5 Habits for highly over-ambitious planners (and dreamers)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading '10 Habits of Highly Ambitious Women' by Strange and Charmed last week, courtesy of the Philofaxy blog. But after reading it I realised, with much dismay, that I may actually be a highly un-ambitious woman, and that something must be done about it immediately.

Checklist for highly ambitious women

Here's how I scored alongside the post's checklist ...

1. They set clear goals – I set many goals, which, as I suspected, is a highly counterproductive practice.
2. They take action – You're speaking with the QUEEN of procrastination here.
3. They are lifelong learners – I love random facts and spend hours researching rubbish – doesn't help that I have the memory of a goldfish.
4. They manage their time wisely – What time?
5. They surround themselves with positive influences – Well, my dog motivates me to leave the house once a day for her wee, and my cat is very 'inspiring' when he wails the house down at dinner time – does that count?
6. They embrace failure – Erm, nope, don't like failure at all.
7. They practice self care – There's a more accurate word for my idea of self care... that would be... self indulgence. (Gimme all the cake!!)
8. They build strong relationships – Not terribly keen on most people, so nurturing relationships are not at the top of my to-do list.
9. They are resilient – I've become very comfortable with giving up and going back to bed.
10. They give back – I wholeheartedly attempt to give back to the world, but honestly, most of the time I can't be assed.

So there you have it, my list of failures. And as no. 6 says – I am not a fan of failure, so we must fix this.

What my results mean

I've analysed myself and come to the conclusion that, rather than being a highly ambitious women, I am, in fact, an over-ambitious planner and dreamer – which basically means I revel in writing long to-do lists and dream about high-flying achievements that are way beyond my reach (becoming a millionaire and owning a unicorn)

5 new planner habits towards being a highly successful woman

In an attempt to bring myself back down to reality (and an excuse to write a blog post on planners) here is my plan of action ...

1. Set 3 goals a week (and 3 tasks per day)

Everyone has a master to-do list – right? I think it's an essential brain-dump and I literally dump everything in it because it helps me to relax. But a master to-do list that is pages long, isn't helpful – it's frightening.

So, each week  I will be setting myself three goals:

1. A work goal
2. A home goal
3. A personal goal

Goals are always clear and measurable;

So, a work goal might be something like – Create and execute a content plan for the week for my new website. 

A home goal might be something like – Eat healthy and save money this week by doing some home cooking with pantry ingredients and meal prepping for the week. 

A personal goal might be something like – lose 1-2lb on the scale this week through exercise.

Then, I'll split the goals up into easily seven achievable tasks, and set three tasks per day, one for each goal.

For example:

(Work)

1. Conduct keyword research
2. Create content plan for the week
3. Write and publish one blog post for the next 5 days.

(Home)

1. Create meal plan
2. Cook dishes and do meal prep for the week
3. Eat healthy for the next 5 days, no spending.

(Personal)

1. Hula-hoop to one song every time you go to the kitchen to make tea (do this everyday)

As you can see, the tasks hold me accountable, and by completing them all I will be able to reach my goals for the week! Boss girl in the making – that's 1 and 2 on the checklist for ambitious women done.

2. Create a tracker for consuming video tutorials/talks

Quite often when I've finished my day job, I simply don't have the brain capacity to do any more work, let alone learning ... or so I think! 

I have actually found that watching or listening to Youtube videos and Ted Talks in the bath are an easy and relaxing way to take in some extra information on a variety of different topics relating to career and business development.

This means that I'll be able to use my time effectively in the evenings without feeling like I'm overdoing it.

Other times where similar multitasking can take place are when I'm ...

• on the loo
• washing the dishes
• walking the dog

That's 3, 4 and 5 on the checklist done.

3. Add self-reflection through journaling into my planning routine

This is something I used to do a lot more, but since getting back in touch with my mother, I've found a verbal outlet for all my problems. The main issue with this is that talking everything through with my mother on the phone doesn't really allow for efficient self-reflection and my mother's feedback isn't always reliable (sorry mum!)

In order to fully recognise and embrace my failures, I must stop seeking validation from my doting mother, and instead be more honest with myself by writing down my private thoughts and reflections in a journal.

Journaling is an important self care tool. And with more space in my relationship with my mother due to me not being so self-absorbed, I'll be able to focus more on creating and enjoying meaningful conversation too.

So that's 6, 7 and 8 sorted.

4. Record challenges faced at the end of each week

As part of my new planning routine, I'll be reflecting at the end of my week on what challenges I faced in achieving my tasks and goals.

Hopefully this will enable me to recognise my weaknesses so that I can create better goals and plan tasks more effectively – therefore, making me more resilient and able to overcome obstacles.

That's 9 in the bag... just one more to go.

5 Post more helpful content on my blog

Highly ambitious women 'give back'. I do genuinely love sharing my ideas and I always hope to entertain and inspire when I write a blog post. However, I'm not very good at being consistent.

So, I am going to attempt to commit to writing and publishing one post a week on the Filofancy blog.

Enjoyed reading this post and want to hold me accountable? Leave me a comment and tell me what you'd like to read about next week!

