This Mama Plans

I’m deep in the throes of motherhood at the moment. Our daughter is now 11 months old and she is soon to be unexpectedly joined by a little brother in a couple of months time!

We got rid of everything newborn after a couple of months of having Amber so we have pretty much had to think about Moses baskets and newborn clothes and next to me cribs (with my daughter I co-slept but I’d like to let our little boy have his own space and have a little more space for myself this time around… or at least have the option! If he is wriggly as he is right now in my belly I’ll be truly grateful of my own space haha).

Once again I’ve been diagnosed with the dreaded Gestational Diabetes and as of last week I’ve begun injecting slow release overnight insulin. For everyone that has to inject themselves or test their blood sugars I salute you; it’s not easy. It’s even harder when you’re sleep deprived due to baby teething and have pregnancy brain fog. Just remembering to test an hour after food and injecting the insulin at the same time each night when our daughter comes first and is demanding bedtime or a bottle (or both) is a challenge! But with only 8 weeks to go now, I am confident only 56 days of finger pricking and injections will pass quite quickly.

When I had Amber, I recall leading up to her birth and especially just afterwards wishing I’d got a planner setup ready and being utilised. The amount of appointments leading up to and after birth is crazy. And that’s in between family and friends wanting to meet new baby… and life stuff. Hindsight is a wonderful thing; but having been there before, I decided to start organising a new planner set up.

Before this decision (and perhaps an influencing factor), we had been researching double prams… because you know… 2 under 14months… practicality wins hands down haha! We decided on a Bugaboo Donkey but damn they look so boring, dark and flimsy! Luckily I found someone on Etsy that does custom work and anyone who knows me, knows I like to put my own stamp on things. So I set to work designing my own hoods, liners and footmuffs with gusto. But when it came, my buldging, battered pram bag looked far too shabby for the new pretty pram… so I decided to look for a new, slightly more glam way of toting around all of my daughters things (and although people say you carry less as they get older I have found I’m carrying more – the usual bottles, change of clothing, muslin cloths, extra dummies, calpol, gripe water, changing facilities, blankets etc… but now we are also carrying toys, food, sippy cups, cutlery, silicone bibs and snacks as she’s now on solids alongside bottles). As well as my daughters items, I’ll be shortly be taking my newborn sons bits and pieces around too. So I needed a new and larger bag. Something organised too; as I’ve found quite quickly that nappy bags can get disorganised very quickly!

I’m not normally one for backpacks so I pulled out my old sturdy LV Neverfull tote and at the moment I’ve got it stuffed to the brim with Ambers items. As well as that, a Speedy 30 is serving as a “Pram Caddy”, holding all of mine and my partners essentials as well as a couple of milk bottles in the felt liner and anything we think might be handy.

Putting the Donkey into double mode removes my “bag basket” so I’m looking to consolidate everything into 1 bag. Side Note: Ambers toys are not in the bag on this photo

However… the lure of the practical backpack was overpowering and I can feel myself giving in to an LV Palm Springs bag; especially as we will not have the (oh so handy) side basket on the pram for much longer and the thought of sacrificing under basket storage and putting the tote bag on its side (of course, I can just see everything spilling out everywhere) and being splashed by mud constantly is too painful for me to imagine.

Anyway; huge digression there! With my love of the LV monogram bags in full force, I have purchased an LV Monogram MM size agenda from DHGate (I mean, Maternity Pay sucks and I have enough to pay out in the preparation for this little lad so real luxury items are unfortunately on the back burner for the next 18 years… am I right?!). When it arrived I was actually so disappointed because the ring diameter was 16mm!

I wound up purchasing a gold 30mm ring size clear plastic binder from Amazon and then de-ringing the planner and getting my partner Tony to drill holes for the 30mm rings to fit in.

I then purchased inserts from Cute Organising on Etsy and I had some custom tabs created from appleblushdesigns on Etsy which I’m super happy with!

I’ve switched out the 16mm rings for 30mm rings: perhaps 25mm rings would be a better fit for this binder as the press-stud is pulling

Beautiful tabs from appleblushdesigns on Etsy!

