Part 2 - Filofax setup – my 'notebook' section

Wecom to part 2 of my Filofax planner setup. Read Part 1 to find out how I have paired my Flex with my Filofax, and also how I created a useful planner dashboard. Next we'll look in detail at my notebook section ...

Why have a notebook section in your planner?

I'm a writer, and I think every writer must have a 'notebook' section in their Filofax or other everyday planner. It's a convenient place to jot down notes and thoughts throughout the day.

For me, it's important to make it a beautiful personalised and inspiring space in the planner, instead of just chucking in a wad of loose blank paper inserts. When I open my notebook section I consider it to be 'me-time' and so I find it a very enjoyable space in my planner.

You may like to use your notebook section as a personal journal to jot down thoughts that come to you throughout the day. Alternatively it might be more of a general commonplace notebook, in which you jot quotes and snippets of info to keep safe. 

I've personalised my Notebook section divider with some quotes that inspire me as a writer. Many of us love to express our personalities and interests int a Filofax or planner so that we feel at home and comfortable and want to spend lots of time in them.  I think the more your planner reflects who you are, the more you are likely to use it to its full potential.  

Create secret pockets in your planner!

You can see in the picture below that behind this divider tab I have taped some secret paper pockets to hide loose notes in.  

I love anything that's a little bit mysterious, and having secret spots to hide things that are a little bit more personal, like passwords or private poems and letters can be useful. 

When I was younger I used to have a fascination with things like keys, and secret compartments in furniture, or loose floorboards where I could keep a secret stash of trinkets.  Perhaps that's why I'm so attracted to Filofaxes with all of the pockets and sections.

pockets are really useful. If your Filofax is fairly simple and you don't have many pockets in the actual cover, you can get creative like I have. 

Here are some ideas:

• Hole-punch envelopes to use as pockets in your planner
• Tape pages together and leave the side open to slip notes into 
• Make your own secretary pocket inserts out of your divider tabs
• Create fold-out inserts with extra pockets for stickers and sticky notes

Write notes to yourself, fold them up and slip them into the secret pockets in your planner and then forget about them. It's always such a delight to discover something months down the line that you had completely forgotten about. A bit like burying a little tin of treasures and then digging it up years later.

My main notebook section

After the secret pockets in my planner I have a wad of lined and plain notepaper for my notebook section.  I write down my ideas and thoughts, and scribble all sorts of nonsense.

It's a place I often have to return to to declutter and top up with more paper.

At the end of my notebook section I have a few permanent sheets for jotting down useful websites, which I mark with a pretty pink bookmark that I got from Paperchase for easy access.

I also use random paperclips, bookmarks and sometimes even hair grips to find certain sections in my planner. It's a kind of secret system that only I know how to use, which is useful for privacy. 

I don't really like the idea of a stranger being able to open up my planner and see a tab that says 'personal info' or 'contacts'. Why make it easy for people to access private content?

Well, that's really all I have to show you about my notebook section. I hope you enjoyed taking a peek into my setup. Please leave your comments – I love to read and respond!

See you in the next post!

Loved it and want more?

Filofax and Traveler's Notebook planner setup

Journaling tips for Filofax and ring-bound planners

Contents page: Explore all of my blog posts in one place!

Part 1 - Filofax Setup - How I use my Flex with my Filofax and a Dashboard

To celebrate the beginning of a new year I have decided to move into a different filofax for a fresh start ... 

Sometimes a change is nice and refreshing. Plus, I've been dying to break in my new Personal Aston for a while now. It's the yummy chocolate-coloured one – Read about how I discovered it here.

The first thing I did was de-clutter. It is amazing the amount of junk you can accumulate within the pages of your everyday Filofax. 

I decided to remove every sheet I haven't looked at in months, which meant removing half the tabs too – I was brutal, and I only kept what was absolutely necessary.

Tips on how to minimalise and declutter your planner

• Take absolutely everything out first – this will give you a nice blank canvas
• Then go through with a fine-toothed comb – only returning essential inserts and things that bring you joy.

