My mommy favorites – Filofax A5 Chameleon (red)

January or September marks the time when most people go out to get planners and calendars to keep note of important dates, appointments and lists of things to do.

I’m no different.  Every year,  mostly in January, but sometimes in September, I go out to find that little calendar or planner that will help me remember things and get things done.  This year is no different.  I needed a planner last September and went and got one.  It turns out, I finally found the right system for me.

I got myself a planner, a big one, with the binder system that you can replace the inserts yearly. I got myself a Filofax.  I’m in love with it!

It all started the day I got a Day-timer Mom-Planner at Walmart.  I fell in love with the format and started reseaching the planner to see how other people liked theirs and and used it.  I didn’t really find any reviews or blog regarding the Day-Timer Mom-Planner, but what I found was a whole community of Filofax users and lovers.  I read a few blogs and watched a ton of You Tube videos and finally went on the FilofaxUSA website to check out their products.

I wasn’t sure which model I was going to get but I knew I wanted an A5.  After a few days of watching reviews and comparing prices, I stopped on the Chameleon in the color red.  I am very happy with it.  It wasn’t my first choice or the one I absolutely wanted to get.  However, it was one of the high ends and it was 50% off.  I am really happy I got it.

I most definitely did not expect my Filofax to come this morning. I purchased it from FilofaxUSA on the 19th of October. A birthday present to myself… The website said 12 to 21 days for shipping to Canada. Still, 10 days later, it was at my door step. No email confirmation of the shipping or anything. Great surprise this morning!  I’ve seen people on You Tube unboxing their Filofax, what a feeling indeed.  You do feel like a kid at Christmas time.

It came with the end of 2012 and all of 2013 diary (week on two pages column style).  It also came with a plastic business card holder, black ruler (I want to get a transparent one), a few to-do sheets, a few colored note paper and a few cream dividers (blank ones and A-Z ones) and a thick note pad.  Oh yeah, and there are finance sheets and address sheets which I don’t think I will use.  I do online banking and get my statement also online and all my contacts are on my iPhone and gmail for safekeeping.  I’ll probably use the sheets as more note paper when I run out.

I’ve already started personalizing my binder.  I’m using colored pens, stickers, post-its, etc.  I am actually rekindling my love for Scrapbooking, it seems.  I used to really enjoy making albums.  I stopped after I got married, but now I have three kids and I want to start again and make different album featuring them.  I didn’t know I was scapbooking then, I was a teenager.  Still, I spent hours working on my projects.  I may come back and share pictures once I finish personalizing it.

For now, I love it.  I’m using it first because I don’t have a 2012 diary in my mom-planner.  In January 2013, I plan on switching to the other planner and reserve my Filofax for when I go back to work.  It will be my work binder.  We will see if I’m too hooked and can’t use the other planner because Filofax is too great.

In all fairness, the day-timer mom-planner is also great.  It’s the reason I discovered the Filofax.  But, I knew I needed a different binder for work and that’s why I got a second one.  Now, I’m thinking of getting a Personal and use it as a wallet.  I have a big wallet, always prefered them.  I saw that the Personal would be just a little smaller than my current wallet.  The Pocket is way too small for me and the Compact does not offer enough choices in models for me.  I’ll be doing my research on Filofax blog and You Tube again.  We shall see what I get in the next few weeks.

XOXO