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What to do with an extra planner:15 alternative uses for your Filofax

Journaling tips for Filofax and ring planner users

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

What to do with an extra planner: 15 alternative uses for your Filofax

Nobody in the planner community has just one planner – most of us have at least two. If you're wondering what to do with an extra planner (or several) check out my ideas for alternative uses and put that spare Filofax to good use!

I used to have SO many Filofax planners. Regrettably, I sold quite a few of them many years ago when I decided I was going to be a one-planner girl – HA! Who was I kidding? 

I'd probably have close to 20 by now. Instead, I have 7, all of which are currently in use, aside from my A5 Chameleon that's currently boxed, and two of my least favourite personals that I use as storage binders for old diary inserts – but I count that as a use.

I've been thinking of ways I can put my A5 Chameleon to use though, and it inspired this blog post. So here are 15 ideas for alternative Filofax uses to inspire you to pull a few of your old or extra planners off the shelf and enjoy them this year.

1. Recipe binder

I think this is a great use for a spare Filofax or any other ring-bound planners you have lying around – regardless of whether you're a kitchen Goddess/God or a hopeless wannabe Master Chef contestant.

If you know your way around the kitchen cupboard then you'll need a gorgeous binder to store and collect all of your foodie wisdom to pass down to your little ones when they go off to Uni or have a family of their own.

If you're more like me – single at nearly 40, still learning that you can't just chuck all the spices into the pot each time and expect your dishes to be distinguishable, and frequently engaging in weekend culinary 'experiments' that leave you feeling relieved you only have to one mouth to cater for (your own!) –  well, you'll need a gorgeous binder to store all of your takeaway flyers!

Jokes aside, collecting your favourite recipes, taking notes when watching your favourite cooking shows, and tearing up Waitrose food magazines to make yummy dividers and other inserts is a fab idea for a new 2023 hobby if you're looking for one.

Check out Crossbow Planner Co on Etsy for lovely minimalist recipe binder refills to get you started.

I might do this myself this year. My trusty A5 Chameleon Filofax needs a job! 

(If you're new here, you might like to know that my A5 Chameleon was the Filofax that instigated the birth of the Filofancy blog, so have a read of my very first post if you're interested.)

2. Junk journal

Never heard of a junk journal? The clue is in the name. Basically, a junk journal is a handmade book of recycled and found materials and ephemera – and I think a Filofax/ring binder is the perfect starting point!

Why keep one? Well, it's a rather charming way to keep a record of your everyday life. 

A junk journal is different from an ordinary journal. The emphasis is not necessarily on writing down your thoughts and musings, but instead on compiling a book full of bits and bobs relating to your everyday experiences and interactions.

Over time it becomes a tactile book of memories, filled with old ticket stubs, receipts, menus, letters, sketches, magazine cuttings, recipes, pieces of ribbon and gift wrap, and so much more. It'll be a pleasure to look back on in years to come – a bit like a time capsule.

There's loads of inspiration to be found on Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube. People are so creative and their junk journals can be real works of art. 

The great thing about using your Filofax or ring binder planner as a junk journal is that you can punch holes in everything and just pop it all in, or use hole-punched paper envelopes... what fun!

Get yourself an official Filofax hole punch, it'll make junk journaling easy peasy.

3. Scrapbook

A scrapbook is similar to a junk journal, but you don't have to fill it with things that are significant to your life. You can just fill it with, well, whatever you like.

It's a blank canvas for your fun and creativity – set the kid inside you free!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Experiment with colour, stamps, paints, stickers and magazine cuttings
• Create themed pages on your favourite things – cats, food, heart-throbs (you're never too old to have a heart-throb, in my opinion)
• Fill it with vision boards to manifest your dreams – I hear this is powerful stuff!
• Use it to keep your toddler's drawings safe – how cute!
• Start a postage stamp collection, or how about a sticker collection?

4. Sketchbook

Learn how to draw this year and keep your sketches together with an A4 or A5 Filofax so you can track your progress. 

The great thing about using a binder as a sketchbook is that you can add any kind of paper you want, from pastel paper to watercolour paper.

Alternatively, if you're already a bit of an artist, you can use a Filofax as a portfolio to store and proudly show off your masterpieces.

Store your favourite pieces in these Filofax plastic pockets for extra protection!

5. Art Journal

You'd be forgiven for thinking that an art journal is the same as a journal, a junk journal, a scrapbook or a sketchbook - ah my naive friends, you have so much to learn and discover!

An art journal is a hybrid of a sketchbook and a journal. If you're arty and creative you can use it to express how you feel through drawing, painting and collaging. 

Art journals often have beautiful pages that are crafted to combine art with inspirational quotes, thoughts and journal entries. 

Using a Filofax to store art journal pages may take the pressure off starting an art journal because you don't have to be afraid of ruining your sketchbook with a badly designed page – if you don't like how something turned out, you can just take it out! 

You can also move things around if the chronology isn't important to you.

6. Grimoire

A Grimoire is kind of like a witch's book of spells, but you don't have to be a witch to be inspired by this creative idea. You can use a spare Filofax or planner to bind all of your witchy things.

