Filofax Downscale!

Apologies in advance for the text and photo’s not lining up, for some reason I just can’t it to, no matter what I do!

After reading this post by Jotje on the Philofaxy website (http://philofaxy.blogspot.com/2011/08/pocket-full-of-life-guest-post-jotje.html ) I just had to see if I could make the Pocket Malden work for me.

I love the idea of a smaller planner, but still with the capabilities of being able to hold everything I need!

My Personal Malden literally carries my life, so it is quite a challenge to fit it all into my Pocket, but I think I may have done it!

This is going to be rather picture heavy!

How full can one Malden become?

From the top showing my pen being housed in the rings rather than the pen loop!

I have done this, as it doesn’t close too well if in the pen loop!

Better image of how it is housed!

Now on to the setup!  I am wanting to get some pretty colour dividers as the plain cream are really bring me now!  I have also bought some great smaller tabs, but as there are only 3 colours, I shall need suggestions on what colours for each tab, but more on that later!

Here goes!

I have been trying so hard to use this as a purse and planner, but the reality is I HATE having coins in the front pocket!  It also struggles to close when there are coins in there, so instead it houses a very important key!  Job done!

The credit card slots hold a few cards and bits of paper but nothing too exciting!

Standard Filofax Index Tabs on the front.  I don’t really use these too much but I feel it protect the plastic sleeve behind it, although I may end up removing it as it really just takes up space!  Oh decisions are starting already! LOL!

First section is ‘Shopping’, nuts really as I am on a no shopping challenge, so why do I have a tab?  Good question!  I thought I would use this section for groceries I need to get, shopping I need to do at the weekends, stuff I generally want!  But as yet none of that has materialised, so this section my be scrapped, I shall see how it goes!

Next up are my ‘LISTS’! I love lists!  In this section I have the following :

10 1 Things to do in 1001 Days list

Bucket List

Books to read list and Author Suggestions

30 Day Blog Challenge list

quite a few then!

Now I don’t really use To Do’s because I put my daily to do’s on my diary page for that day!  So this section houses, things that I need to get done at some point, when I have a minute!

Diary section is next and I am currently running………………………Week on 1 Page view and a

Day Per Page view!  Admittedly I don’t have many months in DPP view currently only 2 but so far so good!  I have the year from Aug 1^st to Dec 31^st in the Wo1P view and that is great.  I shall rotate the months of DPP so maybe keep 3 months in at all time, past, present and future and see how is goes!  But I love this setup!  I was using this in my Personal Malden, but in there I had 2PPD layout and I thought I would never be able to down scale, but I have!  For the time being!

My Wo1P view carry’s ONLY my appointments for the week!  I don’t record any other data on there!  My DPP view houses all my appointments, heart rate monitor details if I get to the gym! Money spent and received, my to do’s and anything else I feel I need to record!  So rather full pages but I love them!

Behind my DPP layouts I do have some Wo2P refills where I was hoping or planning to record my feelings when I ate to see if any patterns emerge, as yet it is not going too well, but I shall stick with it!

Next up is ‘Notes’ and ‘Addresses’ neither are really very inspiring!  As there is nothing housed behind the ‘Notes’ tab right now just some blank lined sheets and behind the ‘Addresses’ I do have all my addresses in there written out and a few other details!

Under the letter ‘M’ I do have month on 2 page pages in there, although I don’t really use them as I don’t need to see what my month looks like, so I may remove them, soon!

2 more relatively boring tabs! ‘Information’ currently houses details of my big house declutter that I shall be doing over the next few months!  And ‘Finance’ well I should really put my budgets in there, but instead I have monitored anything I have bought that is yet to be delivered, which are few and far between as well as any refunds I am expecting!

Camping is an odd tab I realise, but as we are new to it, I felt I needed a section to house my numerous lists on what to pack, where to go, what to cook, any good recipes, website details, literally anything to do with camping is housed here!

’Misc’ another empty section!  Not sure what I am going to house here, but at the moment I record details from magazines as and when I read them!  So maybe the tab name needs to change to ‘Magazine data!’

