My Filofax Obsession

In last week's 'Things I love Thursday' I introduced my new obsession: a lavender Domino Personal Filofax (leather look PU / 130 x 190mm). Several readers commented on it so I thought it was only right that I share the details with you all.

There was actually a touch of drama surrounding the purchase of this beauty. Afterall, the course of true love never runs smoothly. I originally ordered it in cherry red from WHSmith as they have a cracking offer on - £15.75 shipped. At the time of ordering, the site stated 1-2 weeks for delivery, which I was cool with given the bargain price. 3 weeks passed and I realised my darling Filofax had not yet arrived. I logged onto WHSmith and was so annoyed to see the words 'awaiting stock' adjacent to my order details. I immediately emailed to cancel my order so that I could order elsewhere - preferably from a seller with a functional stock control system. Tut Tut.

In the end I purchased it in lavender for £21 shipped from this eBay seller. The Filofax came within 24 hours of payment and it was probably the best service I've ever experienced on eBay. And I bet you can guess what happened next? Yes, WHSmith ignored my cancellation email and one day later a cherry red Filofax dropped through my door to torment me...because if I'm being honest it's even more gorgeous than the lavender. But back to the shop it went.

I've tried a multitude of different methods of personal organisation and until I stumbled across the Filofax nothing had quite fitted with my lifestyle. I was sick of buying a diary every year, as well as carrying an address book, notepad and Moleskine. This way, everything is bundled together in one and I just repurchase replacement inserts as and when I require them.

The Filofax has 'extras' which although they aren't necessary are still cool to have - like the fold out world map, credit card holders and 17cm ruler. Above all else, I love that i can open up my diary and see a full week in front of me over two pages and that all my important addresses are now integrated. The design feature that ultimately caught my attention about this particular Filofax series is the elastic band which wraps round the diary. It reminds me of another era. Didn't Indiana Jones use something similar around a battered journal he carried on all his adventures? I'm a sucker for anything vintage inspired.

When I discovered the to-do list with ready made check boxes I knew I'd made the right decision in purchasing this organiser. Regular readers will know how much I love lists, especially to-do lists, and that I find the physical act of ticking things off rather gratifying!

For those of you who might be interested in including a Filofax on your Christmas wish list here's a summary of useful info:

♥ The size i bought is 'Personal' which is, in my mind, the perfect size. Smaller options are 'Mini' and 'Pocket' but they're not my cup of tea.

♥ The Filofax buyer's guide is worth a look: check it out HERE.

♥ The cheapest price on the net for the style I purchased is around £15 - in brown, red or black.

♥ Two other lovely ladies also LOVE their Filofax: Gala Darling and The Glamourous Grad Student.

♥ Ask family and friends if they have an unused one lying around which they could donate to you. After mine arrived I got talking to my dad and it turns out he has a vintage deep aubergine leather Filofax from the early 90s in mint condition. If I'd known I would have lovingly 'borrowed' that but instead, I've encouraged him to buy new inserts and jump on the bandwagon.

♥ The key to getting the best out of your organiser is to customise the heck out of it! for inspiration check out these awesome accessories, all designed to fit inside your Filofax: sticky notes, stickers, mirror (!), calculator and zip lock envelope.

Now over to you ~ how do you organise your life? Do you buy a diary every year? Are you more of a tech geek, making use of Google Calendar or iPhone apps? Leave a comment and tell all!

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