Here are some ideas for your Grimoire:

• Herbal tea recipes
• Healing soup recipes
• Favourite essential oil combos
• Healing herb recipes
  
• List of herbs and spices
• Natural medicine
• Tarot card spreads
• Divination readings
• Houseplant care notes
• Spells or manifestations
• Affirmations
• Phases of the moon
• Horoscope info
• Pressed leaves and flowers
• Dream journal
• Record of the seasons
• Meanings of colours and numbers
• Poetry
• Feng Shui notes
• Crystal properties
• Notes on Auras/chakras
• Favourite witchy books
• Mystical decor

Sometimes it's just nice to have it all in one place, you know?

If you're a green witch and in the market for a new planner, inserts or accessories, you might like the Filofax Garden Collection, I think it's rather lovely and would make a pretty Grimoire.

7. Bible study file 

I'm not a religious person myself, but if I was, I think I'd want to use a Filofax to store all my bible study notes. A personal planner is a similar size to a bible, so I think they'd go well together. 

Alternatively, for a bit more space, and if you don't fancy lugging a heavy A5 planner with you, the A5 clipbooks or reusable notebooks are a great inexpensive alternative, and you may have one knocking around that you don't use. 

They're better than ordinary notebooks because you can personalise them with dividers and different inserts according to your needs – not to mention offering the ability to rearrange pages and take them out without having to try and cleanly rip a page out of a bound notebook (and usually losing another page on the opposite end as a result!)

8. Project organiser

A separate Filofax or planner is a must if you're taking on a new project.

It might be your goal to minimise everything in your home this year – in which case you'll need a place to put all your lists – lists of things to keep, sell, donate, and recycle; not to mention sections for different rooms... you get the idea.

How about a wedding planner? A course project? A new business idea?

Your project for the new year might even be yourself – a new fitness routine, eating habits and other goals. You'll need trackers and lists for sure. 

I think sometimes it's nice to have a separate place to plan a single project or area of your life, in order to clear your mind from distractions and be able to focus on one thing.

9. Wedding guestbook

Why not use a spare planner as a guest book? It'll be a lovely memory to treasure long after the event, with so many beautiful heartwarming messages from your friends and loved ones. 

You'll also get to design your own inserts – that's always fun.

How about teaming it up with a polaroid camera so that people can take selfies of themselves and stick them into the guestbook on their message page? It'll make your memories all the more special.

10. Photography project (365-days/52 weeks)

You could use a spare planner to keep a record or a daily or weekly photography project! It's nice to have a new hobby, and photography is such a great way to record your memories. 

You don't need a fancy camera either. Smartphones take great photos these days, and they're convenient because you'll always have your phone with you! Plus, editing apps/filters are free if you want to get really creative.

Try taking a photo a day, and then print them off using your home printer at the end of the week and trim them down to size to fill a week-on-two page diary spread. 

You could create a visual journal of places you've been to or things you've seen. You might want to record memories of your kids or pets in everyday life. Or even a visual record of how much your houseplant babies have grown throughout the year – in which case Filofax's Garden collection week-on-two-pages insert would be perfect!

11. Poetry Portfolio

If you've got a knack for rhymes and enjoy expressing yourself through poetry, why not use an extra Filofax as a portfolio to keep all your poems together?

I really love this idea because there's less commitment than using a bound notebook to write your poems down in. 

I used to write poetry in a cheap spiral-bound notebook. The one thing that used to drive me absolutely nuts was how messy my pages would get after I had scribbled down ideas, crossed sections out and tried to change lines a million times until they sounded just right (because I'm a perfectionist).

By the time I had finished my poems, you couldn't really read them, and I'd have to write them out again. My solution at the time was to use a pencil so I could use a rubber to make changes more easily. 

With a ring-binder system like a Filofax though, you wouldn't have to rip pages out if you wanted to remove all your 'workings'. Instead, you could have a tabbed section for drafting, and then tabbed sections for your finished pieces – all organised into topics!

Browse Filofax dividers – they're so cute.

12. A paragraph-a-day journal

If you've always wanted to keep a journal but have been intimidated by the thought of having to write pages and pages of your thoughts, doing a paragraph a day can ease you into it until you feel like you have more to say.

You can buy similar journals like this five-year one-line-a-day journal, but personally, I like the flexibility of a ring-bound system where you get to choose how much space you need to write your thoughts.

Alternatively, if you like the idea of restricting yourself to just one paragraph of journaling a day then you can use a week-on-two-pages diary insert like these from Filofax and fill each day in with your reflections.

13. Finance and expenses manager

Something I've been seeing more and more during the cost of living crisis is people using a separate Filofax to keep track of spending. Having a dedicated planner to manage your money is a great way to focus on setting financial goals.

In fact, even Filofax has latched onto this trend encouraging us to 'Gain control over your finances with our budgeting essentials.'

They have a lovely collection of zipped personal Filofax planners that look just like wallets and are perfect for a project like this.

Filofax products to help you keep an eye on your savings:

• Calculators – love that you can put them in the rings (so convenient!)
• Zip closure envelopes – for creating a cash envelope system
• Refills – for tracking finances, expenses, meal plans and more!

Browse the full Budget savvy planner collection by Filofax.

14. Mood Diary

Anyone who struggles with a mental health problem like anxiety depression or bipolar disorder probably knows the value of keeping track of moods. But anyone can benefit from tracking how you feel on a day-to-day basis.

If you're wondering what sections you could include in your planner, there are plenty of everyday things that are related to mood. 

