirks are so cute – I wish I was as organized.
Hehe, I carry around a 9 Of Pentacles tarot card in my wallet at all times to attract wealth!
I actually found filofax by accident when they discontinued my Coach pages for my amazingly soft moleskin planner. Sorry Coach! Filofax fits. :)
Considering I was born on the last day of virgo in the evening and I have absolutely minimal traits of a typical virgo, I hardly consider myself a virgo. I’m usually messy, disorganized, a poor student, and the opposite of perfectionist. I do love making lists though, and occasionally I’ll get in an organizing/cleaning mood. Sometimes, I’ll even crave a decent organizer to help set my life straight.
Now I mostly use index cards, mainly for list writing. Not even in the neat, hipster PDA way; but more in the index-cards-carelessly-thrown-in-purse way.
Anyways, after reading your article I’m definitely feeling the need to buy an organizer. Maybe not a Filofax exactly, but at least something like it.
I’ve just been using the calender program on my Macbook lately, but I want a Filofax after reading this! Haha, I just went and looked on the Filofax website and they’re out of the Raspberry coloured ones… I wonder what caused that? :P
I’ve never heard of these, but they look really perfect for writers on the go— or anyone busy, for that matter!
im not sure of what is going on, i see lust!
i scribble notes all over the place – on stickies, on limbs, anything that exists. it makes so much sense in my mind. just doesn’t always look great.
Wooo Taco night. we sometime make socalled taco-rice,which is like tacos X sushi! viva la taco rice!
I use post-its… write something with a dark sharpie and paste it on the wall. I like the way it looks and they’re hard to miss!
When I was younger we had to use an organizer at school, so I had everything planned by the hour! By the time we were in high school the teachers (and mom) didn’t check anymore, but the habit of writing everything down stuck, only I used small notebooks instead, because I could divide the space to my convenience, and write “non-agenda-things” in it as well.
Now I admit it would be better to use an organizer, because although the post its are fun, they’re not that practical! Just imagine a lady’s purse full of loose sheets haha
After reading about the Filofax I’m definitely looking for a cool organizer!
I have always been a diehard Moleskine user, but this post might have persuaded me to give Filofax a try…the biggest problem I have with Moleskine is my tendency to have several different notebooks, each with a different purpose – I have a weekly planner, a RSL Bible, a general diary, a book of lists, city notebooks, etc, etc…PHEW! To be able to put all of those into one book would be FABULOUS!
I read this with longing. I have been using for the first part of the year a boring black but very funnctional A4 filofax thing. Very big to lug around with me but I did becasue there was lots of space to write notes and throw bits & pieces in there. But I couldn’t find my July to December calender and alas there are no calenders in the shop (which I find hard to fathom). So I went an bought a very cute slimline purple planner – but it is tiny (good for carrying around but not so good for to do lists, or carrying the cheque book or all those business cards that have yet to find there way into my phone). So my plan is to see how it goes with my mini version – the filofax is tempting me though.
Wow, so much passion for stationary – haha! & I’m sold…
I have been struggling with using traditional diaries etc because they just don’t hold EVERYTHING. I always end up stashing loose things are the front and they fell out and get wrecked. Would be nice to have something to do with them…
I’d love a Filofax, but I can’t help but think that I’d just end up giving up. I blame my organised messes on being a Gemini!
the first time you said you ordered this, i immediately went to the site to check it out. i really wanted one, but put it off since my life … well i don’t do much, so it seemed like a waste. but after this, i really feel inclined to buy one again. i also remember having one when i was a kid! i had this cool pink one and i don’t even remember what i wrote in there, but i loved it. i loved it a lot.
I ordered and paid for mine today! I am super excited to get my life colour coded and organised. Thanks so much for this inspiration, it was just what I needed today.
xoxo
i’m definitely a moleskine devotee. i enjoy being able to look back at what i’ve done throughout the year. it’s like having a diary of my actual life instead of sitting down and trying to remember what i’ve done. i am wondering if i should get one for next year, however. i’ll be done with school by then and i don’t really do anything outside of school.
Oh man, the vibrant colour is enough to suck me in…I was so excited when I arrived to your page and saw it, I knew this post would be awesome.