Planner pages from Cute Organising on Etsy

Planner pages from Cute Organising on Etsy

My super happy daughter at 3 months old

If anyone has any suggestions on how to get about stylishly with a newborn and a 1 year old of different genders – please let me know as the bag situation has got me flummoxed right now!

All the best

Kel

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Pocket Chameleon is my personal rock star planner!

Hello, hello!

Nice to see you all, you see you nice, and all that :). How have you been? It’s been a while hasn’t it?

For the last 18 months or so, I’ve been in my pocket Malden’s (I have ochre, fuchsia and kingfisher blue now). I must admit when I think of a “planner”, I automatically think of the Malden. It’s such an iconic design, don’t you think?

I’ve also moved house (during Lockdown #1, buying and selling was sure fun!) and tried and failed to help an ex battle alcoholism. I’ve also been working constantly through lockdown, like many others, mostly from home. Taking part in the Thursday evening doorstep applauses for the Keyworkers and doing the double back to my car almost every time to grab my mask before entering a supermarket/convenience store. It’s been an interesting year for sure!

Coming slowly out of lockdown and starting to get a little life into my world other than work or decorating, I was forgetting things I needed to do or places I needed to be. I wasn’t utilising my planner. I wasn’t reaching out for my beloved Pocket Malden’s, I noticed.

Speaking with my best mate and fellow planner enthusiast (who has just bought a pocket Filofax croc and loving it), Carrie, she also felt that she associates certain planners with certain times in her life, as do I. Are there any planner people out there that do this too? I have filofaxes that remind me of happy times, and Filofaxes that remind me of down times in my life.

Anyway, I thought with things beginning to happen again (and just as we sailed into Lockdown 2.0!) I decided to change things up again and find a planner that would allow me to create a bit of a rock and roll/music vibe.

I did have a Croc in mind but I feel the Chameleon had a bit of a “glam rock” shimmer and texture to the leather.

The Chameleon is a discontinued model of Filofax therefore I took to EBay to find this beauty.

Firstly, I must admit, the leather feels sublime and as usual on all Filofax models, the planner feels sturdy and well made.

The clasp opens the planner to reveal a part leather-part elasticated pen loop to the left. It is leather throughout he interior also, with a full length back pocket like the Pocket Malden’s (however with much more structure). The left also boasts 5 vertical car slot holders and a full length pocket. The right hand side has a outward opening zip pocket.

The layout is so practical it is easy to see why many have opted to utilise this organiser as a purse/wallet.

But for me, I’ve tried and failed miserably to use my planners as a purse, so I’ve resigned myself to use the planner as I find easiest for myself at the moment… as a planner ;).

The card slots hold my “London” theme Starbucks card, Cartology paperclip, a few London flag sticky notes and a tartan card stock through the full length pocket detailing “In Case of Emergency” contacts and allergy information. The first page is a plastic transparent dashboard with yellow butterfly sticky notes I write down things I need when I am out and about.

Behind the dashboard, the back holds a project life card stuck with washi tape. My first divider is my “Info” – dividers made with 2 leopard print card stock stuck together and an Avery tab. I’ve used an embossing label maker to label the tab.

Behind the tab, I have my personal information: name, email address, phone number just in case it gets lost.

In the info tab, I have two top tabs, with a £ sign and a **** sign. The first details my bills: the supplier, amount and date it leaves my account. The 2nd is my passwords (all coded of course).

The next divider is my Calendar section. Divider made with 2 black sheets of card stock with an old flyer of a club I used to attend stuck on, and again, an Avery tab.

The back of the divider has another project life tab on affixed by washi tape. This section holds a pull out Filofax 2020 horizontal Year Planner which I haven’t used, due to lockdown! It also holds my monthly calendar, by NBPlanner:

All of the information is colour coded and transferred from this page, to the outer half pages of my weekly section.

This section is my Diary section. the divider is made of 2 tartan card stock sheets glued together, a project life card held by washi tape and another Avery tab, with the label being printed out from Excel, cut and glued onto the tab.

