Now that we are a couple of months into the year, let's hear what everyone is using and how well (or not) it's working for you.
Filofax, FC and other ring-binder users: what size and style binder are you using? And the all-important question, what diary layout(s) are you using?
Bound-book planner users: what are you using? Weekly or daily, large or pocket?
And everybody: are you happy with how it's working? Does it need a little tweaking? Or are you experiencing Planner Fail and need a complete overhaul?
Please post a comment!
Laurie for work I am using my
ReplyDelete-Personal Adelphi week on 2 pages
-WeekDate as a big ToDo planner.
It is actually working very well (maybe too well as I am working too hard) but I want to have everything in one filofax so I am thinking about making a change.
I dont want to remove the inserts from Adelphi so I am on the look out for a new (gasp!) planner. I have fallen in love with the new season vintage rose malden so will have to see what it looks like in reality.
Amazingly enough, I am still happily using my Filofax Pocket (binder style/color changes with mood) with FF Day per Page inserts. Two months in and I haven't even THOUGHT about changing anything!
ReplyDeleteTaking out my work stuff and just using a crappy Steno pad for that has helped immensely. It stays at work and I could care less how messy it is!
Vintage Rose Malden what now??!! Where are we seeing these exactly??
Vintage Rose Malden photo is on Filofax UK's Facebook. It's so gorgeous (and I know how delicious that buffalo leather is) that I'm seriously considering a purchase later this year when I have some cash.
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely fascinated that you are having such huge success with the Pocket size and day per page!!! I need lessons from you.
Here's the Vintage Rose Malden photo:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?fbid=10150101667583357&set=a.338737198356.151497.97875648356&theater
Hmmm..."content currently unavailable". Just my luck!
ReplyDeleteLink works for me if I copy it and paste it in. Maybe too many people are looking at it/ drooling over it right now??
ReplyDeleteIt looks so beautiful. I hope it does not disappoint! I have finally succumbed to the Malden bug!
ReplyDeleteI can't see it either! Maybe a problem with U.S. users???
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I am still using my slate Domino with Wo2P inserts. It is working for me, but I am already thinking of changing for next year depending on where my job lands me.
I am also hoping to avoid falling too much in love with the new collections- I have promised that I will keep just one Filo for a whole year! Then I can continue drooling over the Maldens, although recently the Cubans have been catching my eye...
I have settled on using the Uncalendar Pro, fullsize. I have used the coil bound one in the past, but this is my first shot at the binder system. I really like the binder system. It comes with more notepaper. I have tried a lot of other planners, including making two of my own, but I have not found a system that allows me to keep track of my schedule and tasks as efficiently as the uncalendar. I also like the binder version of the uncalendar because it is professional working. I like to keep work and personal schedules in one place, so I always know what's going on in both spheres.
ReplyDeleteOK I've defected.
ReplyDeleteMy lovely personal Finsbury was shelved in favour of a large Moleskine weekly notebook, which only lasted 1 month. I REALLY want to adopt Nancy's Urban Pocket Filofax & Cahier setup http://senseofgravity.blogspot.com/2011/02/heres-how-i-use-my-urban-filofax.html
At the moment I am using a Moleskine Large Squared journal and a pocket cahier combination that's working really well for me. From the front is my journal, I write & stick everything and anything in here from a record of what I did and ate to musings on how I think the British Education System should work! to what I'd do with a lottery win and everything in between.
For the past week or so I've also been using a more visual method to planning my day along with a month to view calendar in the back, an appointment clock http://www.flickr.com/photos/enola_sneezes/5465053804/in/photostream/. I draw this up each evening for the next day which helps me to set in my mind what everyone is up to the next day and where I need to be when.
Starting at the back and working in I have - Index, Weekly Schedule, forward notes, 6 x 1 month to view double page spread, a couple of empty double page spreads incase 6 months is not enough, a couple of pages for event planning if anything big falls into the 6 months covered (child / husband birthdays etc), school holiday activity ideas, 1 page per week for each of the school holiday weeks that fall into the 6 months covered then lastly a finances section where I record all spending amounts.
Finally I have a pocket Moleskine Cahier that I use for lists that'll last longer than it's likely to take me to fill my journal such as Books to Read, Films to Watch, Ink & food colour colours I Own (so I don’t buy duplicates), Lush wish list (hehe).
You see now that's long enough to be a blog post all on it's own. hmmm, maybe it's time I updated the blog lol
Hi Laurie. I am using the 18 months diary and I am still very happy with it. I love the fact that I have the week on one page plus a full page for notes and thoughts and quotes etc. All the office appointments are in Outlook and my iPhone as the change to quickly and too often to keep track of them on paper.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering though if I should give the monthly planner a go; there are a few blank pages per month and about 50 pages at the end which I could use as journal. Have you used it before?