I have a Moleskine daily planner which I am loving, but the only problem is it’s a little too small (it was a gift, I normally buy the next size up) and I want to have different sections for things but I find I just clump everything together or write stuff and then stick post its over the top so I can fit more in. I NEED a planner because I simply forget everything these days. I am really ready to set out a new planner…
I am addicted to post it’s, always have been, and my bag is filled with folded notes and sticky notes with the most random of information written on them…I need a pocket for those.
I think I pretty much talked myself into getting something like a Filofax. I’ll need to look into it.
I am a Moleskine diehard. I have problems committing to just one notebook, so I think that Moleskine has such a large range. I’m at uni and even use Moleskines to write lecture notes as everyone else uses those binder books you get from coles. I like using pretty things!
I definitely like the idea of filofax, but two problems really stick out on my mind:
1) I don’t really like spiral/binder-type binding. I prefer a book, even though a binder gives you more flexibility. I think it’s because thread binding seems much more stable and I don’t have to worry about losing things! Am I being silly?
2) I don’t know if I could commit to one planner for the rest of my life! I have a notebook, and I actually impatiently wait for the day when it runs out so I can buy another that’s brand new and pretty and I can decorate it differently.
I want to be a filofax convert though! I think I just need to find the exact right one to get over my irrational fear of binders and to appease my fickleness. (I’m a Libra by the way)
OMG the amount of choice they have at filofax.co.uk! But no raspberry Metropol, and the red’s not really vibrant enough. Shall browse some more (also omg the top end prices. crikey. o_O).
I’ve used a Moleskine week on two pages planner, but at some point it just became too much to cart around. I also feel ambivalent about hard copy diaries & notebooks, because once they’re over they’re gone and with them the memories, but if you keep your stuff online, it’s probably there forever – and searchable! But on the other hand, I really, really like tangible, tactile things, and in any case an electronic version will have to wait for an affordable pad with an Android OS…
This year I’ve been making an effort to keep my work notes in a better order, even went and bought a bright pink spiral notebook with nice, thick paper (tactile, right?) to use. I’ve been mostly managing to keep that in order, so perhaps it’s time to try doing that with my own life. My poor credit card. ;)
Fleuri-anne – the City Dweller Pack is so awesome and will totally come with whichever I end up ordering! I would have use for nearly all of it!
I was investigating Filofax options a while ago but got overwhelemd by the choice and gave up. This has inspired me to look into them again…
I’m a bit of a moleskine devotee though and that might be a hard habit to break. Every year I get a new red diary from them, which is where all my day to day plans and appointments and important phone number are kept. I used to have a black notebook in the same size but found it too small & annoying to write in so ahve replaced it with a non-Moleskine softcover, A5 sized notebook that I’ve divided into sections using little post it tab stickers. Into that goes to do lists, plans for my website and creative ideas to work on… it’s a cheap & easy method but maybe not detailed enough
Wow, I think you’ve talked me into getting a Filofax Gala. Moleskines never really worked for me and this sounds ideal!
I’ve had a pink filofax for years that a friend gave me! Its one of those gifts you dont really use for a while and when you do you cant live without it!
I only wish it was a little bigger, its the second smallest size and it doesn’t open up enough for me to write easily. :( even when I only keeep notepaper in there!
Perhaps when I have something to plan I’ll branch out and upgrade! for now I just write down stupidthings my boyfriend and I come up with, like the curry mines at the back if our favourite indian!
I use a moleskine, and I will never switch! I have a black hardcover 18-months notebook, the “large” one and I’ve been using those for years – my brother used to give me one for christmas every year, and now my boyfriend does. It has a travelplanner in the front, as well as conversion charts for just about everything, and it’s a weekly planner with the days of the week displayed on the left side, and a ruled page on the right. I put my homework on the right page, my work schedule, freelance-appointments and private things on the left. all the documents for work (I’m a freelance journalist and I get an invitation printed out for every appointment I have) go in the pocket in the back. It also has an adress-book in the back that you can take out and it’s saved my life more than once. and the birthday-planner! god I love the thing. It’s my lifeline. It’s un-clutter-able (yay neologism) and with 5 different work-schedules plus university, I can’t have clutter.
