Why a Filofax?

Hi everyone!

Before I get ahead of myself and continue to blabber on about Filofaxes, I thought I should backtrack a little bit and explain why I prefer them over any other form of planner.

It is because it is the ultimate paper organizer, at least for me.  I could be here all day, really, so I will try to be short and sweet in extolling its many virtues.

Planners, diaries, calendars, and notebooks are as numerous as the companies that make them.  There are ring-bound, spiral-bound, desk, wall, pocket, etc., etc.  A Filofax however offers flexibility and customization that none of these other planners have with its ring binder format.  It's non-permanence is its strength.  In short, you can adapt it to the way you want to use it, in the order you want, and with as much or as little paper as you need.

There are several diary formats to choose from, including other companies’ Filofax-compatible diaries like the Dodopad.  And many, many accessories to add as you need them.  You could even use it as a wallet, as I have.  And of course, the binders themselves are gorgeous!

You may counter with the fact that there are millions of notebooks out there with colorful and artistic covers.  There’s even the cult-favorite Moleskine with a gazillion different options in sizes, colors, formats, and even Travel and Limited Editions.  To me though, it’s the inside customization that’s important.  My Filofax can grow with me and my needs.

Using a Filofax is also more economical in the long term.  If all you do is replace the diaries every year, and cut and punch your own paper, your binder will pay for itself over the years.

To illustrate its flexibility, I have recently added a Food tab to my filo.  I never did this before, and it never even occurred to me to do this until I was finding that we were having the same meals over and over again simply because I wasn’t thinking it through well enough.

Food Tab in the Notes Section

First thing I did was write down our favorite dishes by category, and some dishes that we liked, but hardly made.

Our favorite dishes by category.  I need more salad dressing recipes!

Then in my Diary section, I would pick out and write the dishes that I want to prepare for the week.

Beside the To Do column, I have added a menu section to my weekly spread.

It is now so much faster to plan my menus because I thought of them ahead of time, and wrote them down, so I could refer to them.

I also add in a Christmas tab during the season --

A blog tab --

Idea for clear tab copied from Sachiko here.

And even more recently, a Travel tab because I'll be on holiday soon.  It contains list upon list -- packing lists, tasks to finish before I leave, things to buy, etc.

Messy packing list. Personal items blotted out. (:

A long to-do list, more at the back

I can then take out the pages when I'm done and reduce its already hefty profile.


So, to cut a long story short, you are your filo's designer.  The possibilities are endless.


(Who am I kidding, the inner geek in me just thinks it's fun.)  (:


Thanks for visiting!