I have been using the Planner Pad. Seems to be working extremely well. I use a pocket Moleskine for "on the go" notes. I purchased a Ren Art cover for the Mole which really looks great. The Planner Pad has all the right ideas for me on the pages I see everyday. And the fact that you can rename the top to fit your individual situations. I have mine marked with "To Contact", "Meetings", "In Progress", "Priority Action", "Brain Storming", "Projects", and "Personal". The lines are a little small but I realized I don't need to write a book, just quick reference notes to keep me on track. The funnel system they describe on ther website really does work! I list everything in my head at the top of the pages, and funnel that stuff down to the middle where there are markings for "Things To Do" specifically for that day. Then at the bottom is where you place your appointments. I also like the fact that like FC there is the one page month (with blocks to write in) at the beginning of each section. I sent you some pictures via email for you to see for yourself.
ReplyDeleteAlso I purchased a Ren Art journal to start writing in. I neededa outlet for private thoughts, pictures, etc. It's absolutely beautiful. I also sent pictures of that to you.
Notebooktivity, I never have tried the monthly Moleskine. I very nearly got one for this year because it looks really good, but never did. I like the month across two pages and two-page spread in between. With all those pages in the back you could have weekly lists and specifics to accompany the months.
ReplyDeleteGreg I'll look for your email! :)
Good question!
ReplyDeleteAt work I'm using an A5 Finchley with a WO2P (vertical) diary and that's working really well. My work days finish by 6 so I have drawn a line across and use the last few hours of appointment time for note-space.
Out of work I'm kind of struggling... I have a home Finchley A5 which is probably trying to do too much - it's a notebook (mostly) with a diary in the front (WO2P horizontal), but I'm not looking at it enough and if I'm out and about I tend to carry the Paperblanks WO2P I won from you (thank you again!!). But, that often ends up staying in my handbag and then suffers from out of sight, out of mind...
Thankfully, I am at work enough to know what I should be doing, when and where!
Amanda I'm glad you are liking the Paperblanks diary! It is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteWhat if you use the Paperblanks as your diary for non-work things, and your A5 home Finchley for home things but not diary? That way you have a work diary, a personal diary that goes everywhere with you, and a home binder for information and notes. What do you think?
My everyday planner is an Exacompta Space 17. It's the best planner I've ever used. But what I'm really enjoying this year is my tiny Moleskine daily diary. I jot down the highlights of each day, twitter-like. I think it's going to be a great resource in the future to reference what happened on a particular day in a particular year. That's in addition to my regular journal, where I just ramble on about whatever.
ReplyDeleteHi Laurie,
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of what it's ending up as - work and Paperblanks, but then I cycle to work and don't always take a handbag in, so don't always have the Paperblanks with me and then I'm in danger of two diaries that don't say the same things... I know... the answer is 'discipline' and to take the Paperblanks with me! The system would work out okay if I carried a personal diary everywhere with me!
Still using a Personal Filofax with WO2P (columns), DO2P and MO2P. Only change I made: I categorize my Todo's. Before my Todo-list was just a "bucket" and then I would color-code the different entries, now I have designated pages per category. Definitely an improvement.
ReplyDeleteAs for that link: doesn't work for me either, it directs me to the FB home page. And on the FF-page on FB itself: no sight of photo's of Vintage rose Maldens ...?
I'm actually using a planner that I made myself. It's great because I was able to personalize it and have only stuff I needed. It's been great for organizing all of the tasks that I have to do. Also, since I spent so much time making it, it makes me feel guilty when I don't use it! =P
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my post about my planner, including views of the inside: http://currentaddictions.blogspot.com/2011/02/diy-planner.html
Up until today I was using w02p that came in my personal Adelphi. That, however, was getting too big and I just ended up lugging around more crap than I need.
ReplyDeleteI switched to a pocket sized domino today. Right now it has wo2p, which I have never liked :/ I was hoping there would be week per one page with a notes page opposite, but I don't see one for pocket size. My other idea is just to stick a piece of note paper between the weeks so I can jot notes. I don't like how it has so many languages listed all over the place. :/ I'm using it for work and as a wallet currently.
I'm still using a Moleskine Large daily in red, combined with a leather Franklin Covey cover with extra pockets. Working very well. Being good and filling up most days. No desire to change.
ReplyDeleteI got the red color not realizing it was so RED! but the brown FC cover protects it from burning my eyes-- & it holds my extra index cards too.
Will get a black Mole for next yr. :-)
For the Filofax photo: I get "currently unavailable" also if I'm not logged into Facebook. Once I log into Facebook the photo comes up. Hope this helps. If not, just go to Filofax UK's Facebook site and look at their wall from a few days ago.
ReplyDeleteArisu I love your self-made planner! I agree, it's so convenient to have everything in one place.
Leslie I have the same gripe with the multiple-language diary pages: all those languages take up too much of the already-small space. A couple of years ago I used the personal size week on one page with notes opposite, and used white-out on the extra languages because I found them so annoying.
Laura I agree that Moleskine red is so very red. I call it "screaming red!"
Leslie, Filofax.fr had the pocket size WO1P with notes. Unfortunately, 4 languages (like there's enough space to be wasted with WO1P ...).
ReplyDeleteLaurie, I believe FF rotate the pics on their wall. Right now there's only the grey Finsbury pictured. So should the Malden reappear, can somebody please copy it, so that we can ALL marvel at it ... ? ;-)
Content not found with your link to the Facebook page Laurie.