These two steps will help to make the task of decluttering your planner feel more thorough. Plus, it will leave you with a clearer idea of everything that your planner contains, the order of things and you'll end up feeling that little bit more connected to it – which will hopefully help you to use your planner more effectively!

Looking at my new set-up, you wouldn't know that I spent hours de-cluttering - it still looks pleasingly packed! We all love a nice fat Filofax, don't we?

                   

How I pair my Filofax with a Flex

I like to use my original Filofaxes and my Flex Filofaxes together (read more about that here!)  

So, I am currently using my personal Aston Filofax with my magenta slim Flex slipped into the inside pocket, so that the Flex flaps open when I open up my Aston.  

Why? Well, firstly because the colours look so yummy together – the magenta matches my pink pencil, and colour coordination and accessories make me happy. Also, adding the Flex to my Filofax gives me more options.

For example, I find it very convenient to slip in a Flex jot-pad and use the pockets in the Flex to store random bits and pieces. 

As you can see below, I have personalised my jot-pad with a newspaper cutting that says "Why Women Can't Resist a List" -  It sums me up perfectly.

I tend to use the jot-pad for 'rip-out, screw-up and chuck-away lists' - Such as want lists, shopping lists, to-do lists...  Which reminds me, I need to buy more jot-pads, they run out so quickly.  

They are very useful though, especially when kept at the front of my Filofax. I find I use my jot pad a lot more when it is at the front, rather than when it is at the back. I don't know why Filofax always designs jot pads to go at the back of their planners.

If you want to make use of all the pockets in the Flex, including all those card slots on the left-hand side, rather than slip the left-hand side of the Flex cover into the inside pocket of your Filofax, you can just keep the Flex stored at the back on the right-hand side of your Filofax, behind all your usual inserts.  I don't find that it slips out because the pen-loop sort of keeps it in place when the planner is open.

Use your flex as a portable sticker station

At the moment I buy specific stickers for my personal Filofax which is my everyday organiser, and specific stickers for my A5 which is my business organiser, but it would be ideal if I had a portable sticker station that I could transfer to whichever Filofax I am taking out with me – I think the Flex slimline is the perfect solution!

Because of all the pockets, there are plenty of places to slip stickers into. If you're feeling particularly creative you could even design some sort of envelope book system in which to store stickers in the Flex.

Then just transfer your Flex over to whichever Filofax you're using, and you'll have all of your stickers with you.

More creative uses for using the Flex with your Filofax

• Store extra things – like stamps, sticky notes and receipts
• Hold extra notepads to keep notes separate – a journal, poems, transferable calendar
• Extra pen loops – with the added bonus of them being elastic for fatter pens!
• Shopping lists – it's easier to hold the Flex than a bigger Filofax in the supermarket

The idea of using a Flex to accessorise your Filofax might seem a bit weird, but as you can see from my photos, the Filofax closes perfectly well with the Flex inside, so why not?  

My new planner dashboard

Moving on from the Flex ...

I've posted previously about how to create your own planner dashboard using card-slot inserts - but here I use a slightly different system.

I have a 'front sheet', which is a pretty patterned insert sandwiched between two pieces of acetate and clipped together using metal page markers.

I slide in a sticky note pad which is kept in pace using the metal bookmarks.  I can then use this to jot reminders or notes and move them into the areas of my organiser that they relate to.

Behind the 'front sheet' I can also slip loose notes into the book marks, or stick sticky notes on the acetate sheet opposite ...

It may not be how you would incorporate a dashboard, but it's working for me right now. I think that's the most important thing – personalising your planner so that it works for you.

Most of the satisfaction is in getting creative and discovering how your planner can function in a bespoke way. We all have different needs and different ways of doing things, and a personal planner is a great way to express yourself.

So I highly recommend reading blogs like mine for inspiration, collect ideas and then adapt and apply them to your own planner system.