I also kinda don’t get how anyone could think these color-a-month-things could be a good idea. that would drive me nuts. I need the 18-months-planners cause I sometimes get appointments months ahead of time, and I need to plan those months because it always may collide with my work-schedules. also, term papers need to be planned, and those may have to be written in like 8 months time. no way around it, the 18-months is the shit!
Gala – I’m totally going to get one of these, but I really really need a separate page each day…which you said you have, but when I look up the Personal organizer it says a week on 2 pages??? Can you tell me how you got a separate page for each day?? Thanks!
Mallorey — Check out the diary refills page! www.filofaxusa.com/store/diary… xox
I used to rely in my better-than-average memory to remember everything I had to do. But after 3 years in the university it became stupid (every year comes with more and more things to do!); I used to call my friends so they could remind me of the days of the exams! So in february (summer), and after reading a DIY planner guide you linked in here a loong time ago, I bought a ruled notebook Moleskine, and I transformed into a daily planner! I had so much fun doing it :) Now I have everything I have to do there, plus some wish-lists and drawings; I also coordinate it with Google Calendar. I can’t remember how I used to live without it!
The Filofax looks amazing; do you know if they have international shipping? I live in Chile…
You are much more organized than I could ever hope to be!
I carry around an “unofficial” sketch book that I draw in, write notes and goals in, scribble song lyrics, make lists and tape cool things into it. I use a light blue ecosystem (http://ecosystemlife.com/) unlined notebook.
They are kind of like Moleskine but cheaper and geared to be good for the earth!
Hey Gala – I’ve never commented before, but I thought I should today, as you were the inspiration for me dying my hair pink yesterday and I love it! Thank you for all the lovely inspiration!
xoxo
(PS I love your Filofax!)
I’d be dead without my Moleskine Weekly Planner. I need to write everything down to remember it, sadly, even whom I need to call that night. Plus the pocket version has just the right size for me.
I find it also very refreshing to have a new book each year – opening up the first page and writing my name down gives a new meaning to “a fresh start”.
I have always been obsessed with moleskines, I have never found another planner that I have loved quite as much. But, after your post I spent a little time on the filofax website, clicking through their products. I think you may have actually converted me, just a little.
I think I’ve always viewed filofaxes as very “grown up” and plain. But the way you use yours is absolutely not plain in the least.
I might have to order one and test it out…
I LOVE your filofax!! I’ve always seen the boring black (faux) leather ones – never thought i’d see such a super cute one like yours ;) Great way to keep yourself organized!! :)
I’ve been using a combination of moleskine and iphone apps for a while, but for summer I decided to design my own planner/journal and have it printed through Lulu: summer fieldbook
It was a really fun project and I’m already thinking about things to include in another one for fall. Not quite as flexible as a binder, but I can always update it and print another one.
Awesome! I want one! Gala you and I have the same problem. If I don’t write it down I forget! It is really terrible. I currently use a standard organizer nothing fancy but I am considering getting an upgrade simply because there is too much going on in my life to squeeze into one crappy section at a time. Its driving me mad!
If it’s not on my iPod touch it doesn’t happen! I have everything from my grocery lists to my to do lists, I even have the whole list of products that YOU recommended from 1 of ur TILTs! I’ve been checking it whenever I get to a store that I think might carry 1 of the products u recommended! I have my hubby’s book list, wish lists & goalie (he collects them) lists on there to! As a matter of fact I’m writting this comment in my itouch right now lol! It’s particularily handy when I’m online on it cuz I can quickly jump off to put in a note or address or check something out on google then jump back on. It has EVERYTHING in it. I thought I’d lost it once & literally had to cancel everything! Horrible 3 days! I did find it tho & I’m strongly considering finding a way to physically chain it to my body so it never gets lost again! Wish I were joking…
Haha, Gala you are such a bad influence on me. As if my shopping habits weren’t already bad enough! When I first started reading this post yesterday morning I thought, “Oh blah, organisers, hey?” But like you, I had the seed planted in my mind and spent the day browsing the different varieties online. (The Australian Filofax website kind of sucks, by the way) and last night after work I went to Officeworks and got myself a Domino Personal in Grape! It really is great. (Or “grape”? HAH.) I can see it’s gonna be a really big help in organising all the bits of my life. The best thing is how customisable it is! I’m looking forward to storing assorted treasures inside.
