One Life One Filofax... Really?

Hmm, I saw an interesting post re David Popely's GTD setup here and am now thrown into a quandary as to what to do.

As you will have previously seen, I own a number of Filofaxes in various sizes, and as simple as one life on Filofax sounds, I just don't know if I can do this...

Currently I am using a personal one for me, one to track my 101 in 1001 days challenge, a happiness binder (which will be used properly shortly), an A5 for the family (although I have to wonder if I am the only one who uses it...), an A5 for work, a mini as a wallet, and... I think that is it at the moment.

Now the idea is that all my planning should go into one binder, this would knock out the family binder, the work binder, the 101 in 1001 days binder, and my personal binder - and then all this would go into one place... can I do this?

There are three problems that I have to overcome to do this:

1. My obsession with my filos means that I want to touch more than one each day - could I get round this by having a 10 minute gazing session at the end of each day? Or as suggested, I could swap the binder I am using regularly so that I don't feel that any of the binders are feeling left out.
2. I temporarily used a personal size FF for work after my A5 went missing and found it very hard and it didn't really work for me, so I really need an A5 for work. However, I don't want to be carrying an A5 round with me everywhere and I only have 3 A5 binders.
3. I like buying stationery, and want pretty things to go in my FFs as I am now at the stage where I can think about pimping them up (inserts only, I can't do anything to the outsides - that would just be weird), what will I do with fewer binders to play with?

Can I get round this by sticking with my A5 for work (this is kept mainly at work except when I have to do planning at home as I never have time to do it while I am in the office), whilst using one binder for everything else?

Clearly I will still try to use as many binders as possible for other things (eg the happiness binder, photo albums, recipe books - like I'll ever get round to doing that), but for planning purposes, can I manage to use just one for personal/family etc?

Hmmm... time to get my thinking cap on before I do my 2012 setup (although I think I may be going with the WO1P with notes so that should be able to cope anyway...)

Ooh - could a slimline cope with being a one file one life filo? Although having just got my Deco I think I can guess where I'll be heading first...

Any advice will be gratefully received.

LJx

Dividers - Shopping for Materials

Woohoo!!!

I got an afternoon off work on Wednesday and I was so excited, and I know it's a bit sad to get so excited about the chance to go shopping for stationery, but I had heard about a shop in Zurich that may sell scrapbooking papers, cardstock and all the other bits and pieces that go with scrapbooking. So when twelve 'o' clock came, I was out of the office faster than you can say "Malden rocks" and on the tram into the city.

I got to the stationery store at 2pm as I wasn't sure if they'd be one of the places that shuts for two hours at lunchtime, which is quite common in Switzerland. They had quite a good selection of stickers, and various bits and pieces, along with patterned origami papers, Success personal organisers and inserts, plain coloured paper and some rainbow stuff. Unfortunately though, they didn't have what I was looking for. No patterned scrapbooking paper, and their plain coloured paper could only be bought in packs of ten, and as I don't want to be making a load of dividers in the same colour I didn't really want to be buying these packs. But I did manage to buy metallic pens to write on my black dividers, and some packs of coloured pipe cleaners for the boys to make things with, as they love them.

But what had I done with my two hours between leaving work and arriving at the stationery store...? As I was on a stationery mission, I thought I would check out the stationery sections of a couple of the department stores (Co-op and Globus). I was impressed with both as Co-op had a good selection of A4 coloured papers available individually for only 50rp each, and they also had boxes of photo corners which I will be needing soon for customising my dividers, and I will potentially be using one of my FFs as a photo album.

Globus on the other hand... oh my word!!! They stock Filofaxes!!! Admittedly I would never buy a filo over here as the prices are extortionate, but they had loads. Amongst the shelves of inserts and pens, they had a glass cabinet devoted entirely to FFs - stunning!!! I longed to touch them, but they were locked away - but I had a good look to check out their stocks, Chameleons, Maldens, no Deco, but what did I spot, top shelf as it was so exquisite - THE OSTERLEY!!! Please excuse shouting, but IT IS GORGEOUS!!! The plum Osterley will be the next filo on my list of coveted filos to own. As the Deco is coming for Christmas, then maybe I will be lucky enough to get the Osterley for my birthday.

And then, what did I see to my right, on the open shelves running along the side of the stationery department...? Dominoes in all colours and sizes, along with... eeeuw the dreaded Apex... in all it's vile colours. I actually picked one up to see why anyone would buy one (unless it was their first one, and then they know no better), and really cannot see the appeal. While I was looking at the dominoes - the orange one is very nice and isn't available on the UK site - a lady came over pushing a buggy and went straight for the black Apex, I felt a wave of panic come over me and moved off slightly to the inserts. She then picked up the frightening green one, it was like she knew what she was looking for and just couldn't decide which colour to get. All I could think of was how I could approach her (with my very poor German) without seeming like some total freak!!! If she was buying for herself and has that bad taste, then fair enough, or if she was buying for someone of school age, but if she was thinking of buying for someone because they love filos, then it would be the worst decision ever. Thankfully she stepped away from the Apexes, and went off to another area.

Is it wrong that I had to fight an urge to stalk her until she left the store to make sure she didn't buy it as a present for someone?

LJx