The back is filled with 2 plastic top opening envelopes that house my vouchers and bits of paper in!

I then have 2 credit card holders, which house my debit and credit cards as well as my driver’s licence and AA breakdown card!

Back cover, I took the pad out as it was making the filofax too bulky and instead I slot receipts, stamps, pictures in that space now!

Finally the large wallet!  I LOVE THIS!  If the personal had it as well, I think it would be perfect!  In here I house any money I saving for an emergency!  My cash is kept in a separate purse now rather than trying to fit it all in here!  Maybe when I get to a stage of not using much cash I will be able to have my Malden as everything!  Oh I dream!  Also in here are any larger pieces of paper I need to keep but don’t want getting tatty!  I have noticed however you don’t want to be overstuffing this pocket as it could then make the Malden snug to close!

So there you have it my current pocket setup!  Very similar if not identical to my Personal, just down scaled!  I am loving it, but then I love any new layout I try, the question is ‘Is this it for the long haul?’ We shall see!

Oh one other thing I needed some help with!  I currently have a pack of Post it Index labels, that are 25.4mm x 38mm so a great size for the Pocket but I only have them in Pink, Green and Orange.  If my sections are :

Shopping

Lists

To Do

Diary

Notes

Addresses

Info

Financial

Camping

Misc

Which would you group together for each colour?  My ideas are below :-

Pink – Shopping, Diary, Financial

Green – Lists, To Do,

Orange – Notes, Addresses, Info, Camping, Misc

What do you think?

Filofax Lightbulb Moment!

That is a really odd title and I agree, however it is not without reason!

I have like most been really struggling with diary layouts for my Filofax and also my purse!

Recently I started using my Pocket Malden as my purse and it seemed to be working well, until I realised the weight of carrying both my personal and pocket Malden’s as well as everything else is just nuts and really taking it’s toll on my shoulders and back!  I needed to find a way to reduce the weight, but still be able to have it all with me!

Ping ‘lightbulb’ moment!  Why not make my Personal Malden my purse as well as my diary!  Of course!

But before I get into my current setup lets just recap what I have tried in 2011!  Beware this is picture heavy!

The year started with the lovely Day timer Flavia range in Page per Day!  As wonderful as they are to look at, practically they just weren’t doing the job, as much as I tried, and I sure tried!  I missed not seeing my weekly view and the spaces just weren’t big enough to record everything I wanted!

To overcome the not being able to see my weeks, I added :

Cream week on one page view!  LOVE the paper quality however after just a week or so of using it, I HATED the 5 languages!  Do I care what Monday is in anything other than English?   No I don’t!  It really bugs me that Filofax UK won’t do this paper colour and layout in English only!  So after a few weeks that got scrapped!

 Onto something new, but what?

Week on one page with a to do list between each week!  Great I thought, can see my week and have my to do’s for the week right to hand!  Heaven, I thought I have finally found the layout that works!  Or have I?  Surely it can’t be that easy?  Well of course it isn’t!

I soon realised the space to write in each day, just was not working!  How am I meant to fit everything in?  Not to worry I will try……………………………

Week on 2 pages in Cream.  Loving the paper quality again, and space, which is good, or so I thought!

How much does a girl need to record in a day?

Well looking at mine, one hang of a lot!

So after a few months I found myself yet again reassessing my Filofax setup and getting frustrated at the inability to find something that worked!  Or so I thought.

After rummaging round in my Filofax Stash, yes you read that right I have stash!  I found my 2010 2 pages per day layout!  Argh I thought lets give this ago!

I think I have finally cracked it!

I am currently using these and also a week on one page in English and loving it!

I have enough space to monitor EVERYTHING I need to, as well as my to do’s and it just seems to work!  I am not even tempted to think of another layout right now!  The only down side, is that this refill is £20.50, which is a alot of money, but when I see how much I have spent over the last year to FINALLY get to a layout I enjoy, it really isn’t that much!

I have also yesterday drawn up some 2 days per page layouts, just to see if I can maybe use these instead of 2 pages per day, but I am not sure it is going to plan!