The idea of tracking various things that could affect your mood is that you'll more easily be able to look back and spot patterns. This could help you to make adjustments to help improve how you're feeling.

Here are some ideas of things you can track in your mood diary:

• Sleep – track what time you go to bed, what time you wake up and what your quality of sleep was like.

• Exercise – track how many steps you walked, if you did a workout or practiced some yoga.

• Food – it can be interesting to look back and see changes in your diet. You can look out for increases in sugar, caffeine and alcohol. You can also look out for any periods of time you ate more or less than usual. 

• Give yourself a daily mood score – come up with a system to score yourself on how you're feeling, for example, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best. 

• Self-care – it's so easy to forget to make time for ourselves. Keeping track of the things we do to relax and feel good can remind us to do more of those things. Self-care looks different for everyone, for example, reading a book, taking a bath, painting your nails, walking the dog or making homemade soup.

15. Editorial Calendar

With so many of us feeling inspired to start our own online businesses or develop a social media presence, using a spare planner specifically as an editorial calendar can help you to keep on top of your projects, even the ones you just do for fun.

An editorial calendar is great for:

• a blog
• a social media account
• a YouTube channel
• an Etsy Shop

You can create sections in your planner for:

• brainstorming ideas
• lists of links/contacts
• keyword research for SEO
• posting schedules
• a content planner
• your year-to-view - Get the Filofax undated yearly pull-out insert (you get 5!)
• marketing campaigns

Thanks for reading! Find any of these ideas inspiring? Got any of your own? Leave your thoughts in the comments below – I love to read them, and I try to reply to every single one.

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Things I've learnt about 'Planner Peace'

Journaling tips for Filofax and ring planner users

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

If you're thinking of making any Filofax purchases, please use my affiliate links as I might get a nice little bit of revenue (no extra cost to you) which goes towards helping to support the Filofancy blog – Browse the Filofax website now!

Review: Filofax Norfolk (Personal Sage)

Would it be weird if I described the personal-sized Filofax Norfolk in 'sage' as being... cosy?  I look at it and immediately my mind goes to cosy knitted jumpers, cups of tea and snuggling up on the sofa with my dog and my cat. It feels like I might have found my planner soulmate.

If you read the post about my Port-fuelled Christmas Day impulse purchase of this planner, you'll know that I wasn't planning on getting one...

...Sure, I'd lusted after the collection, done my research and checked my bank balance several times to see if an extra hundred quid had miraculously found its way into my account (it hadn't) – but I had made a firm decision that I wasn't going to do it. 

Well, I did it. Clearly.

To be honest I was nervous. What if I didn't even like it? What if it was a ghastly green brick? What if it arrived faulty like the birthday-gift-to-myself Centennial Filofax did? What if, God forbid, it felt like a waste of money?!

I've never felt like any Filofax I've ever bought was a waste of money because I've been so absolutely in love with them all. But I'm older, and so much more cynical now. This purchase could literally ruin 2023 for me!

Okay, I'm being melodramatic, and as we all know, it has all turned out fine. Aside from the fact that the inserts I purchased from Filofax on the 18th Dec, still haven't arrived, and I wanted them for the 1st of January... goddammit.

Let's get into the review!

Design inspiration and vibe 

Filofax on their blog says, 'Norfolk is a rural county in the East of England, known for its community spirit and easy-going way of life.' 

This Filofax definitely has a countryside vibe. It feels down-to-earth, friendly, warm and welcoming, like a good novel in front of a fireplace with a blueberry muffin!

Leather and structure

I love the cushioned matt leather and how comfortable it feels to hold. The leather feels soft and flexible, but there is plenty of structure to the planner with a slight bit of padding – it's definitely not floppy, but it's not stiff either. It feels very well made. 

The strap is lovely and wide, which makes opening and closing the planner feel very satisfying. It's also nice and long so the planner doesn't feel tight when stuffed.

You can see in the pic below how much space the strap allows, it's not tight, and because it's also quite stiff it allows the planner to hold it's shape when closed even when it's not full.

The planner rings

Bringing me to the rings... they are a generous 30mm in the personal size, which is wonderful! 

I've noted that the larger rings don't cause the paper inserts or the dividers to be pushed outside the edge of the planner, even though the width of the planner is the same as my Originals...

...You can see in the picture further down how the inserts will stop at the edge of the planner from the centre of the rings, which is where the inserts will be pushed out the furthest.

It just means that there's no outer margin of leather like in the others. Of course, this may mean that the inserts are slightly less protected, but this doesn't bother me as I'll be using it at home anyway.

I thought I'd miss the gold rings that I fell head-over-heels for when I bought my Centennial, but actually, the silver ones go really nicely with the cool sage, and I don't think gold would have looked right.

They do seem more flexible than my Centennial rings though, and I have to press down on both of the end buttons together to work the mechanism and open them, whereas with my Centennial I can just press down on one end. This doesn't feel like an inconvenience though, and really it's how we should be operating them for a longer life.

Design features 

Because the leather is so soft, I suspect that over time the card slots may become looser as the leather stretches depending on what you use them for. I don't see that as being a problem for me though, as I'll probably be using them to home sticky notes and bits and bobs. Plus, once the Filofax is closed, nothing will be falling out.

