I must admit, the idea of getting a Filofax has been percolating in my mind for a while now. I’ve always appreciated the portability of my A6 Everyday notebooks for quick ideas and the personalised touch of my A6 diary. However, the allure of having everything consolidated in one all-encompassing notebook or folder was becoming increasingly appealing.

That’s where the Filofax came in. It might show my age a bit, but for anyone in the UK during the 1980s, the Filofax was an iconic symbol of the “Yuppie” era, right alongside the brick mobile phone. You simply weren’t one without the other! Of course, times have changed dramatically since then, and now people rely on them as sophisticated life management tools.

My interest was reignited by watching countless YouTube videos and delving into the world of notebooks. I was particularly intrigued by the diverse “systems” people employed for their diaries, commonplace journaling, and more. The Filofax kept popping up, prompting me to do some serious digging and research. And here we are – I’ve finally purchased my very first Filofax! In fact, I even drafted this very post within its pages.

When it came to selecting a Filofax, I decided to stick with the brand I knew best. Firstly, Filofax is the only name I was truly familiar with. Secondly, I wanted to avoid the overwhelming rabbit hole of exploring countless brands and styles. It’s astonishing how many Filofax designs and sizes are available. I also faced the decision of leather versus another material, a choice that significantly impacted the price.

Being my first, I hesitated to invest heavily in a leather case initially. However, when considering alternatives like PU leather or plastic, I had to think about longevity, especially with constant use in and out of a bag. Ultimately, durability won out, and I opted for a leather case: the Filofax Norfolk.

The next crucial decision was size: Mini, Pocket, or A5. For me, the Mini was simply too small. While the Pocket is similar in size to my beloved A6 notebooks, the page width is narrower. With the ring binder, I felt this would impede my writing comfort.

So, the Norfolk Filofax in A5 in the Espresso colour became my final choice. Another significant advantage of the Norfolk case is the larger ring size, offering greater paper capacity.

As a Filofax newbie, I was surprised by how quickly I adapted to it. Having my diary, to-do lists, and notes all in one place is a game-changer, eliminating the frantic search for a misplaced notebook or diary. One minor adjustment was learning to turn multiple pages. Due to the ring binder, it’s best to use both hands to prevent pages from catching, but this has quickly become second nature, especially when flipping from the front to the back.

Already, I’m finding the system incredibly intuitive. Flicking between my schedule, tasks, and notes is seamless, making it easy to reference information and jot down new thoughts.

“Inserts” – that’s the buzzword I’ve picked up! Essentially, they’re anything you add to your Filofax on the rings: diary pages, notepaper, to-do lists, and more. I’ve already started creating my own. While I’m not entirely sure if it’s more cost-effective considering paper and ink, it gives me the freedom to design layouts that perfectly suit my needs and preferences.

For example, the diary that came with my Filofax was a “one week on two pages” layout in columns with minimal writing space. Instead, I adapted the “one week on two pages” diary I created for my wife’s A5 kitchen Filofax, which offers ample room for entries. I’ve also personalised it with family and friends’ birthdays, bank holidays (marked with a briefcase icon), and Christmas Day (represented by a Christmas tree icon). This level of customisation makes it truly my own. I’m even planning a future post to show you how I created this.

I’ve also designed A5 lined paper inserts, based on the same layout I use for my Everyday notebooks. This design includes a cover page for volume numbers and dates (primarily for my records) and a contents page for easy navigation. Each volume is 30 pages long, numbered, and incredibly, I’ve almost finished the first one after just a few days of printing! I anticipate doubling or even tripling the page count for the next iteration.

Once a volume of A5 lined paper is full, I’ll scan it to create a digital backup for online storage. However, I still plan to bind them using perfect binding and add them to my shelf alongside my A6 Everyday notebooks. There’s just something irreplaceable about having a physical copy to flip through.

For now, I’m using the “To-do” list inserts that came with the Filofax, but I’ll be designing my own replacements as I use these up.

Excitingly, while writing this post, I’ve also created a series of “wish lists” on various topics, which I’ll be sharing as a free download once this “Wish Lists” post goes live.

As a little spoiler, one of these is a Reading wish list. I must confess, I’ve never been a particularly avid reader. Firstly, I’m not the fastest reader – perhaps even the slowest! Secondly, a book really needs to captivate me from the very first page, or I quickly lose interest, likely exacerbated by my slow reading pace and dwindling patience. However, I’m making a conscious effort to reduce evening TV time and prioritize my mental well-being. So, I’ve been compiling a list of books I’m eager to read. Currently, I’m engrossed in Stephen King’s “The Shining,” one of my all-time favorite horror movies! This wish list makes it much easier to decide what to pick up next.

With the introduction of the Filofax, does this mean my A6 Everyday notebooks are redundant? In short, no. I’ll still be using them as a portable option for situations where taking the Filofax isn’t practical. They’ll serve as a place to jot down ideas, do brain dumps, and make quick diary entries, which I can then transfer to my Filofax later.

Absolutely, I’m in it for the long haul! I’m genuinely pleased that I took the plunge and invested in a Filofax, especially the leather Norfolk case. Spending that extra bit of money was well worth it; the leather is beautifully soft to the touch.

It is a bit on the chunky side, thanks to the 38mm rings, but this generous capacity means I can keep everything I need in one place.

Do you use a Filofax?  I’d love to hear what you use it for and your thoughts in the comments.