Read Part 2...

In Part 2 of my new Filofax setup I will be talking about my Notebook Section.

See you over there!

Loved it and want more?

Review: slim magenta Flex by Filofax

Have you heard of Moleskine Postal Notebooks?

Contents page: Explore all of my blog posts in one place!

Aston Filofax and Holborn zipped - love at first sight

ASTON FILOFAX (Personal)

I saw and held an Aston Filofax today. As a Filofax addict, I should have known better ...

What happens when you can't decide between two gorgeous Filofaxes?  Well, if you're anything like me, you basically end up with two stunning new organisers, and a rather alarming dent in your virtual wallet.  I couldn't help myself.

I didn't purchase them both on a whim though.  No no... When you are deciding on your next Filofax, it is, of course, essential that you check every single review, blog post, and Youtube video.

I exhausted them all, and a week later I came to the conclusion that if I didn't purchase both of these stunning planners, there would always be that - what if...?

It all started when I was browsing the Filofaxes in Paperchase on Tottenham Court Road - Not because I was looking for a new Filofax, but because I couldn't resist. I never can.

The Aston Filofax 

I picked up this ordinary looking Aston Filofax and was immediately taken aback. It felt... right. Suddenly the rich dark chocolate colour was just so... me.

The leather was soft against my fingertips, and ever so slightly cushioned. The graining was so subtle, and the stitching - talk about elegant.

It fitted into my palm so comfortably that I had to have a private moment with the Aston right then and there, whilst standing in the middle of Paperchase, with the security guard looking on suspiciously as my eyes rolled back and my fingers fondled the merchandise.

When I opened the snap and looked down, I knew exactly what to expect - I held my breath, almost hoping it wouldn't be so... but it was. The Aston leather cover was totally flexible.  It bent right back onto itself like the cover of an old paperback book - heart-wrenching perfection.

Now then, in the reviews, the Aston Filofax is often referred to as plain and lacking that certain je ne sais quoi; I assure you these people don't know what they are talking about!

I honestly don't know how anyone can hold this beauty in the palm of their hand and not experience the magic.  The Aston, in my opinion, is just so classy and sexy; but in an understated, elegant sort of way... a bit like me I suppose.  Dogs look like their owners, do Filofaxes?

The price tag brought me back down to earth though - Eighty quid?  Yikes.  Better think this through. Reluctantly, I returned my soul mate to the shelf and sheepishly walked away, past the freaked out security guard and out onto the sunny street.

My love encounter wasn't about to end there though.  It was when I pulled my stubby old 80's burgundy planner out on the bus to console myself (it has always worked in the past) that I knew it was over between us.  I craved the elegance and subtle beauty of the Aston like nothing you could possibly imagine.

So I spent a whole week scanning my laptop for reviews and pictures and deals. That's when I came across a Youtube video that compared my beautiful Aston, with a Holborn zipped. Suddenly I was very, very confused.

The Holborn zipped 

I have never been a fan of the idea of a zipped Filofax.  Perhaps they remind me of those bulky zipped school pencil cases from back in the day. I was always more of a slim leather or tin pencil case kinda schoolgirl.

My opinions were challenged though when I watched greedily as an American woman ran her hands all over this Holborn zipped Filofax in a Youtube video, whilst comparing it with my beloved Aston. I couldn't figure out the feeling I was experiencing at the time, but I know now - I was jealous.

Initially, it was the colour that attracted me. Not burgundy, but a beautiful classy wine colour.  Then it was the look of the buffalo leather.  Bear in mind that I had never handled buffalo leather before, but as soon as this American lady described it as "buttery", I knew I was intrigued.

The smooth leather caught the light in the video which totally enhanced the wine colour.  I think I watched this video five or six times in a row trying to imagine what it felt like to hold it in my hands.