The diary section itself is Filofax Week on 2 Pages, I try to keep the events to the outer part of the page and any “to do’s” or “to check” on the rings half of the page. Anything that is happening throughout the week will be detailed at the top of the page in the “This Week” box. I use Sharpie Highlighters, and a Faber Castell Ballpoint Pen to plan. I reinforce the ring area with washi tape. The today marker is taken from Project Life, with a cut up Project Life Card help on by washi tape and labelled with an embossed label maker, and the highlighting key noted. On the back of the today marker I usually put a London flag sticky note detailing the Christmas purchases to be made that week.

My Lists section divider is red card stock with a record fair flyer stuck on, with an Avery tab and an excel label. The lists section has 2 top tab sections, Xmas and £. The Xmas tab details Christmas Eve box ideas, and gift ideas. I’ll likely add a Christmas card list shortly. The £ tab is a spending log, detailing date, item and price. I asterisk items that are Christmas items.

My notes section is again, cheetah card stock (2sheets back to back gullies together) with a project life card washi-d o and an Avery tab. This holds a few random note paper that my may wish to utilise in the lists section of the planner.

The final section is untabbed, zebra print card stock. It has a top loading pocket with film reel washi tape stuck to it, so that I can place the tape in the diary section of the planner to remind myself of upcoming films on TV I want to watch. This will be well used over Christmas! Inside the pocket holds a few “payday” stickers and the Avery tabs just in case I need to make more.

And that’s my current planner setup! Are there many pocket users still out there?

Until next time Rock and Rollers!

Kel xx

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Pocket Filofax Malden in Kingfisher Blue

Hi Everyone!

WARNING – PICTURE HEAVY POST! 😉

After an agonising 5 day wait, today I finally received my Pocket Malden in Kingfisher Blue. Oh my. It’s a beauty.

All over the bank holiday weekend I worked on inserts for it and, inspired by the colour, I decided to stay vibrant and go for a mermaid type of theme. You know my Filofaxes always seem to have themes!

I’ve used a lot of papers from “Hunkydory’s Twilight Under The Sea” collection and also the “First Edition Beyond The Shore” to create these dividers, markers note papers etc.

It’s by no means finished yet, but I just couldn’t wait for you to see it!And so, without further ado, please meet my latest addition 🙂

When I took it out of the box, I did my new favourite thing to do with the lived in Malden range – I massaged it with Coconut Oil so that it became buttery and soft and aged.

In the pockets I have an In Case of Emergency card that I created on Excel and stuck onto one of the scrapbook cards. In the pocket behind is a sticky notes section full of little tiny sticky notes – from Dovecraft. The Dashboard is an absolutely beautiful piece of art I just had to print out from Pinterest. It’s perhaps my favourite mermaid illustration ever. It’s so vibrant and mystical!

Behind the dashboard, another Pinterest find which is again, sublime! Then I have a credit card pocket with a die cut or topper from the Twilight Under the Sea range.

My tabs were all created using the “We R Memory Keepers” Bracket Tab and the labels were simply created in Excel, cut out very roughly and stuck onto the tabs with packing tape. I’ve used no laminate in this filofax.

The Today Bookmark was made with the “Twilight Inder The Sea” Cardstock and again, the labels were created on Excel, cut out very roughly and stuck onto the card.

Lastly I created this credit card holder with side pocket which I’m still not sure about… I don’t know if I’ll be keeping it in here just yet!

And that’s it! Like I say, I’m still setting things up and things are likely to move around as I find what works for me – it’s been a VERY long time since I was in a Pocket Filofax!

Pocket users – how do you utilise yours!? Any ideas will be great fully received 🙂

Until next time – carry on planning!

Kel

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Filofax Personal Malden Ochre

These Malden’s are the same age. I know, crazy isn’t it! They were both taken out of the box the weekend and yet the one to the right looks really worn in and the patina looks supple and shiny through years of use.

I have to admit, I’m kind of in love with the one on the right, a lot!