So this is my current setup:

Crimson Personal Malden

2 pages per day layout

week on one page layout

Now I also went a bit made on Pilot Fixion Pens in early 2011, if you remember?  Here is the picture if you don’t!

I do like these pens, but I HATE having to carry so many pens around with me!

With the Bic 4 colour pens I am able to carry all the colours, purple, pink, light green, turquoise, red, black, green and blue in just 2 pens and better still in my Malden!  I am now over the fact that I hate crossings out in my diary!  If I have to cross something out if it changes so be it!  It reflects, that life does change, so why shouldn’t your diary and show it?!?!?!

I also decided to put my credit cards in my Personal Malden and use it as a wallet / diary!  I don’t need to carry my envelopes around for the cleaners, windows and zumba as those are activities that always take place at home.  The only envelopes I need are other and Mcdonald’s and they fit into my makeup / pill bag.

I have the Filofax postit pad holder at the front, then I have the 2 credit card holders I bought today next and then it goes into my planner etc.  I love it.  For me it just makes sense!

Rather full isn’t, but oh how I love it!

Have I found my perfect working diary?  I think I have, but then again never say never!  I am sure one day I will see someone else’s layout and think, ‘Oh that could work!’  But in the meantime I shall continue with my current setup till Sept 24th when I meet my other Filofax friends in London and can discuss before heading off to stock up on my 2012 refills!

Before I end off, here is the stash I bought today!  Oh I do so LOVE the PURPLE limited edition Bic 4 colour grip pens!

General Filofax Update!

The Philofaxy community seemed to be buzzing recently about Malden Filofax’s.  Being someone who when I first saw them thought, ‘Hmm, ok, but not my first choice!”  I never really paid too much attention.

Until dear Caribbean Princess, over here :- http://caribbeanprincessmusings.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-phd-planner-revealed-finally.html happened to mention that City Organiser was having a special offer on the Personal Malden in Crimson.  I’ll take a browse I thought, what harm can it do???????????????  Then I saw they had a Facebook page that mentioned a further 20% discount if I used a certain code!  Needless to say that code was used and yes, I succumbed and bought the Malden!  At a price of less than 50% it could not be left!

Ah the smell of leather when it comes out the box is just AMAZING!!!!!  When I first opened it I though, ‘Hmm doen’t lie 100% flat, I don’t like the inside zip, not sure I want it!’

Then I decided, to give it a go, and set it up!  Oh and I love it!  It is so soft, and subtle and the zip doesn’t hinder me at all, and it now lies 100% flat and oh it is just perfect!

Now I can hear the sniggers, oh she failed at her challenge!!!!  Well in fact, no I didn’t because my Metropol is still in use on a daily basis with the same inserts but is just my daily journal now, that I write in each night!  Hee hee I found a way round it!

My Malden has my Week on 2 pages in Cream, which is pretty awesome and working really well for me, then I have the usual stuff I did have in the Malden, however it is not stuffed full and not stretched and I am VERY, VERY, happy!

So happy in fact I scouted Ebay for a Pocket Malden, on the off chance and BAMN I found one, brand new in the box, 75% off the shop price, and it was MINE!  I thought I would use it as my travel Filofax, but then when I got it, I can’t do it!  I don’t want it to get scratched and I don’t want to stretch it, and I don’t want to force large pieces of paper in the back pocket, and I don’t my coins to stretch the front pocket, so that idea was quickly abandoned and my Urban Pocket in Slate remained my Travel Filofax.  That one I don’t mind if it gets dealt with hard it can sustain it.  Whilst my Malden is class, I don’t want it ruined!!!!!  So it very well could become my Filofax I use when I go out, who knows.  At the moment it is in it’s box meeting its other Filofax friends and getting acquainted!

Only ONE more Filofax purchase confession to air!!!!  Whilst buying the Personal Malden, I noticed at the Ultra Violet A5 Domino was also on offer and of course with a further 20% off it too fell into my basket!  With good reason!  I needed a new A5 as my gym filofax.

  The photo really doesn’t do the colour justice!  This has now become my WIP Filofax for all my craft items, and my Red A5 Domino is now my Health Filofax!