The inside zip pocket isn't gusseted, but it does feel pretty generous. I have nothing really to say about the other inside pockets, they seem fine for extra stickers etc.

I'm not sure what I'll be using the full-length back pocket for. It has a very structured feel rather than floppy. I think this will be good to protect paper or letters and stop them from crumpling or creasing in the pocket. 

I don't think I'd want to put anything in the back pocket that would cause lumps and bumps for fear of denting the perfectly flat front and back covers as the leather is so beautifully soft – but that's probably just me being precious because it's brand new.

I've watched some videos and in one it was noted that the positioning of the pen loop on the pocket size planner was not well thought-out at all as it makes the pen sit behind the inserts. It also interfered with the lady's divider tabs because the loop is pointed inward instead of out. 

On the personal size Norfolk, the issue is similar but not as pronounced. The pen does get in the way of inserts as it sits behind them, and more so if you use thicker pens. You can see in the picture below what I mean...

...however, keep in mind that when the rings are full some of the inserts to the front and back will lie further in as the rings curve, and this does allow for a pen to sit more comfortably without leaving a gaping gap at the back, especially if you're using a thinner pen like mine.

I use a thin, discrete mechanical pencil, so it's not a problem for me. I've also tried my Filofax pen from the Centennial collection and the issue seemed very slight. This might annoy some people though.

Considering that there is so much space inside the strap when the planner is closed, I do think that Filofax could have designed the pen loop so that it faced outward. But instead, they chose aesthetic over function as they clearly wanted to have the little strip of leather to cover the elastic of the pen loop. 

I think that many people will appreciate the fully elasticated pen loop that enables us to insert fatter pens – however, with the pen having to sit behind the paper in the planner, fatter pens may get in the way, so it's a bit of a contradiction.

You'd think by now that Filofax would have the functionality of their planners down to a T. However, I think this might actually be my only gripe about the Filofax Norfolk, and it's more on the behalf of those of you who may find this feature-flop annoying. Personally, I'm not affected by it because of my choice of pen – and I do actually really like how neat it looks with the leather flap covering the elastic.

'Flatability' and weight

As my Filofax is brand new it doesn't lay completely flat like the Originals do, but I think in time that it might. It certainly lays flat enough to please most 'flatability' seekers. 

Once you have filled the pockets on the right it'll also add the bit of weight it needs to lie flat, and as you trun pages, they will contribute to flatability too.

Considering that this is a chunky monkey, I don't feel like it's overly heavy. Obviously, that could change depending on what you decide to put in it.

It is slightly bigger than other personal-sized Filofaxes because of the larger rings, but it still feels and looks pretty compact to me. 

Final thoughts

I'm very, very happy with my purchase, and I'm sure that I'll be talking about it lots more as I discover different things I like or dislike. With it being one of the more expensive collections, I definitely think the Norfolks are worth the money. 

They are made of beautiful quality real leather in lovely muted and natural tones that I think will appeal to many people, and they have lots of useful features for an all-round everyday planner.

I'm very happy with my choice of colour, but I like them all! The sage is earthy and homely. The lavender is very delicate and pretty for spring, the almond is warm and perfect for autumn, and the taupe is a lovely neutral option.

I'm also 100% happy with the personal size. I think the A5 would have been overkill for my needs, and I may have found the pen loop thing irritating in the pocket size.

If you're thinking of making any Filofax purchases, please use my affiliate links as I might get a nice little bit of revenue (no extra cost to you) which goes towards helping to support the Filofancy blog – Browse the Filofax website now!

As always, thank you so much for reading my blog, I hope that you enjoyed it :) I absolutely love reading and replying to your comments, so please feel free to put your penny's worth below, because we all have different ideas and experiences with planners, which is what makes our community so interesting!

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• 3 Things I've learned about 'planner peace' in 2022
• How to make handmade stickers at home without a printer
• Contents page: Explore all of my blog posts in one place!

3 things I learned about 'planner peace' in 2022 ...

The elusive quest for 'planner peace' plagues so many of us in the Filofax and planner community. It's a bizarre phenomenon, born from the dark belly of commercialism and social media influencers, and fed by an insatiable desire to see our lives perfectly presented in between the pages of printed vellum.

I don't know about you, but I for one have really struggled on my quest to find 'planner peace'. 

I've poured so much energy (let's not talk about money) into trying to force various planners and planner systems to – work for me, to look good, or to feel right – that I've often completely lost sight of the point.

I sometimes wonder if the big question I should be asking myself is not whether my planner looks, feels or works 'right' – but do I actually even need one to begin with? And if I do, what do I specifically need it for?

I've been taking some time to think about what I've learned about 'planner peace' in 2022 so that I can have a great functional relationship with my planner this year. I thought that I'd share my personal insights with you. 

Maybe I can help shed some light on why you've struggled with 'planner peace'?

1. Less is more when you're trying to achieve 'planner peace'

The main reason I've failed at building great functional relationships with my Filofaxes as planners over the years was that I've always ended up feeling totally overwhelmed and lost inside of them...

...which is ironic, seeing as these are products meant to help us find our way through all of the chaos.

There are many things about Filofax planners that contribute to my internal struggle:

Firstly, there are the dividers...

