My 2021 Filofax set up

I probably should have written this back in October when I first sorted out my 2021 Filofax, but it is June ( just about) and so not too late to be writing about my 2021 set up. 

This year I initially decided to change from a personal Filofax to A5 for my diary, notes and organisation, however I ended up using the personal size again. I use a separate Filofax for work and don't carry my home one with me anymore unless I really know I will need it. I carry a pocket flex with a notebook for taking notes and reminders through the day and I transfer to my main Filofax at night.

Despite selling and giving away over three quarters of my Filofax collection, I still have a few, but I do always seem to gravitate back to my personal size ochre Malden. The leather is beautiful and the pockets work perfectly for what I need. I bought this years ago on offer when they first came out and was lucky it was dramatically reduced in price. 

As you can see by the pictures of the inside front and the inside back, the pockets and sections are useful and the leather is soft and supple. The Malden lies flat very nicely which makes it easy to use. There is only one pen loop, but I do carry a very slim pencil case in my bag. Incidentally I know that Filofax did do a pencil case to match the Malden, but I don't think it is still for sale. (I use a Sainsburys one which was a present and is perfect.)

This year I decided to go with week on one page with a notes page facing as I find that the best configuration. I may have a list of things to do in a week that is not time specific and they can go on the notes page and actual date specifics can go on the diary page. As I have separate work Filofax it works to use this set up for home. 

I buy my Filofax diary pages from  Toad Diaries. I did find them on eBay but they do have a website too. www.toaddiaries.co.uk   You can choose from a big selection of Filofax compatible diary options and they have other diaries too.  I have definitely found the place I will go back to each year to get inserts. (This is my second year of using them.)

The picture above shows the information page which comes with the Toad Diaries inserts. To learn more about them please go to their website. 

Above are the to do pages which I use for lists of what I need to do long term. These ones came from a Kiki K planner which I bought a few years. Most planner refill systems include To Do pages and I like these because they are basic and not fussy.

Lastly I always have lined paper for any notes I want to scribble down. This is from Paperchase but I don't think they sell it anymore. They used to do a brilliant planner selection but have stopped it. I was lucky to get a few packs of this on massive sale at 50p a pack when they were selling it off.

I don't use decorative stickers so much in my Filofax, but I do like these indicator stickers. I will put a coffee cup for meeting someone for coffee, the scales as a weigh day reminder and the present stickers to highlight birthdays.  Walking is for going for long walks for exercise and the book ones I actually use in my book Filofax. (That is a whole blog piece in itself). These fabulous stickers all came from Hummingbird Planner on Etsy. They are good value, decorative without being fussy and really useful for highlighting things on the page.

My dividers are old Paperchase, Carpe diem and a handmade orange one; all well used and still going strong. My main pen right now is from Typo and was from a fabulous set which I got as a present. (Pictured in the pen loop in my Filofax below.)

I ignore the jibes about being stuck in the 80's which people so unsurprisingly make when they know you use one, because  a Filofax, to me, is the perfect organisational system. If you want to add sections you can and if you want to take them out you can do that too. I personally have a separate address Filofax but some people also keep them in their main Filofax.