When the woman started to reveal all the pockets and space there was inside, I realised I had a problem. This Filofax was like a little clutch bag!  I am a woman okay?  The idea of a Filofax/clutch was too much... I had to have it! A woman can never have too many bags.  It wouldn't be like I was purchasing two Filofaxes... because obviously, that would be nuts! No, I was going to purchase an Aston Filofax planner, and a Holborn Filofax clutch bag -  This is my story and I'm sticking to it!

So that's exactly what I did. Thoughts and comments anyone?



Stay tuned for more about these beauties!

Loved it and want more?

Watch my video where i show you my new Holborn Filofax Clutchbag

Review: Slim magents Flex by Filofax (with pics of my Aston and Holborn)

Content page: Explore all of my blog posts in one place!

Filofax Vlog: Showing off My New A5 Aqua Chameleon Filofax Setup

SO exciting! I really enjoyed making My First Filofax Vlog on Youtube – Check out my Filofax Unboxing Video here. I'm back now to show you my brand new Filofax setup (Link to the new video is further down...)

It's a bit weird being on camera like this. 

It's even more weird being on camera talking about a Filofax planner. But you guys have all shown me that this is a totally normal thing to do in the online planner community, especially if you're a blogger. 

So I am embracing the new experience, and loving every moment of it. Even if I do seem completely insane.

You'll have to WATCH THE VIDEO to find out why though... 

Enjoy!

Loved it and want more?

Read my very first blog post about my new A5 Aqua Chameleon Filofax

Read my comparison between a paper planner and a digital planner

Contents page: Explore all of my blog posts in one place

Filofax Paper Planner Vs. Smartphone

Image by marijana1 from Pixabay 

They call them 'Smartphones' for a reason, although, I'm not sure what the reason is, because mine isn't very smart, and I'll tell you why. When it comes to your smartphone versus your planner, which one is going to take first place for you?

Yes, this is an ancient blog post with mentions of mobile phones when you could actually remove the battery! I hope you enjoy the nostalgia of this post ...

When I purchased my very first 'smartphone', on my very first pay-monthly contract, I have to admit I was a bit besotted.

I abandoned my Pocket Guildford Filofax and my Moleskine for an online calendar syncing system and took full advantage of every note-taking app I could download for free.

Even my laptop became a bit redundant when I discovered a screenwriting app, a 'quickoffice' app, and various blogging and social networking apps.

Image by William Iven from Pixabay 

It was bliss and most of my spare time was spent squinting at the mini-screen - On the bus, in bed, and on the loo. But this is not where my story ends.

The cons of using my smartphone as my planner

 

I soon found that my battery was just not up to the job.  What happened to those good old Nokia phones that used to last about a week before they needed re-charging?  My new 'smartphone'  dies at the most inconvenient of times, and I can barely get through a day. 

So to rectify the problem I got into the habit of having the phone permanently on charge whenever I was at home so that at least I would know that when I was out it would be fine.  But effectively this only made the problem worse.

Then a few months ago the worst thing imaginable happened. The socket where my charger lead fits into my phone became loose.  First, a little wiggle did the trick, then a good shove kick-started the charging process.

But I'd have to keep an eye on it because it would randomly stop charging, which I found to be jolly inconvenient. Suddenly I was waking up in the morning to find it was actually the afternoon.

My so-called 'smartphone', which had cockily replaced my alarm clock too, had conked out in the middle of the night because it had stopped charging two minutes after I had drifted off to sleep!  I don't know about you, but I don't think this is very smart.

In a short space of time, the situation became so ridiculous that I was balancing the phone upright and on its side – sometimes upside down, wedged in a groove between a stack of books, with an elastic band wrapped around the phone to maintain the connection.

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay 

It was at this point that I had had enough. I mean, I was about to lose my rag. I was about to give in and purchase a new 'smartphone' when my aunt suggested an external charger for the battery.

So I ordered a charger on eBay that sticks in the wall and I have to take the battery out of the phone and slot it into the charger every time it needs charging.  For this reason, I now have two batteries, so that one can be charging while I am using my phone.  