• How many sections do I need? 
• What should they be? 
• Will I even use all the sections? 
• I want more sections but I can't think what for!
• What if I write on the tabs and then change my mind?
• I'm only using two tabs, should I take the others out?
• What's the point in having a Filofax planner without all the tabs though???
• Should I just get a notebook?

Then it's the size of the planner...

• The A5 will give me loads of space to plan an awesome life...
• I don't have an awesome life though, and the A5 is far too big for it!
• The personal size still has great potential for stuffability, we'll try that...
• Oh dear, my life still isn't full enough to stuff even a personal Filofax!
• I know! I'll try a Slimline...
• Oh FFS – now there's not enough space.

Dare I talk about inserts...?

• Week on one page?
• Week on two pages?
• Do I need a monthly? 
• Do I need tabs for each month?
• Why can I never keep up with my trackers?
• Why am I spending so much money on inserts?
• Maybe I should make all my own inserts?
• What kind of printer should I get?
• Maybe I should open an Etsy shop?
• Maybe I need a bigger planner for my new business?
• Argh!

I've come to realise that less is more...

I started 2022 off in my personal-sized charcoal Centennial, which I was obsessed with! You can see all the gorgeous pics on the Filofancy Instagram account. 

6-months in I felt overwhelmed as I wasn't using it how I imagined. In fact, I only used one section - the diary section. The rest was just fluff, and VERY distracting.

So I got rid of ALL the fluff (well, I stored it all in one of my pretty Filofax boxes for later use), and I switched to my black vintage slimline Filofax containing just three months' worth of the Filofax week-on-two-page diary inserts and some note paper. 

It was great. I loved how minimal and compact it was. Zero decoration, zero distraction – and it fitted beautifully into my tiny handbag, which meant I could take my planner with me everywhere. 

I did miss having a whole year's worth of diary to hand. But the whole year simply didn't fit the cute but tiny rings, and so I had to make the sacrifice. This was true functionality at its finest.

The problem was that I was stuck with my idea of a Filofax being stuffed with a billion cool sections for all areas of my life because of what I see on Instagram and YouTube. 

I've had to come to terms with the fact that the truth is my planner is never going to look like someone else's planner – because – my life and other people's lives look different.

I needed to listen to my own personal needs, and they were saying – less is more Zara! 

And it was true, for me at least, and certainly for that time in my life.

2. A planner system will grow when the time is right

Towards the end of this year, I was beginning to feel like I needed more than my slimline could offer. So I moved back into my personal Centennial and it felt much more comfortable.

This was because my life was beginning to expand and I needed more space to express myself, and you know... plan! Soon my planner was beginning to look pleasingly stuffed. 

It felt good, not because the planner itself was beginning to resemble what I thought a planner should look like, but because I was actually using it, and it was really helping me to organise myself and get my head straight instead of confusing me – which is the whole point of having a planner.

I also noticed that I went from being minimal and functional to add back a few choice decorative inserts that I had previously removed because they had been too distracting. 

My planner was now naturally becoming an expression of my identity – as well as a tool to assist me in my life, rather than a pre-designed-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life useless disaster that was really upsetting and stressing me out! (Why are we doing this to ourselves ladies?)

Basically what was happening was that my planner was growing and developing alongside my needs.

3. Change is good

I've always struggled with my sense of identity. It's something that's linked to my struggles with mental health. For some reason I always find myself trying to attach my identity to external things, from career and business ideas, to relationships, and even to the things I own – like my planners.

In order to try and achieve some consistency, it has always felt stupidly important to me to find a planner that kind of defines who I am or reflects my sense of self. I had to 'bond' with it in some way, and it had to feel like it was part of me, or an extension of me, or a symbol of who I am as a person. Which is obviously bonkers.

I've come to realise and accept that as we grow, so do our needs, interests and preferences. I don't have to stick to the same planner to feel like I'm being true to myself. I'm not betraying myself or my planner. It's just a planner Zara, and it's totally okay to try something new. 

So for 2023, I'm giving myself a fresh start with a brand-new Filofax planner – because it feels right, and I wanted to treat myself to a prezzy as my Christmas was so disppointing...

...Okay, I'll admit it was an impulse purchase and you can read more about how that happened here!

Regardless, my new Filofax and I are going to work on our relationship and grow together, because I have great plans for 2023, and a great planner is going to make things MUCH more fun.

Thank you SO much for reading my blog, I hope that you enjoyed it :) I absolutely love reading and replying to your comments, so please feel free to put your penny's worth below, because we all have different ideas and experiences with planners, which is what makes our community so interesting!

Loved it and want more?

• Minimalist planner tips
• Why I left the online "Planner Addict" Community (and why I came back!)
• Contents Page: Explore all of my blog posts in one place!

I've ordered the Norfolk Filofax...

A planner for me has to either be super slim for portability or super fat for stuffability. I don't like the in-betweens, they seem like missed opportunities... with 30mm rings, the personal-size Norfolk Filofax was just too tempting!

Impulse shopping at its finest

Admittedly, this was a bit of an impulse buy. What can I say, it was Christmas day, not to mention it's been the first time I'd spent Christmas alone, so I needed a pick-me-up. 

I've been eyeing this collection up since it hit the Filofax website. I've spent a few weeks ogling pics on Instagram, and I've watched every single video that's out right now on YouTube – standard – But I had decided that I wasn't going to invest as it doesn't have gold rings.