I’m going to tell you the tale of the 2 Personal Malden’s in Ochre:

Firstly, I’ve been away from my Filofaxes for a good 18 months or so. I’ve felt that I didn’t really need to be planning at work so much and I promised I could keep it all in my head… and what ended up happening was a lot of agreeing to go somewhere or do something only to be contacted weeks or months later asking where I was as I’d organised something and forgotten about it!

I figured I needed something. So I tried my Travelers Notebook and then a Moleskine, and then a “normal” diary from Laura Ashley. All with very little success.

So I decided before the weekend I would go back to my trusty old Filofax, or rather, a new, trusty Filofax hehe. I had seen on one of the Filofax Facebook groups that a few people had gotten their Kingfisher Blue Malden’s and I kind of really wanted one: a lot (spoiler, I ordered one…!). But I also spotted the Ochres on sale on Amazon, and I had always been one foot in the Ochre camp; whenever I went into WHSmiths to feel then though, they felt quite… plasticky and not as soft as I thought they’d be. But in my moment of weakness, it didn’t stop me as I ordered from Amazon and received the very next day.

When it arrived, I was so excited I opened it up but to discover that there were 2017 diary inserts (which was fine, but I thought I would let Amazon know just in case they had any issues with any other customers etc) and they told me I needed to return the Filofax and get a replacement. I told them I didn’t want to return it, and I just wanted to get the correct inserts instead. After too-ing and fro-ing I eventually agreed to return and they would send a replacement the next day.

The next day, the replacement arrived and again, it was the 2017 inserts, so now I had 2 Ochre Malden’s, but both with 2017 inserts. I got onto Amazon to let them know that I had still received 2017 inserts, and they credited me £5 to my account so I could purchase 2019 inserts.

The collection of the original was supposed to happen today however they never turned up, and I ended up on the phone to Amazon and even offered to deliver it to their branch, which is opposite my workplace.

Amazon turned around and told me that they didn’t want the Filofax back, and I could dispose of it or do what I like with it. So effectively, I have 2 Ochre Malden’s that I’ve only paid for 1 and it was in a sale as it was!

Anyway…! The one on the right was the replacement and when I took it out of the box it felt a little plasticky, so I decided I would try my normal method of moisturising it, but with coconut oil instead of normal moisturiser. After rubbing the oil onto the surface of the empty binder, I noticed it getting darker in places and I initially panicked, wondering if it was taking the colour off the leather. But it suddenly felt so soft, buttery and luxurious, I had to keep on going! The colour you see above is after 2 attempts of coconut oil, and I think it looks beautifully aged and rustic and very loved.

Even the grain looks better and more moisturised.

I have to say, it’s even much more pliable than the untouched one!

What do you prefer? A brand spanking new Malden that looks absolutely pristine, or so you prefer one that looks a little more weathered and aged?

Until next time keep planning!

Kel

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Filofax Changes – Selling A Couple Of My Filo’s!

Hi Everyone!

I’ve sold my Malden!  There, it’s out there.  My lovely Grey is departing for the fairer shores of the USA tomorrow morning to his new home.

I’m on this whole self improvement thing and for me, it’s all about cleansing my surroundings.  I’ve sold lots of things, thrown out lots of things, and now it’s time to whittle down my Filofax Collection.  So, in addition to my Malden’s departure, I am also selling the linked Filofaxes:

My Slimline Finsbury in Black – never used perfect rings, 2013 week on one page diary and telephone contact tabs.  Comes in slide in box.  Perfect for whipping out in business meetings!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161144249188

 

My Personal Breast Cancer Awareness Hot Pink Filofax – only used to carry contact business cards around with me whilst I was in my reps role.  No inserts or box.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161144253189

 

And there we have it!  Feel free to take a look at the listing and place a bid 🙂

Another thing regarding Filofax, I am currently on the hunt for the PERFECT 2014 diary inserts for me.  I’m currently having some printables designed for me by Sharn of the fantastic FilofaxPrintables shop on Etsy.  Her designs are so gorgeous, I just HAD to contact her and ask her to use her “Perrrfect World” design and customise it to suit my needs.  I’m so excited to see it – and when I do, I’ll have to show it off to you 🙂