But each barely lasts a day, and the MOST annoying thing is that my nails break now on a daily basis as I try to pry the phone open to swap the batteries over.  The whole thing is completely bonkers.

What's worse is that when I purchased the smartphone I didn't automatically become a 'smart-owner' of the 'smartphone'. I was mislead into paying insurance I didn't ask for.  I discovered this earlier today whilst analysing my bank statement.   £7.99 a month since this time last year - Annoying!

So here I have been, struggling with all the flaws of my decrepit piece of 'advanced technology' for a good three or four months, and I had insurance that I didn't even know about, and could simply have had the thing replaced!  

Apparently a month or so free insurance comes automatically with phones when you purchase the contract, but the loophole is that you have to remember to cancel it after the free period if you don't want to pay for it, which I didn't.

Filofax Fanciers may be relieved to know that I am back to using Filofax planners. They are SO much better than 'smartphone' calendar apps., and here's why...

Digital planner vs. paper planner

 

I thought it would be fun to place digital planners and paper planners side-by-side in a "real-life situation" challenge to see which one tallies up the most points. 

I have divided up the sections and scored each one out of 5 – with 5 being "the best".

Image by Łukasz Cwojdziński from Pixabay

These are of course my own opinions and just a bit of fun. I would love to hear your thoughts though, so if you would like to share them in the comments below, please feel free :)

HEALTH

Staring at a Filofax for hours gives you nothing but pleasure...
Staring at a 'Smartphone' for hours gives you a headache!

SCORE:

Filofax 5/5

'Smartphone' 0/5

PORTABILITY

My 'Smartphone' fits pretty much anywhere - In my pocket, in my handbag, and even in my Filofax, but the battery-life means that functionally using it on the go can often be short-lived if I don't have my charger with me. And the charger takes up more space in the bag.

My Filofax takes up space in my bag too and can be heavy depending on what size I have chosen to use, but at least all of my information is constantly accessible.

SCORE:

Filofax 3/5

'Smartphone' 3/5

MULTI-FUNCTIONALITY 

My 'Smartphone does pretty much everything, all I have to do is download an app, and put up with touch-screen typing which can be annoying.

My Filofax can be specifically designed and organised according to my needs as well.  My A5 Filofax works as a portable office-desk which is great for commuting, and my Pocket Filofax can double up as a wallet, and also slot my phone in, so it's almost like a clutch bag!

SCORE:

Filofax 5/5

'Smartphone' 4/5

ATTRACTIVENESS

My 'Smartphone is discrete and formal but can be jazzed up with clip-on covers, gel covers, sleeves, and holders.  My Filofax - well I don't think I need to say that I am in love and fancy it to pieces, no fancy accessories needed. Enough said.

SCORE:

Filofax 4/5

'Smartphone' 5/5

TOTALS:  

FILOFAX 17/20

SMARTPHONE' 12/20


Well, there we have it. Filofax is a clear winner. What do you think?


Until next time ...

Loved it and want more?

Read my first ever blog post

Watch my first ever Filofax video

Contents page: Explore all of my blog posts in one place!

My First Filofax: The Pocket Guildford, My Filofax Wallet

I was fifteen. A girl in my class had one, she was a girl I respected and I wanted to be respected too. So I purchased my first planner... A Pocket Guildford Filofax.

Introducing the pocket Guildford, my very first Filofax. I didn't know it at the time, but I was a Filofax addict in the making, and that this would later become my very awesome pocket Filofax wallet.

I chose black because I figured it was a serious colour and I wanted people to think I was important. I had no idea how expensive Filofaxes could be, but I struck lucky because there was a sale on in Rymans. The little pocket Guildford sat on the shelf looking up at me with its 50% off sticker.  I could almost hear it whispering “please take me home with you.”

The next week at school I felt pretty damned confident. And guess what? Suddenly the girl in my class who I admired so much had something to talk to me about! We became firm Filofax friends and sat next to each other in all of the classes from that day forth. 