I don’t feel bad with these purchases, as I have had a massive Filofax clearout recently and if it wasn’t gonna be used, or it wasn’t leather I have sold it, with exception to my Domino’s as they are just such good quality cheap Filofax’s.

THERE WILL BE NO MORE FILOFAX PURCHASES IN 2011!

(unless of course the Amethyst Deco has a crazy low price!!!!)

Slimline Adelphi

Another bargain I found on Ebay this week was the Slimline Adelphi!  Although the seller listed the item as Magenta, which certainly got my heart racing, especially for the price, when it arrived it was in face Scarlet.

At first I was rather annoyed but actually I am really loving the Scarlet.  Again this bargain was 50% less than the shop price, brand new and one I just could not pass up!

Isn’t she lovely?  Am I using her?  I thought I had a challenge I needed to complete?  Well, yes, yes and yes!

I weighed my Metropol the other day and it is just short of 700gms, along with all the other stuff I carry in my bag, it is just nuts, and having a  bad back I really need to start reducing the weight and size of my handbag!

So yes, I am using the Slimline, as my going out Filofax.  It houses my Week on One Page diary with the to do lists for the that week, along with telephone numbers and some blank pages and that is it!

I thought about this very strongly before I bought it, and I actually never look at my list of books to read, or my craft WIP’s when I am out, so why the heck do I insist on carrying them round with me!  Also do I really need my Uncle in Zimbabwes address with me 24/7 when I never write to him anyway?

So on MEDICAL grounds I am now using 2 Filofax’s therefore not breaking my challenge!

My Metropol is my at home Filofax, and is with me all the time, when reading magazines, searching the web, updating things, as all my info is in there, as well as my Day on One Page layout, which is now open on my desk every day, so I know where I am etc.

The Slimline lives in my handbag when I go out, and when at home it is used in the afternoon when I need to go through my to do list.

Saying that I have a daily to do list in my Metropol, for things that need to be done that day, naturally and a weekly one in my Slimline that are done when I get a spare minute, and so far it is working great!

I have even managed to downscale my bag back to my Kipling New Raisin bag (see below) :-

Yes it is red as well to match my Filofax!

from this size bag :-

Cath Kidston Messenger Bag,

Rather huge, wouldn’t you say!

Ok, I know I have ordered a Rickshaw Messenger bag, and here it is (still waiting for it, as only getting it in May after family go to the States!)

this will be used mainly on holidays though I fear, or it may not, have to wait to till I get it!

But I digress!  The Slimline fits perfectly in my Kipling bag and I have with me just what I need whilst out!  Therefore the challenge is still going strong and in tack!

Have I bought any more Filofax’s I hear you ask?  Well…………………..that would be telling wouldn’t it, time will tell!  You are probably thinking of course she has saying that, and you very well could be right, or I am just very good at pulling your leg!  LOL!  Let’s be honest, do I really need any more?

The great Filofax reveal part 2 – The setup!

Wow, a setup done so quickly after receiving my wonderful Finchley Personal in Imperial Purple.

See yesterday’s post if you haven’t already read it!

Yes, well this setup was easy!  As I am already sorted for 2011, and my diary is working pretty well for me, I decided……………………………………………….

to wrap it up for Christmas Day!

Yes, that is right, I have wrapped it up ready to be put under the Christmas tree this year, for me to open, and I can’t wait!

I would love to start using it now, but what is the point of giving yourself challenges with rewards if you are just going to cheat at them!

Are you surprised?  Did you think I would of started using it?  Will my resolve hold out till Dec 25?  You can bet your bottom dollar it will!

Oh there will be another reveal tomorrow of something else quite exciting!

The great Filofax reveal……………….

Those of you who have followed my blog on a regular basis, will know that for 2011 I set myself a Filofax challenge!

It is, to use the same binder and diary inserts for an entire year, and if I do then I get to buy myself a Finchley Personal in Imperial Purple.  I am a quarter of the way there!  My current setup is a Personal Metropol in Raspberry, with Day Timer Flavia Day on one page inserts!  So nothing too fancy!

So after the Philofaxy meetup in March, having seen the wonderful object of my desire in person, I decided to check out Ebay to see if anything was available!