I've been completely spoilt by gold rings since buying the Centennial Original (personal size in charcoal) for my birthday in 2021. I honestly thought I'd never be able to purchase another planner again unless it had the same gold rings – which is weird for me because I'm not really a gold person.

However... Christmas day came, and I thought I was going to be okay...

It turned out to be a terrible day though, because seriously, what's the point in Christmas when you're nearly 40, childless (if you don't count your furbabies) and you're spending it by yourself? The only thing I could think of to make the day feel better was to blow a hundred quid on something pretty. It was a terribly delightful moment of weakness. So far I have no regrets.

Besides, a brand new planner will be like a brand new start to the new year – right? It made perfect sense at the time, I was under the influence of a bottle of Port.

My choice...

I've gone for the personal size in 'sage', which seems to be the favourite in the planner community from what I've seen online. I might have been persuaded to go for the lavender if it was spring or the almond if it was autumn. The lavender in particular is playing on my mind... Who knows, if they're still around come spring or autumn, my collection may expand – I'll probably need cheering up again mid-Feb.

I'm a crazy plant lady though, so 'sage' just made sense as an all-year-rounder. It looks like a pretty shade of green from what I can tell online, although I'm nervous to see if I'll like it in person. What I'm hoping for is a calming, muted colour with nature vibes to go with my current inserts, accessories and witchy-earth-girl personality.

I've always got on best with personal-sized planners. I like the fact that you can get the 'economy' pack of plain paper refills, which don't seem to be available in the other sizes. I also like that the personal size doesn't take up your entire desk when opened up like the A5, and I don't need the portability of the pocket anymore as I work from home.

(I have 2 A5 Filofaxes - My Aqua Chameleon, the original love of my life, and The Classic Croc, my dirty kinky affair! I'm currently using my Classic Croc to house important documents, but my poor Chameleon is boxed. I must come up with a new use for it for 2023 – if you have any ideas, leave them in the comments!)

The MAIN thing that convinced me to buy my new Norfolk planner though (aside from the bottle of Port and all the misery) was the opportunity to have 30mm rings in a personal-size planner. A planner for me has to either be super slim for portability or super fat for stuffability. I don't like the in-betweens, they seem like missed opportunities.

I'm also looking forward to finding out if all the extra pockets will be useful for me. I've been using my Centennial Original, and my pet peeve about the Originals is the useless (in my opinion) interior design...

I think the jot-pad slots at the back of the Originals are pointless, especially as they don't even sell replacements on the Filofax website. I also find the elastic band on the inside of the front cover to be a pointless feature as I've never found a legitimate use for it. Okay, rant over.

What I do like about the originals though is the flatability, the retro design and stitching, and the simple 'single piece of leather' design. Let's face it – they're just very cool. I'd be very interested to know your opinions on the Originals, so feel free to comment below!

You can watch my earlier rants on the Original Filofax – PART 1 and PART 2.

Back to The Norfolk...

I'll have a lot more to say about the Norfolk Filofax when I actually receive it. 

You can expect a full Filofancy review...

(I've noticed I get more and more critical of Filofax purchases the older I get – in the early Filofancy days I was totally in love with all of them, and I gave orgasmic reviews, but the griping has increased over the years. I guess I just know what I want now, and boy, are my expectations high!)

In the meantime, feel free to enjoy some other Filofax reviews...

• The Centennial Collection
• The Garden Collection
• Classic Croc Filofax

For earlier posts, check out my Contents Page and go exploring!

Let me know in the comments if there is anything in particular that you're interested in seeing on the blog, as I want to start posting more content, and it would be great to know what you want to see. 

I'm also REALLY keen to hear from anyone who has purchased anything from the current Norfolk collection, or who is thinking about it, so please share your thoughts... And subscribe to the Filofancy blog to get notified of when I publish the review of my new Norfolk Filofax! Find me on Instagram and Youtube.

It's Filofancy's 10th Anniversary Today!

I thought it would be fun to celebrate Filofancy's 10th Anniversary by exploring the blog to rediscover some of my really old posts.

The very first post I published on this blog was all the way back in 2012. I can't believe it was exactly 10 years ago today. 

I have come and gone over the years in terms of actually writing and publishing content, but the blog has always remained online, and it has been lovely to see a steady flow of visitors still discovering the blog and enjoying my posts.

I have a great contents page that makes it easy to browse through my older posts, but I wanted to pull out a few of my favourites and talk about them today. So here are 4 Filofancy posts from the past...

Filofax Vlog: The Arrival of My A5 Aqua Chameleon Filofax

This post always makes me giggle! It is short and sweet and describes the arrival in the post of the Filofax that triggered my planner obsession and inspired the creation of the Filofancy blog. 

It also has a link in it to my very first Filofax vlog on Youtube - which is highly embarrassing, but also rather lovely to look back on. I'm so young and silly. My enthusiasm is refreshing. 

If you are interested, head over to the post, but don't forget to come back to finish reading this one! (All of the links in this post will open in a new window, so it's easy for you to return.)

How to Create a Unique Dashboard for your Filofax - The Filofancy Way!

Don't you just love how grainy and vintage my photos look from old blog posts? Camera phones were nothing in comparison to what they are now. 