In the meantime, here is the link to Sharn’s Etsy Shop for you to drool over her beautiful designs.  Don’t forget, she is available to customise the designs to your requirements!

http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/FilofaxPrintables?ref=l2-shopheader-name

 

In other news, I had my first ever microdermabrasion session today and I love the results already!  I fully recommend pampering and treating yourself, especially when you feel low or in limbo etc.  Get yourself a sense of purpose, a catalyst, a muse, a direction, a REASON… and go for it.  Indulge, splurge, live a little, enjoy life, have a goal and work towards it using small tasks of loveliness to urge you on and make you feel amazing.

Because as L’Oreal so decadently put it – You’re Worth It.

Much Love – stay creative!

Kel

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Filofax Keeping Me Grounded – Project Kel Is GO!

Hi Everyone!

The last few weeks I’ve been on a bit of a downer, and this little depressive dip was just enough to actually keep me in pyjama’s and bedridden almost for the last week. I’ve done nothing. No cleaning (shocker!) no organising (shocker!) no smiling. I wanted the would to fade away and let me curl up in a ball. I ate takeaway after takeaway, ordered in my shopping consisting of fizzy drinks, alcohol, biscuits, crisps, chocolate… you name it, everything I shouldn’t do is on there.

As a result, you can imagine I feel even worse!

Anyway, this realisation came to me on Saturday night while talking with my Australian Skypefriend Zoe about Luke leaving for Australia (which is happening today, sigh) and she crazily suggested I ought to visit her sometime soon. I’ll admit, I’m tempted!

While I was thinking about being tempted, I thought to myself; If I was going to visit Zoe I’d need a beach perfect bod!

Looking down at my junk food ridden body that I was letting go of slightly, I thought “it’s time to whup myself into shape again and develop some good habits ready to show Luke what he’s been missing!”

Course, it’s not all for Luke, I mean, I’m using that as some sort of purpose, you know? I have Christmas around the corner and I need to get into that perfect little black dress again, and then in the summer I have my parents 25th wedding anniversary party to attend where I am to wear an extremely tight Alice’s Boutique dress, so it’s important that I look my best!

I looked into getting back to Bellydancing, but it’s not widely recognised over here. I looked into going back to my old gym, but it’s all about spinning and weights there. I knew I wanted to do something feminine, rhythmic, dance-orientated, flowing etc.

Then I looked at the fitness regime of a slender inspiration of mine, don’t judge me on this – Cheryl Cole. I remember reading an article regarding her dramatic weight loss once, stating she was over 9 stone (which I personally consider to be a healthy weight!) in the early days of Girls Aloud. She didn’t feel happy wherefore she switched to a portion of Chicken and Rice for one of her meals every day. The girls had a professional trainer come in to sort them out etc… and now according to this article: http://www.closeronline.co.uk/2013/08/cheryl-cole-reveals-her-exercise-and-diet-tips she uses the Tracy Anderson Method DVD’s when she is not training on her own dance moves or attending Tracy Anderson Classes.

So last night I downloaded and had a go at the Dance Cardio DVD. It’s going to take me some time to get the Combinations down (I’m still learning Combination 1!) but that’s almost a workout in itself!

I woke up this morning and I ached. I’m still aching now. But I feel as though I’m starting something new, you know? Today marks the first day of Project Kel. Where I will be working on myself (not just working out) to make myself better in mind, body and soul.

And how will I be using my Filofax to do this? Well – to schedule in the ME TIME 🙂 whether it’s time for me to work out or organise appointments to have my teeth whitened or to meditate. It will be used to motivate me when I’m slipping, ready for me to pencil in a new appointment after remembering my goals and the reasons I’m doing this.

Today, I’ve booked my Teeth Whitening Session for Saturday. Which is perfect as I am beginning my new job on the Monday.

And now I feel motivated, what else can I book…!!

 

How are you using your Filofax to motivate you?

Much Love

Kel

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The Bombshell Filofax

Happy Monday everyone!

