As you may have read I have finally ventured into the world of owning an A5 Filofax. The majority of my Filofaxes (5 of them) are personal sized. Why? because I have enough room to write and I can carry them around in my large but not massive handbag.
So here is the dilemma. I am really enjoying my new A5 Filofax which I bought as a desk diary. I am still moving in and developing my colour coding but it is working well. However, as I am used to always having my Filofax in my bag – it is irritating me that it is not easy to take to work and back. I don’t need to have it on the go but it is a desk diary and part of me would like to have it on both my desks even though I don’t use it for work-related stuff. Sometimes it is nice during my lunch break or if an idea just pops into my head to be able to look at my Filofax and when I have one of those moments it irritates me that it is not there.
So the question is – how do I solve this problem? I have tried fitting my beloved Filofax into my handbag (with the amount of other stuff I have in there already) – it is not easy:
So the options that remain are:
- clear out the handbag
- carry it
- get a bigger handbag (and build up my muscles)
- persevere and try not to need it when at work (after all I don’t need it for work – and it has only been a week)
- move back into a personal sized Filofax (and find another use for the A5)
- [any other suggestions?]
Do you take your A5 with you on a regular basis and if so how do you do it?
20 thoughts on “Filofax Friday: How do you make an A5 portable?”
Nina March 22, 2013 at 10:07 pm
Hi.
I don’t know if I overread it, but which A5 are you using. Is it a Bond?
I use an A5 as my Main filo. I carry it with me all the Time. Home, Work, everywhere. You never know when you need it, don’t you 😉
So I’m really carry it. At the very beginning, I also tried to use my handbag, but as you already mentioned, you don’t get anything else in there. So the best way for me is, to carry it on my arm, like a it-girl puppy 😀
And also looks super busy 😉
printedportal March 23, 2013 at 11:44 am
It is an Identity. I wanted to buy a cheaper A5 to see how I got on with it before splashing out on my dream binders 🙂
Robyn March 23, 2013 at 5:18 am
I use an A5 for my master calendar and for organizing work stuff. I do take it with me almost everywhere. I carry a large bag, so I can stuff it in there if needed. But usually I just carry it in my hand or in the briefcase if I am carrying files, etc with me. I am not one to worry about pen marks, damage, etc so it doesn’t bother me to just throw it in a bag. I also have a personal size that I use as a wallet. I keep a copy of the calendar in it, and my daily to do pages. So when it’s not practical to take the a5 with me, I can leave it at home and still feel like I have most of my info with me.
Bev Mynott March 23, 2013 at 5:43 am
I carry mine in a wheelie laptop case when I am at work, and then in a leather rucksack / handbag at the weekends. Sometimes I just put it on the passenger seat of the car and then carry it in my arms when out and about, but it is usually in a bag along with my Kindle and phone.
Helen Conway March 23, 2013 at 8:58 am
I have a work a5 on my desk which stays at work and then I carry my personal planner in a personal size in my handbag. But then often I know at lunch I will want my a5 journal or my blog planner or both and so it/they come too! I put them in a mock croc tote bag that also has my lunch in. Fortunately I park on the premises so its easy to do this.
Tim Edwards March 23, 2013 at 9:52 am
I’ve had this battle for years! If you haven’t already read it, I wrote a post about my solution on 11th/12th July 2012 on Philofaxy. I’m still using my Filoflex ultimate compact A5, although I did upgrade to the tan leather binder last year and transferred the ring mechanism into that. Good luck! Tim
printedportal March 23, 2013 at 11:42 am
Tim – that is a great solution – although don’t think I could quite pull it off myself.
printedportal March 23, 2013 at 11:41 am
Realistically I think I will end up carrying it (on the days I drive to work). But it is interesting to find out what others do.
Thanks for your comments.
Susan March 23, 2013 at 1:55 pm
I leave my A5 Malden at home, and take out my cut down version which is the Personal size Malden which has the basics that I find I use all the time.
homemakersdaily March 23, 2013 at 2:39 pm
I tried carrying a FC Classic for a while and made sure I had a purse big enough to hold it. But I don’t carry much else in my purse so it worked. If you had a lot of stuff in your purse and tried to fit a binder, too – it might be too much. I really want to use the Classic but I just can’t bring myself to because I don’t want to carry it and I do want it with me everywhere. No easy solution to this issue, I guess.
Anita Lim March 23, 2013 at 5:56 pm
My A5 zipped Holborn usually stays at home, but I’d probably tuck it under my arm like a clutch. I have wondered in the past about having an A5 as my main binder & then a pocket as a more portable companion.
Christina McGann March 23, 2013 at 7:28 pm
I really had a hard time with that question,too ;o) I love the A5 size,but my job-binder got waaayyy too heavy,especially in the wintertime – then I have to carry my bag+bottle+coat+scarf+A5 around the whole day..so I moved into Personal for the day … and the hombase is still the A5!In Spring/Summer I am going to carry it like a clutch ;o)
TheLynzyLady March 24, 2013 at 12:42 am
When I was carrying my a5 everywhere, I ran a pretty ribbon through the rings. I used ribbon because it didn’t bulk up and cause ring damage. This way the FILO became my purse. I added a change purse key chain to the strap to store my keys. And my cell phone fit right into the Filo. This really only works if you don’t carry much in your purse. You could also use a thin belt. I just couldn’t find any.
printedportal March 24, 2013 at 5:56 am
That sounds like such a neat idea 🙂
ariennegorlach March 24, 2013 at 6:52 am
I take my A5 with me pretty much everywhere! I pretty much always have a large handbag with me so it fits right in. I find that the benefit of having it on hand (because it really does contain my life!) outweighs the ‘pain’ of carrying it around. Plus it is really pretty and I get a lot of comments on it and my inserts so I view it as a marketing tool too!. I take out the extra pages I don’t need and refill often to try to keep the weight down. I love the idea of the ribbon above!
lbff March 24, 2013 at 7:12 am
Yesterday I went to look at a new bag which I had identified as a possible The One Bag online.
I took my kindle, my iPad, my A5 Filofax, my camera, my mini-watercolour kit, wallet and WarPaint.
And then I stood in the shop and put things in and out of the bag to see what would fit and what wouldn’t.
It’s a handmade bag, made to order and the artisan who makes them thought it was entirely logical that I would want to do this!
jarfm.com (@jarfmdotcom) March 24, 2013 at 4:54 pm
I carry around a rucksack everywhere as I have tried to get a handbag type bag big enough to carry my A5 and its not comfortable like having it on your back! I have downsized to a personal at present but I really miss my A5, only downsized as I have not been able to use a Filofax in the classroom I was in so I didn’t need as much space so I thought I would try a personal size for a while. Weight wise it’s definitely lighter but its not been used as much generally. I will be seeing what happens when I am again in a regular classroom where I can have my Filofax out!
Filofax Friday: a mini schedule | Planning with Printed Portal April 19, 2013 at 6:50 pm
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frostywindow September 29, 2013 at 9:31 am
I’ve recently bought an A5 and now thinking about moving into it for work. I like your idea of building up muscles to carry it around everywhere. I think that’s precisely what I will have to do now. 🙂
printedportal September 29, 2013 at 12:09 pm
6 months in and I am still carrying it everywhere.Most of the time I don’t notice it is in my handbag. It is only when I am at an event where I am standing still for hours with a drink in hand making small talk.
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