Haha, Gala, I just went to check out the Filofax on their website. The exact one you got? SOLD OUT! Good job on getting that product to move, lol. I go through phases of somewhat organized to extremely organized. I’m working on getting staying as organized as possible, since now I’ll have to do it for a family (Lord, help me). My boyfriend is super forgetful when it comes to appointments of any sort, and I know once I pop out our kid things will slip my mind. I just hope I’ll think enough to make the time to write stuff down!! Lately, I’ve been utilizing my Blackberry as much as I possibly can, plus writing stuff down on a cheap calendar on our fridge (work schedules, doctor appointments, and of course, our weekly date!). I’m really debating on the Filofax though!
I love love love my moleskines!!
i go through them so quickly though, but that’s fine by me. I’m not the most organized person so getting an organizer would be slightly pointless just because I’d never keep it organized.
I like how you’re organizing yours though.
I use a Moleskine academic planner and would use the lined pages for notes, but just this week I started to realize this is not the best way as I have to flick back and search through the weeks when the note was something important!
Gala, can you tell me if the Filofax you got is very heavy please? Like, does it weigh down your handbag or is it no more noticeable than a notebook?
A — It’s really not heavy at all. It probably weighs the same as a notebook with a hard cover. This could be because mine’s not leather, I would imagine they’re heavier but I could be wrong! Anyway, it totally does not weigh my handbag down, I barely even notice it’s in there. Another point for Filofax!
Thank you so much Gala! Just what I needed. I’ve been looking for a proper organizer now (instead of jotting on random fancy notebooks and using Google Calendar) and I’ve been considering Filofax for some time. I’m inspired. Thanks for the post!
This is the first time I have ever read every single comment on any blog post. I love organization! I have been a die-hard Google Calendar fan for the past two years, synced with my BB Curve. I always enjoyed being able to have my schedule, with reoccuring work and class schedule at my fingertips. My grip? Not being able to make to-do lists, and lack of pretty colors! At the beginning of the year, my best friend bought me a limited edition pocket daily moleskine, but I wanted more… I wanted to write quotes, affrimations, long term plans, and random lists (I love the idea of compliments from above!).
I purchased this Filofax a few weeks ago www.filofaxusa.com/store/organ… and have honestly been waiting for this post for the motivation to pretty it up, that is my goal this week. I most likely will continue to use Google Calendar, because my previous paper planner addiction left me often wondering what I was doing tomrrow, this weekend, and next week when I didn’t have it with me.
Wonderful post =)!
www.coffeeanddreams.tumblr.com
Thanks Gala! I ended up ordering one last night and I can’t wait for it to arrive.
So glad I found your post via Nubbytwiglet. I’m a total organizational junkie too (I live and die by a planner and to do list – even get post it notes in my stocking at Christmas). I’m totally saving up to get a super nice filofax with all the trimmings! Thanks for sharing and giving us a guided tour of yours.
OMG I have been using a planner (day runner poetica to be more exact) since college and I LOVE my planner!! For me though, my life gets laid back and I have no need for my planner, so I use my phone instead. I’m a substitute teacher so at one point, when I got the call to come in, I’d write down the school and job number in my planner and then put the information on a excel sheet in my phone so I could tally the amount of Money I was getting at the end of the month. Then life slowed down and I’m just using my phone (Palm Centro) as my organizer since I can put reminders on and notes attached to the event as well. I’m considering a filofax though when my life gets more busy, since Poetica is going out of style >.<
Much love from being directed here from nubby
xoxoxo
I’ve been obsessed with being organized my whole life. I always had tons of planners around. When I was a kid I had the Casio electronic planners for girls that were in bright colors. I got a Palm Pilot when I was in high school. One of my favorite paper planners I ever had was a dollar store monthly calender that had puppies on the front. It did the job for me. I am currently on my third year of using the 12 month Moleskines. I had knock off Filofaxes before but I always hated the look of the inserts. The Moleskine was perfect for me because it was thin. Filofaxes are too bulky for me.
Right now I’m using a korean planner(Idle Panda). It’s really cute, but at the end of the year I’ll have to get rid of it and get another. I think, though, that you have talked me in to getting a filofax. Much more options.