Recently I have been revisiting and devouring one of my favourite books, “The Bombshell Manual of Style” by Laren Stover. When I first read this in 2010 I was hooked.

For some time I have been a fan of the classic bombshell films, with Bridget Bardot, Jayne Mansfield, Kim Novak and of course, Marilyn Monroe as the stars. So when I re-read the Manual (AKA, The Bible 😉 ) I knew that Reuben Toledo’s amazing bombshellesque illustrations had to be involved somehow in my filofax.

So I added some illustrations to some filofax notepaper, and here is an example of how they have come out:

I’m quite pleased! So I’ve added them to the Free Inserts Page if you’re interested in unleashing your inner bombshell 🙂

While I was fiddling around with my printing, I also had a go at positioning one of the illustrations in the original filofax week on 2 pages “this week” section. Here’s how that turned out!

Pretty neat, huh?

This is also available for anyone that is interested, in the Free Inserts page (the link is at the top of the page!)

Hope you enjoy, I’ll add some more illustrations soon 🙂

Stay creative!

Kel

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Filofax Changes in the Kel Kamp

Hi Everyone!

It is now officially Autumn in my eyes. I’m wearing fleecy PJ’s, wrapping myself in blankets and curling up under duvets when I get home from work at night. I’m waking for work before the Sun even thinks about making an appearance and I’m getting home just when it’s beginning to get dark. The world is a whole lot of grey right now.

There are a few things that are happening in my life that are transitional right now for me – as my colleague has notified me at work – I am in limbo.

Firstly, I have a new job which I am due to begin on 11th November. I’m currently serving my notice at my current workplace – so I’m in limbo there. I’m nervous about beginning something new (but also excited), and I’m really sad to leave my current colleagues as they just ‘get me’… they have a lot of knowledge, advice and experience (in life and work). I know I’ll miss their opinions and very well structured advice.

The other thing is the person I’ve been seeing the last few months is moving to Australia for a year. It makes me very sad that he is leaving and as we have not known eachother long it seems that we will be going our own separate ways when he leaves on 4th November. Again, this makes my heart heavy with sadness. But we are enjoying things while we can, we will remain in touch while he travels and see where we are and how we feel when he comes back. Again – another limbo situation – he’s not gone yet, but I know he’s going, I know we will be separated etc…

A more trivial matter is that I’ll soon me changing my car from my black, boxy Hyundai i10. What to, I’m not sure. Idea’s please! Because I can’t make up my mind and make a decision (c’mon, you’ve seen how I am with Filofaxes, inserts, dividers etc…! The CHOICES…!!!), it makes me miserable therefore I feel in limbo until I have reached a decision or settled on a ‘goal’. Ultimately I’d love an old style silver Audi TT. Reality is I need something pretty newish, cheap to tax, insure and run… and something no larger than a medium hatchback. But I want something iconic, something with a bit of glamour to it. Maybe even a convertible. Ah, I don’t know.

Another thing in limbo is my own transition. This one is the hardest to explain. Lately I don’t feel very ‘me’. You could say it’s the other factors in my life that are affecting me. You could say it’s the weather, my age, call it what you want. I don’t quite know where I am at, or what I want, or why I’m feeling this way, or how to stop feeling this way. Something just feels ‘off’, or ‘missing’. So I’m currently in limbo waiting for that lightbulb moment where I get that clarity spark and everything begins moving again.

Until then, I had my lowest moment yesterday daytime so during my lunch hour I faltered and gave in to a deal on a Pink Personal Finsbury. After I panicked, had a bit of buyers remorse and felt guilt like no other, I realised that my Halloween set of dividers won’t be co-ordinating with the fun pink Finsbury, so last night I darted over to my local craft shop to buy a new set of scrapbook papers.

Naturally when I was faced with a lot of crafty bits and bobs I got carried away and purchased a few bits and bobs ready for my new addition. It’s all girly and vintage looking 😉 if you’re in the UK, you can purchase all of these from The Range.