Well imagine my joy when I found a brand new Personal Finchely in Imperial Purple for the bargain starting price of £19.99!  The auction was scheduled to end at about 2325hrs, and as I go to bed at 2230, it was a case of bid and cross fingers, toes and everything else!  As I had already been outbid once, I thought there was no way I was going to win it, so I put in my maximum and went to sleep!

Imagine my sheer joy when I checked at 0030hrs to see if I had won and I had!  Yes, I woke especially to check, I had wanted to wake earlier but as I couldn’t really set my alarm to wake me – explain that do DH waking to check an Ebay auction – it really was just luck!

I WON IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh the joy and excitement, but it wasn’t to last!  It has taken over 11 days for the item to arrive, with some very strong emails being passed in the process!  But I have it………………………..

Isn’t she lovely?  That leather is just so gorgeous and soft and smells wonderful, and the cream inserts are just a dream against that wonder dark shade of purple.  Oh I am in love!

I have to say this was an absolute bargain and no way I could pass it up!  The shop price on the Filofax website is £83, lets just say I paid almost 60% less than that!  How could I possibly let it go by?

So am I using it, I hear you all ask?  How has it been setup?  Has it been setup?  Is it being put away till Christmas Day?

Why not stop by tomorrow and all questions will be answered!

101Things-o-fax = #Filofax Part 6 – The Finale!

I hear that sigh of relief that this is the final part in the series!  But I bet you have enjoyed it?!

So the final binder thought is my ……………………………

101 THINGS TO DO IN 1001 DAYS-O-FAX

Binder used – Pocket Hearts in Yellow!

Back in 2010 I came across alot of blog posts about 101 Things to do in 1001 days and I thought, WOW, what a cool idea.  I love challenges, goals, pushing myself that little bit further, and thought I need to do this!

So I did my 101 list and decided I needed to house it is a Filofax!  Yes I do have a blog about it as well!

My idea was that I would document my journey to completing my list and have a really detailed account of it all.

The binder is pretty much setup but I do need to update it and bring it right up to speed!  I need to print off pictures and write things, and this will be done soon!

But in the meantime here is the link to my blog about it :-

http://sharons101goals.wordpress.com/

All these details will be eventually put in my Filofax and kept!

I am not going to ask for any suggestions on this one, but instead, is anyone else doing this challenge?  If so, please do put a link to your blog, so I can follow your progress.

Well this the final in my little series of what-o-fax can I think up next!

If you have any ideas for a Filofax that I haven’t mentioned, I am sure there are hundreds, please do leave me a comment with your idea, I would love to hear them!

Normal blogging will now resume, thank you for reading!

Gym-o-fax = #Filofax Part 5

How can she possibly have more Filofax ideas uses, I hear you groan!  Well I do!  Don’t worry there aren’t many more left after this one!  So there is light at the end of this series!

Part 5 and I am now going physical, healthy, and going for the ………………….

GYM-O-FAX

Binder used – A5 (I have forgotten and not got it to hand to check! Will update later!)

In January I started back at the Gym to help with the rehabilitation of my back as my main priority and once that is sorted to focus on some weightloss, if my mind was in!

By doing this I discovered there are certain exercises I need to do each session and in order to remember them, I need to have them with me!  They are not your standard treadmill, rower, etc kind of exercises, but more ones that focus on mobility etc.

I set up my Filofax to house the following :-

1. Yearly planner so I can see how regularly I attend the gym over the year!

2. Log in details to the gym website to book my sessions

3. Program details, noting the distances and times achieved in each session!  (although this did make me rather competitive with myself, so I am currently just going on time and trying to be better every session!)

4. PDF printouts of the exercises I need to do, noted in the particular order

5. Nutritional plan details – for when I get to that stage!

I am nuts aren’t I?  Do I carry it round with me I hear you ask?  Yes I do!  Have I had funny looks, yes I have, but when they realise why I carry it, those funny looks turn into comments such as ‘What a good idea!’

The A5 works really well for me for the gym, but please bear in mind my gym is small gym, where some mornings I am the only one in there!  It is no Fitness First and that is what I love about it!