I have used my pocket Guildford on and off over the years, but it is only recently that I discovered my obsession and have been overtaken by this fatal Filofax addiction that has been biding its sweet time. I am now a fully grown adult and I can afford to pay for my Filofax fascination. And pay I will. 

How I use my pocket Filofax as a wallet 

Looking at my pocket Guildford I can hardly believe it is older than a decade.  The black leather is a tad scuffed here and there but I think that just adds to the flavour. I love how soft it feels, snugly sitting in my hand. 

It's the perfect size for taking out and about with me, which is why I have decided to start using my pocket Filofax as a wallet. Or more to the point, as my handbag Filofax. Everyone has to have a handbag Filofax! If you don’t then I suggest you think about acquiring one. Any excuse just to add to your Filofax collection.

How to use your pocket Filofax as a wallet 

I have developed a system so that my Personal-sized Filofax doesn’t feel too left out. 

Basically, I don’t keep diary inserts in my pocket Guildford. It contains only lined paper, clear top-opening envelopes for pictures or loose notes, and a card-holder insert. This way I can use it on a daily basis as a notebook, and mainly when I am out and about. 

Any notes I make during the day can later be copied into my personal-sized Filofax in the evening, which is what I use as my main diary. I always write and transfer a daily plan-of-action or to-do list which I keep at the front of my pocket Guildford and refer to it throughout the day when I am out. 

Some people might think it rather odd to have more than one diary and then transfer notes between them all, but I just think it's common sense. Besides, Filofaxes are collector's items, so if you are a true Filofax addict, you'll want to have more than one, and an excuse for using them all!

The wonderful thing about the pocket Guildford is that it has a zipped section in the back cover, which is great for loose coins, making it the perfect pocket Filofax wallet.

This system is working like magic for me at the moment because my personal-sized organiser became too bulky and heavy to carry around with me – don’t you just hate it when that happens? 

I do love the way a stuffed planner looks though! Before now, I found that the pocket Guildford rings were too small for it to be my main organiser, which was a shame because I really like the look of a stuffed Filofax.

But now I can happily use the pocket Filofax as my daily notebook/wallet. It even fits my smartphone in the back pocket quite nicely, and also my little silver cardholder that homes my business cards. It's always useful to have those with me.

Pocket Filofax vs. personal Filofax 

The pocket-sized planners really are the perfect size for carrying around with you. They are even compact and lightweight when they are quite stuffed, and they still fit perfectly in your hand.

I also like the fact that the rings are smaller in the pocket size because this stops me from keeping things that I don't really need in the planner. When you have limited space it forces you to take a more minimalist approach to use your Filofax – at least, this is what I am finding.

I'm looking forward to taking my pocket Guildford out with me to evening networking and social events as it is small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of my hand while I hold my glass of wine in the other. Whoever thinks Filofaxes are for geeks have obviously never heard of the term ‘geek is chic!’

I also keep my passport tucked into the back of my Pocket Guildford because whenever I am out in the evening I always get asked for ID. Such are the drawbacks of having a youthful face.

I had to get a bit creative to stop everything from falling out though, so I slipped a black elastic hairband around the Filofax which holds the passport nicely in place by the spine. I love this idea because the band is stretchy and can also act as a wrist strap on the outside, which will be great for the times when I am holding my glass of wine in one hand, and then the waiter swims by with a tray of tasty nibbles!

(Note from the future:  I was way ahead of my time when I wrote this post – little did I know that Traveler's Notebooks would come into existence and become one of my new favourite things! Skip forward a few years and read about my first Midori Traveler's Notebook.)

What I don’t love about the pocket Filofax 

I'm not sure that there is anything I don't love about my pocket Filofax. If I were using it as my main planner then the small rings would be a problem, and I would probably be annoyed that tabbed divider inserts take up precious ring space. But I would find a way around it.