The colours and patterns I chose were similar to the pastel throughout Legally Blonde 2 – pretty much how I would imagine Elle Wood’s pink Classic Filofax to look inside. Although, I am yet to find an “I brake for Sample Sales!” bookmark 😉

I’ve just been notified by Amazon that my Finsbury has arrived at my home (well, signed by my neighbour as I’m still here at work).  Staring at the clock and willing 5.30 to arrive.  Come on 90 minutes, do your magic!  So exciting!  I will have to do an unboxing post later on tonight now…!

Squeal!

Stay Creative

Kel

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Filofax Setup

 

 

 

 

 

After chatting with my Best Friend Carrie tonight who was interested in how I set my planner up (the way it works for ME), I figured as I’m incredibly happy with my system I would put more information on the way I go about setting up my Month and Weekly view diary pages.

For my setup I always begin with my Month To View pages.  Then I transfer across to my Week To View, but I’ll get to that shortly!

As you may know already from a previous post briefly mentioning what is in my Filofax, I use the Philofaxy/My Life All In One Place Month To View printouts which I decorate with Washi Tape and then draw around the entire month’s boxes in a coloured pen.

Here is an example of how my page looks like before my scrawls and colour coding system takes hold of it!

 

 

 

 

When I’ve completed my decoration, I then use my coloured Pilot Frixion Erasable Pens to mark out my colour coding system in the Notes Section on the far right hand side of the page as you can see below.

I also then fill in what I already know is happening that month, like:

Direct Debits that will leave my account that month (light green)

Holiday days I take from work or work from home or National Holiday days (light blue)

Appointments for either work or personal, e.g. customer visits, nails, hair, doctors, dentist etc (orange)

“Don’t Forget!” items such as MOT or Insurance being up, deadlines for reports or just something I need to do for a specific day that requires me to sort something out “by that date”.  I also use it for “Recognised Days”, e.g. Father’s Day, St Georges Day, Pancake Day, Halloween, Remembrance Day – but these days are not recognised as a National Holiday (pink)

Social Events or parties, nights out, date nights, meals etc, anything where I am interacting with my circle of friends or family or person of interest 😉  (purple)

Birthdays – self explanatory (dark green)

They are all plotted out on my month to view using my colour coding system as you can see below.

 

 

At this point I would begin transferring my data over into my Week To View, but more on this shortly.

Below is an example of this month for me at a glance.  You can see that it’s been padded out with social events and appointments.  Usually, I try to put my events in the order that they will be done.  This means during the week my social events (purple) are generally at the bottom of the box because of work I can only really socialise on the evenings.  It allows for room in case anything crops up that I need to add in (a work appointment for example).  With the week to view, I do not put much detail – like times and addresses or in depth arrangements.  It’s just what’s happening, which date.

 

Now then.  Once I’ve got all of my month set up to the point where I’ve inputted all of my bills, birthdays, national holidays/work holidays, social events that have been planned in advance etc… I transfer them over into my Week To View diary pages.

My week is the Standard Filofax Week To View.  Honestly, I tried using others, noteably a day per page with appointment times, but once I stopped Repping every day I found it took up too much space in my Filofax and therefore decided to try other methods.  This method works for me best.

I’ve split my pages into 2 parts, added lines and checkboxes to one part, and the part closest to the rings are left blank.

Once I’ve had fun decorating with washi tape, my colour pens doodling around the dates and highlighting the month and the days, I use the “inner section” – the part closest to the rings – to import my Month To View calendar events (sometimes using the Event Stickers I make), and also in this area, expanding on the information, such as times.  The colour coding system is still in force in this area.

I only use this area for whatever you see on the Month To View (except if there are films on TV I want to watch).

For example, you can see in light green on Monday I had a Direct Debit scheduled for my Mobile Phone Bill.  I also had dinner with my parents and then a skype chat planned (including a time) – both in purple.

You can see on Tuesday evening I had a date night with Luke at mine planned at 7pm – in purple as it was classed as a “social event”.

All of those examples are on my Month To View.

 

The last section, or the “outer section” – the section with the checkboxes, are not colour coded, and they are merely daily to-do-lists for me to fill out the night before or even during the day etc.  They also aid in my working life when I need to chase an order up a week in a week or so’s time.