So am I missing anything?  Wanna share some ideas on other things I could keep in here?  You know you want to!  Go on post a comment.

Tomorrow will be the final installment of this little series!  I do hope you have been enjoying it so far!

Family-o-fax = #Filofax Part 4

Wow, part 4, and you returned to read it?!  Welcome back!

So part 4, what I could possibly still have ideas about?  Well here goes :-

FAMILY-O-FAX

Binder to be used – A5 Zipped Metropol in Black (sorry don’t have a picture of it!)

I realise that running life on the internet is great ie Facebook, Twitter, etc, but when the internet dies, or your PC goes mad and looses everything, you can say bye bye to all your photo’s, documents and lots of stuff that would of been good history for further generations.  If you haven’t backed up that is!

So I decided at the beginning of 2011 that I need to make a binder that housed some of my family history, so that when Luke gets older and he wants to know about his great grandparents and the family I left behind in Africa, he has it all to hand!

I started with a simple family tree, off Ancestry.com and have printed off the relevant documents and filed them in the binder.

So what am I going to store in it?  Here goes…………………………..

1. Family trees of all the families that I can provide history about also pictures and stories.  I don’t see the point of doing family, that I have never met and know nothing about.  So I have gone back as far Luke’s Great Grandparents, as I know I have photos and stories about all of them!

2. Snippets of history that only family know.  Like what I hear you ask?  Well my index finger on my right hand the tip has been cut off and I did that by slamming it in a door when I was a little kid.  No one knows that (except everyone that reads my blog now!) but my family, and now I want Luke to know that!

Have you ever thought how many memories are in your head that you never write down?  Well I want to write all mine and my families down.  I guess it comes from, Luke being able to see where Daddy (my husband) went to school, where he went to University, where he lived, etc, etc.  But for me he would have to fly 12 hrs to see it all, and then there wouldn’t really be anyone at the other end to tell him about it!  This way he gets it in a binder to keep forever!

3. Details of Luke’s birth, my pregnancy, etc, etc.  Just little things he has done in his life!

4. Details from his nursery.  Each day I get a sheet telling me what he ate, played with, when his nappy was changed, etc and that is nice reminder to look back on, as he gets older.

Come on this is going to be one binder I am sure loads of you have ideas for.  So type them out in the comments, as I would love to hear them!

Is it is just soppy rubbish I am doing?  No I don’t think so.  I recently came across a whole host of photo’s from my life in Africa and one of my tasks is to write on the back of each one the details of the picture, so in the future Luke and his family will have reminders, without having to try and figure out what the pictures are about!

Getting bored yet?  Ready for Part 5?  Check back tomorrow!

Book-o-fax = #Filofax Part 3

Wow part 3 already, what could I be deciding on today?

Well it is the………………………………..

BOOK-O-FAX

Binder to be used :- Pocket Domino in Lavendar!

2011 has seen me take up reading again in a rather big way.  Ok, maybe not big to some, I have come across a lady who has already read 52 books this year!  Either she reads so fast, she can’t remember the story, or she really needs to get a life!  Once again I am going off track!

So far in 2011 I have read 1 book, tried 1 book and am about 60% of the way through my 3rd.  So it is going well considering we are only April 7th!  Will I be able to do a book a month in 2011, who knows!

I have however set myself the challenge of reading 6 books in 2011 and 50 books in my 101 things to do in 1001 days!

So why the Book-o-Fax?

Well I have loads of books that I want to read, and whilst I use http://www.goodreads.com/ to document my books, I don’t like relying solely on the internet for records.  The book-o-fax will be my backup of GoodReads details!

What am I going to keep in this one I hear you ask?  Well………………..

1. Book challenge details 2011

2. 101 Things challenge details

3. List books i want to read

4. Print pictures of the covers of each book, so I remember what they look like!

5. Reviews of the books I have read

6. Dates I start and finish a book

7. Which are on Kindle

8. Which are paperback copies

Do I need anything else?  Come on post a comment and let me know!

Are you enjoying the series, or do you just think I have totally lost the plot?

Going to tune back for Part 4?