I love this old post, along with many of the other "creative ideas" posts that are peppered throughout the blog. Back in the day dashboards were considered a new idea, and I really did think that my "Filofancy" dashboard idea was truly innovative. 

It's a bit embarrassing how this outdated post is actually one of the most viewed posts on the blog. My attempts at SEO must be on target for this post. 

Head back in time to read more about my so-called creative-genius! Just remember... we're talking a whole decade ago... so be kind in the comments...

Aston Filofax and Holborn Zipped - First Impressions

The story of how I fell in love with a Filofax while standing in the middle of Paperchase is actually kind of hilarious, and 100% true. Sometimes I wonder if people reading my blog must think I exaggerate my feelings for Filofax planners, but the fact remains, I just tell it how it is. 

You can read my little love story here, its a tiny bit cringy, but I remember it like it was yesterday, and it always makes me smile. Comment while you are over there if you have a Filofax Love story to tell!

The Time I Bought My Sister A Filofax... And KEPT It!

Perhaps one of the most bonkers things I have done since becoming obsessed with Filofaxes was when I bought a Filofax for my sister, fell in love and ended up keeping it, and then had to purchase the exact same one to give to her! 

This is a funny blog post describing that experience, with a link to a charming little video I made, in which I waffle on about how I have fallen for the Filofax and how much I really didn't want to give it to my sister. But for some reason, I decided to edit it so that you can't hear me talking, and the footage is sped up and dubbed with a quirky tune. 

It's still fun to watch though, especially now that you know what I'm actually talking about behind the music! Click here for the blog post -  It's worth it just to see how gorgeous the Filofax is.

Looking To The Future...

Well, we have had a good look into Filofancy's past, but about the future of the blog? Will we still be here in ten years time to celebrate another decade of writing about planners, journals, and stationery? Will I have my act together by then and be posting more regular and more relevant content? Or will Filofancy remain a little historical archive of memory-lane posts? 

Only time will tell... but if you subscribe to my blog for notifications of new posts you can continue to follow the Filofancy journey. 

Keep scrolling down to sign up blog notifications via email...

Did You Know Filofancy Is On Instagram?

So excited to celebrate Filofancy's first humble milestone on Instagram... We've finally got to 100 Followers!

It's true, Filofancy has been on Instagram for ages... but the account had been left sad and neglected for some time. I decided to change that. 

Recently I have been taking a more consistent and thoughtful approach to posting content on Instagram and engaging with other accounts, and it looks like it is paying off. It was very satisfying to see the number "100" appear at the top of my Instagram account this weekend.

To celebrate reaching my first 100 followers, I thought I would share a blog post showing some of my recent Instagrams posts, hoping to entice you to head over to Instagram and follow me too.

I am very much enjoying the houseplants theme that is emerging in my new planner. I absolutely love plants... perhaps even as much as I love planners. So it makes sense to merge the two and helps to make me feel more at home in my new planner, which I am still getting used to.

I am trying to think of a section that I can add to my planner that is dedicated to my houseplants. If you have any ideas let me know in the comments!

My pets (especially my cat Figpig) like to photobomb my planner pics. Often I don't notice that there is an animal limb or nose in the photo until I come to edit them, so I am learning to integrate my pets into the content instead of reshooting. 

Above you can see my naughty cat's paws. He was told off for walking all over my planner whilst I was trying to photograph it, and he clearly resorted to ruining my pic with his paws. But it actually turned out quite cute so I didn't crop them out.

I am attempting to develop a bit of Instagram aesthetic by utilising attractive props that have nothing to do with planning whatsoever. Then later I attempt to link it in to make it sound like including the prop was totally intentional. 

The shot at the top of this blog post of my planners stacked on a dish, for example, is very cute, but also quite random. So I clumsily attempted to connect the concept of a "platter of planners" to the fact that it was posted on Sunday when I should have been enjoying a Sunday roast or platter of chicken, but of course, being a crazy planner girl, I am enjoying a platter of planners (geddit?) 

I guess there is a reason that I have not been hired in any creative marketing kind of role. My ideas are a bit far-fetched.

I hope you head over to enjoy a daily dose of planner pics from me. I will be posting all sorts, from decorated planners to functional inserts, so you can get plenty of ideas for your own planner. I'm am even trying to get my head around Instagram Stories, Reels, and TV... Who knew social media was so complicated? 

Let me know in the comments what you like to see on your favourite Instagram accounts so that I can create more content that you will love.

I am also interested to know what your favourite planner content platforms are? Are you into the good old fashioned blog content? Do you enjoy watching planner flips and set-up videos on Youtube? Do you need a daily dose of #plannerlove on Instagram? Are you a "Facebook Groups" kinda person? Or are you super trendy (and young) and it's all about TikTok? 

At the moment Filofancy is purely a blog and Instagram account, with a very dormant Youtube account! 

Thanks for reading and commenting... feel free to share this post if you enjoyed it x

If you are thinking of purchasing any Filofax products and you have enjoyed reading my blog, click here to be taken to the Filofax website, and I will receive a lovely bit of revenue (at no extra cost to you) on any purchases that you make. Your support is always appreciated! 

Thank you, Zara M. | Filofancy, Life On Paper

Images & Illustrations by Zara M.