The Daily To-Do-List is a real close up view of things I need to accomplish that day, whether it is to change my bedding, to ensure I pop time in to pamper myself with a face mask, to remind me to water my orchids, to make sure I post something out or collect something…

One last thing…

I also use my first section of the week – the part that says “this week” usually above the Monday on the Standard UK Filofax Week To View – to record things that are going to happen over the course of the week; eg, if I’m off work on Holiday all week, it’s on there.  If my parents are abroad that week, it’s on there.  Anything that is happening that week – all week – is in that section.

I hope that’s given you an insight as to how I plan my pages out a little more, I know it sounds like a lot and a lot of time and effort go into it, but I think the most time is the initial set up – figuring out how I wanted things to look or work for me.  After that, it’s all about the maintenance and keeping things up to date as much as possible.  I spend a couple of minutes updating my Filofax every day to ensure I don’t miss anything out.

I’m not saying this is the perfect setup – if I’d have had this setup myself a mere 6 months ago it would not have worked for me in my Repping Role.  What works for one person will not work for someone else.  It all depends on how much time you want (or are able!) to take out to organise your life effectively.

I’m a very orderly person, but also very visual, so things at a glance as well as up close are important to me.  I need to see the whole picture, divided up as much as possible.  I need colour, something that attracts me to want to look at my planner often enough to want/feel inspired to complete the tasks I set myself – or even, to set myself the tasks in the first place!

How does your setup work for you?  Have you tampered with different setups and are currently in the dreaded “planner fail” area right now?

Kel

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Filofax Birthday Present!

The inspiration for my Halloween Filofax dividers actually came from my Best Friend, Carrie.  Or rather, my birthday present to her.

Carrie is a rock girl to heart.  She loves a bit of metal, so for my birthday present to her, I wanted it to be extremely personal and a full representation of how I see her through my eyes.  The “gorjuss” range embodies her perfectly.

Carrie began using a Filofax about a year ago, beginning with my Lavender Pocket Metropol, upgrading to a Black Personal Identity and now she is in a beautiful Holborn which I lust after!  She has always complained at her lack of creativity and how she feels her planner is very “plain”.

After meeting up with her in the week last week, she wanted to see how I plan my pages out, and I was only too glad to oblige – whipping out my monthly pages and explaining my colour coding system and how it transfers to the “inner section” of my weekly diary pages.  She seemed intrigued about the colour coding, so I rushed out to get her some erasable pens pronto for part of her birthday pack that I had been slowly building up for her.

In her birthday pack, I got her:

Washi Tapes

Uniball Phantom Pens x 5 (colourful)

Smash Today Markers

Flyleaf with Event Stickers

Notepaper with Washi Tape

Philofaxy/My Life All In One Place Month To View Pages (ready to decorate!)

Gorjuss Notelets

Gorjuss Front Page

Gorjuss Today Marker

 

I think that was it…  I think!

Anyway, I saw her this evening to provide her present to her (and to do a shopping spree!).  I watched anxiously as she opened her little bundle, but she seemed delighted, especially with the gorjuss items (phew!).  In fact, she was so happy, that she wanted a go at doing her own dividers herself!  We ended up shooting up to The Range and purchasing another bumper pack for her to take home and have a go at making her own dividers etc.

I had never felt so happy than seeing her creative spirit coming to life around the Arts & Crafts section.  My own little limited creative mind had been squashed for years, and decorating my planner is my outlet.  I cannot describe what a thrill comes over me when I open my planner.  Smug Satisfaction, call it what you want – but I feel proud of what I have achieved – something that is personal to ME – there will be no other like it.  The fact I’ve slaved for 8 hours non-stop over dividers and today markers makes me appreciate my own planner all the more.  I think if you haven’t done it yourself you can’t truly begin to imagine the process of creating something from scratch, with little idea of how it will turn out etc.  You can’t fully appreciate what someone else has gone through to get that finished product.

So my advice to you today is this:  Have a go.  Just try.  You might be surprised!

Kel

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