ReplyDeleteOk, here's how to see the Malden in Vintage Rose:
ReplyDeleteLog into Facebook
Go to Filofax's home page (their "wall") at http://www.facebook.com/filofax
Scroll down to their post on Feb 16 with the photo of the Malden in Vintage Rose.
You will scroll past several posts, some of which have photos and some don't. You will scroll past the Metropol in Lavender (which is currently at the top), the new Apex in Green (which was posted Feb 17) and the Chameleon in Aqua (also posted Feb 17). If you continue scrolling past the Malden you will see the Finsbury in the new Gray color.
Hope this helps!
Don't forget, you have to click on their Wall and you have to be LOGGED IN to see the photos on their Wall. I tried it without being logged in and only saw the non-photo posts.
ReplyDeleteI am logged in! Still, nothing! I go to Wall and if I click on "Only Filofax" I get the last message dated 19th October 2010.
ReplyDeleteIf I go to Wall pics and open the album I only see the Finsbury as the last picture (indeed dated 16th Feb). Wonder where all the other posts have gone?
Couldn't be that you see it in the cache and that they have removed it meanwhile?
I better give up and wait till April ....
Wait, since YOU can see the pics, Laurie, maybe you could save them to Flickr or something?
ReplyDeleteI'm seeing the same as Jotje... is it because we aren't in UK?
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take a new approach with FF Head Office I think.. see if we can't get some official press release pictures rather than pecking around for scraps all the time.
But to answer your question... nothing changed here, although my slimline Finsbury is proving to be an excellent notebook/central to-do list
ReplyDeleteThe notebook side is being used for lots of house viewings and plans. The Todo side is now my central place for all my to-do lists, not scattered across several organisers. Helps me Focus on 'Getting things done'
Yep, probably restricted to UK-pp only. I wonder why? This is discrimination and not nice at all!!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree not fair! I want everyone to be able to see it..... unless they wont have that style and colour outside of the UK?
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful though!
That sucks the Filofax UK photos are visible to UK people only!! I had no idea Facebook had such restrictions. I think if I saved them to someplace else (if I'm even able to) it would violate copyright laws.
ReplyDeleteSorry everybody!!
I'm teetering on the brink of planner fail. I had bought a few different Moleskine formats when they came out in July or August. When it actually came to 2011, I ended up using a coil bound Blueline daily planner. I like them because they have a two page monthly spread at the beginning of each month.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in November I picked up a second contract (I work from home as a contract document writer/administrator) and am finding this format isn't working so well for me a few months into it. I need to see a weekly view, as well as have plenty of room for notes, both work and personal.
I think I'm going to dig through my stash of planners and find something that will work better for how things are now, not how they were in July/August when I was planner shopping.
The "system" I'm using this year is different than any other year but so far seems to be working.
ReplyDeleteI am using a Quo Vadis Prenote with the week on two page spread for work and then a Filofax Slimline for personal.
All was working great until I dropped the Slimline and the spine broke, only 2 months after purchase! I switched the inserts into a backup, however, since it is chunkier, it is harder to carry with me all the time. (have to call Filofax to authorize a return)
Oh no Karensa! Sorry to hear the spine broke! I hope Filofax will be able to fix it.
ReplyDeleteterriknits, I hope you are able to find a system that works well for you. Change in workload is a classic cause of Planner Fail!
ReplyDeleteLaurie, I've discovered why.......
ReplyDeleteFound this in the Page permissions settings page for the Philofaxy page.
Country restrictions:
Entering one or more countries means that only people located in the countries listed will be able to view your page. This also means that logged out users will not be able to see your page. If no countries are listed, your page will be visible to people located in all countries. You understand that you are responsible for setting the proper country restrictions to ensure that the content of your page is appropriate for the country or countries where you allow it to be visible.
So it is definitely something that Filofax UK have done, not Facebook.
Philofaxy does not restrict which countries can view it's page.
Steve
Very interesting, Steve, thank you for that!
ReplyDeleteI gave my Uncalendar a go in the summer, failed miserably, and retried it again with the New Year and hit the same sort of fail that I did before - I keep needing to add in more notes than the planner gives me room for.
ReplyDeleteI saw a russell+hazel binder system on sale in a local store, gave it a browse and I'm in love. I don't think you've reviewed them here, but if you can find one, I really suggest giving it a go.
Vivian I've never heard of russell+hazel. If you'd be interested in doing a guest post on it, let me know! :)
ReplyDeletestill using my little korean find! and, i love it. no defection here.
ReplyDeletei luuuuuv russell and hazel and have a cute binder that i use for work notes!
My system consists of a "Classic" (approx A5" size) binder with home-printed weekly pages. I am using the week template from Vertex42.com, tweaked to my needs. I have the week on the left hand page and note space on the right hand page. I print extra pages for my work notes and move those along as I go through the weeks.
ReplyDeleteI am printing on the famed HP 32 pound paper, which is very fountain pen friendly.
I am still waffling on the binder, between one from Day Runner (super lightweight) and one from DayTimer (heavier and floppier but has two large pen loops).
I have actually stuck to this system for 2 months now, which is almost a record for me!