I currently use my clear top-opening envelope inserts to divide my paper from my contacts. I also use discrete silver page slides from Waterstones to mark important notes hidden away in the middle, for easy reference.

Looking for something some minimalist metal bookmarks to use in your planner or everyday carry? 

Get a cute container with 24 metal page markers ...

Well, that's all from me for now. My new A5 Chameleon Filofax should be arriving tomorrow morning, so as you can imagine I am jolly excited.  Tune in tomorrow to share my joy :)  I will be posting a little video, so you'll get to meet me face-to-face.

Don't forget to leave me a comment – I reply to ALL comments including new comments on old posts.

Bye for now!

Loved it and want more?

Watch my very first Filofax video on Youtube – The arrival of my A5 Aqua Chameleon Filofax

Read about my dream planner in the Filofancy launch post

Contents page: Explore all of my blog posts in one place!

My Dream Planner: The A5 Aqua Chameleon Filofax

We all have a dream planner, and the A5 Aqua Chameleon Filofax is mine. In fact, this may be the start of a Filofax addiction...

The other day I got a wonderful surprise. I paid a sneaky visit to the Filofax Website (as I do at least once every time I am online) and to my delight, I discovered that the Filofax planner I have had my eye on for months... The beautiful planner that started the obsession but was way too expensive to even consider... The Filofax Chameleon in Aqua A5... Was ON SALE.

But not just On Sale... it had a 50% discount! It was a miracle that I simply couldn't ignore. No, it must have been fate.

So without even thinking about it - because I knew that any amount of thought would result in something very silly called rationality and lead to me never owning such a thing of beauty - I logged into my bank account, increased my overdraft by fifty quid, and made the purchase. Very bad Zara, very bad.

But I don't care. I don't care. I will admit to it, I must be a Filofax addict. I just have to have it.  And now I do.  Well not quite - it still has to arrive in the post.  But at least it is on its way.  I'm so ridiculously happy, I almost feel bad about it, almost.

Filofax addiction is real

It makes no sense how a sane adult can develop such a strange addictive obsession with these extortionate little personal organisers and paper inserts. I just don't understand it.  All I know is that I am one of these crazy people now, well and truly.

How do I know this?  Well, aside from the fact that I have just spent fifty quid that technically isn't mine on a piece of stationery, I do often find myself on Ebay browsing through the lists and hoping to spot a bargain, when suddenly I'll realise that a couple of hours have gone by. Hours I tell you.

I once spent two entire hours in Paperchase deciding on paper inserts, and other bits and pieces for my personal-sized planner when really I should have been in the library studying.  It was an unexpected detour, what can I say?  It's not like I planned it.

Filofancy – my new planner blog

Anyway, I think that my recent purchase is a sign to get serious.  So I have created this planner blog. Yes a BLOG all about Filofaxes, and paper inserts, and pens, and page-keepers, stickers, and notebooks.

The beauty of it is that I have happily discovered that I am not alone. There are so many Filofax bloggers, I'm talking about lots of ordinary people writing blogs dedicated to their Filofax addiction.

Do you know what this means? It means I am not crazy. Or maybe I am.  Maybe we all are.

My new Filofax collection

I can't wait to get my gorgeous A5 Chameleon Filofax. Mine will not be black though, it will be glorious aqua blue, and I will be posting lots of pics and a video when it arrives. Watch this space fellow Filofax and stationery junkies, watch this space.

And just in case you are curious, this is not my first Filofax. Goodness me, no. I also own a rather dinky Pocket Guildford Filofax, and a personal-sized burgundy vintage Filofax that doesn't appear to have a name. I will, of course, be writing all about them in future posts, so make sure you subscribe to my blog so that you don't miss them.

Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, it would be lovely to meet you – what was your first planner? I reply to ALL comments, even new ones on old posts!

See you in the next post!

Loved it and want more?

My first Filofax: The pocket Guildford – my Filofax wallet

The arrival of my A5 Aqua Chameleon Filofax

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