What an awesome post!! This is wonderful. I LOVE reading about how people use their Filofaxes!
I am one of the writers on philofaxy.blogspot.com/ (along with Steve, who commented above, and Nan). If you ever want more Filofax love, drop by!
And, being the fickle Libra I am, I can’t be satisfied with Filofaxes alone. I also have my own blog where I write about planners of all kinds:
www.plannerisms.com
If you want loads of photos of Filofaxes and other planners, check out my Flickr photo stream:
www.flickr.com/photos/planneri…
And while you’re on Flickr, check out the Philofaxy photostream too for some amazing photos of Filofaxes from people all around the world!
www.flickr.com/groups/40748476
They’re not joking when they say, “Filofax: It’s A Way Of Life!”
I am loving all the Filofax love! Filofax USA just sent me the Classic in pink which was so nice of them, so yesterday I transferred everything out of my Metropol. It’s beautiful! I am definitely going to be doing a follow-up post to see how everyone’s Filofax love affairs are progressing!
I’m always, always, always searching for the perfect planner. I’m currently in a vertical weekly planner phase! I usually prefer spiral ones since they’re a little more compact, but I had the binder sort when I was younger (way back when my planner obsession began), so it might be worth a try again!
I also want the perfect planner.. everyone is looking for it! I ll give it a try.. thanks.
Gala, congratulations on your new pink Classic!! Very nice of Filofax to send it to you. I’ll look forward to your Filo-follow-up post very much! :D
Really, really weirdly I prefer my Moleskine. I switched from being a Filofax girl to a Moleskine chic and I haven’t looked back!
I currently use an academic Moleskine weekly notebook planner for my day to day planning. This is slim enough to carry around every day and I like the lined page for ad hoc stuff. I’m not overly busy so generally speaking there’s plenty of room in there for me.
I use a day to a page diary for general ramblings and sketches etc. That lives on my desk at home.
I have a well loved Filofax that I used religiously until a couple of years ago when I was introduced to Moleskine.
I’m torn between the two. I love the flexibility of a Filofax but I like the look and the permanence of a bound book, especially a well loved one.
Oh yes, there are also the index cards that live in my bag. Bit of a stationary / organiser freak here too
I’d been thinking about going low-tech for a while now, and the Moleskine planners weren’t doing it for me, either.
I see that you managed to cause a run on the raspberry Metropols, good job! I ordered the Domino in lavender. It arrived today and I’m already in love. It even matches the polish I’m wearing right now, which I hadn’t even considered.
Is it against the rules to slip a Moleskine into this front pocket?
Gala, Congrats on your pink Classic and thanks for the Wonderful Post! Inspired me to do more and make awesome plans with my Filofax. I spent the week just being inspired by all the comments and links!
Karla: I actually have a small Moleskine in the front pocket of my Filofax. Its like a perfect union if you ask me!
I have ALWAYS lusted after a Filofax. I would loooove to own one but by the time I customize mine to be just the way I want it it is completely out of my budget. I currently use a Coach planner that has separate days, but is not broken down into hours. Since school ended a month ago I’ve gone almost completely to my iCal. I used my Coach planner DAILY and since I’m not used to iCal I almost missed a hair appointment! I was out and about and had forgotten to write it in my planner. It was terrible! Needless to say, this post really, REALLY makes me want a Filofax again.
I am now desperate to get a Filofax! But I have no idea how to choose. I’m going to try to see if I can check them out in-store somewhere in London and then decide!
Hi Gala! Just wanted to say I absolutely adored this post – stationery + organisation are two of my all-time favourite things in the world. I love the feeling of reorganising the things around me so that I feel more efficient and productive, it gives me such a high and I get the same kick out of it just reading about someone else do that! I’m libran but I have a strong virgo streak too, so the gorgeous pink filofax and all its shiny organisational potential is calling out to me!
xx
Hey Gala! After your excellent review on Filofax, I just had to buy one for myself! I got mine in the mail yesterday, only 2 days after I ordered one online. I didn’t want to spend too much money so I brought the Domino in Aquamarine. So far, I’m loving it. I’m trying to add my own personality into it so once I’m done, I’ll be taking pictures & posting it up on my blog. Just wanted to thank you & have already recommended Filofax to my friends!!! `=)
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