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Original poster

Diaries Diaries Diaries!!!!!

172 replies

DuchessDumbarton · 30/09/2019 22:37

I love this time of year.
A new blank paper diary is a thing of joy for me. Apps/Google don't cut it for me.
I need advice please.

I need a diary that

  • serves for both home and work
  • allows me to book in clients to appointment slots (about 4/day)
  • keep track of house maintenance/meal planning/kids schools stuff/kids after-school activities etc etc etc.
  • not spiral bound
  • preferably A5 size
  • I love a good pocket and pen loop in a diary

I like Moleskine, but it's probably too minimal for me. Maybe if I got a nice cover??
Posh (brand) diaries- I had one a few years ago. Nice quality paper, but maybe a bit too kitsch to be professional (diary will need to be out in front of clients).
Filofax? I haven't had one before....but I feel the binder rings would annoy me?

Anyone have a favourite that they can link to so I can drool?

All suggestions most gratefully etc etc

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
NoClueWithStyle · 30/09/2019 22:42

Sounds like a bullet journal would suit you.
Look it up online, at bulletjournal.com There is a quick video that shows you how to set one up, you can customise it to meet your needs. There are also long threads in mn where people discuss how good they've found them, different ideas etc.

Original poster
DuchessDumbarton · 30/09/2019 22:53

Thank you NoClue.....this will sound ungracious, but I cannot get along with Bullet journals at all.

I know it works for many people, but the effort.
Sorry!

OP posts:
Kittykatmacbill · 30/09/2019 23:00

I think I have similar requirements to you... and a great fan marks Tokyo schedule. Lovely feeling paper too.

I got mine from here this year:
www.thefoxandstar.co.uk/collections/planners/products/marks-tokyo-edge-2020-storage-it-diary-geo-yellow

stucknoue · 01/10/2019 00:14

They have lovely ones in WH Smith

MontyBowJangles · 01/10/2019 01:40

I've had BusyB ones like the one linked above before and always got on with them.

Original poster
DuchessDumbarton · 01/10/2019 08:15

Kittykatmacbill that looks interesting....I hadn't heard of that brand before. Is the pocket at the front very fiddly? And it looks transparent- not sure about that as some of the paperwork I tuck into diary is confidential.

stuck I don't have a WHSmith near me- did you see any good organiser ones there? Brands I can google?

Madame that's a possibility. I'm not sure that it has enough space for appointments on the left side. I might have 4 client appointments, but I also have to note cancellations, their file no., when last seen.
Sorry, I am fussy.

Soola the first won't work for me as the days are undated

The second has gone on my possible list.... I like the layout of work appts one side, and family ones on the left. My evenings are as heavily booked as my work days.

OP posts:
OrangeSwoosh · 01/10/2019 08:26

Filofax. A nice A5, page a day, Finsbury Filofax.

I hate spiral bound diaries, the binder in the Filofax has never bothered me, pages have never fallen/accidentally pulled out or anything and most of the inserts have several options available so you can get what suits you.

Original poster
DuchessDumbarton · 01/10/2019 08:51

Orange I keep stroking looking at them in book shops.
I dislike a spiral, I can't write effectively on that side of the page and that interferes with my notions of being neat.
But I do like that you can have tabs for each month (I need to book appointments sometimes 6-12 months in advance).
And I like that I can get a week overview/month overview.
Hmmmm

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Original poster
DuchessDumbarton · 01/10/2019 11:12

Gosh Northern those diaries are lovely.

OP posts:
unweavedrainbow · 01/10/2019 11:20

I use a circle planner and the 2020 ones are now on presale Smile

Original poster
DuchessDumbarton · 01/10/2019 11:33

Ok Northern I am now alert to Japanese diaries and have a lust for something I can't have.
The Habonichi are available in A5 size but not in an English language version, darn it.

OP posts:
Original poster
DuchessDumbarton · 01/10/2019 11:44

unweaved Ummmm, not sure. I think I need more space per day (or perhaps I need to be neater.
I used an A4 page per day (Tesco) one this year. Too big. No pen loop. No place for bits and pieces of paper. Started to look rough very quickly. But I do use most of the page.
E.g. for today- I've put in 5 appts, 7 reminders/to do and evening activities for family.
So I need 2 columns per day. A week/month overview would be good too.

Too fussy?

OP posts:
Soola · 01/10/2019 12:25

Anything here?

ponderlily.com/collections/planners

UnitedRoad · 01/10/2019 12:31

Another vote for a Filofax. I use a personal, but the A5 has so much room. I like that I can take pages out to write on them for added neatness!

OrangeSwoosh · 01/10/2019 12:46

I overcome the filofax writing on a spiral problem by buying the landscape pages.

I currently have a personal one which is on its way out (that'll teach me to not have replaced my stolen leather one!) and thinking that my life is busy enough that I need an A5 again. I've looked through all these links and nothing comes close to my filofax love!

Original poster
DuchessDumbarton · 01/10/2019 12:46

Thanks again Soola those are also lovely...... but, no pen loop, no elastic to close over pages. (Also, a bit aspirational....and I don't need to risk clients seeing my "intention" to lose 5kg.

Hmm, United, I think I may be leaning that way, just for the variety of options.
Probably the only thing holding me back from pressing "buy" is the integrity of my knuckles against the ring binders. I use lever arch folders for a lot of my work tracking...and I hate having to write up against the edge of the page around the rings.
And, if it wasn't right, I'd have to work with it for the next 365 days

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Original poster
DuchessDumbarton · 01/10/2019 12:48

Really Orange?
What's a personal one?
I think I'd have to go all out and buy a leather one ...and have fun picking up all the bells and whistles over time.

OP posts:
OrangeSwoosh · 01/10/2019 12:49

Personal is just the size. Next size down from A5.

OrangeSwoosh · 01/10/2019 12:51

Might have to buy myself a Finsbury turquoise one again (the same as my stolen one 😭)

CountSnackula · 01/10/2019 12:54

I use a Passion Planner and have for a few years, now. They have to be shipped from America so take a while to arrive, but I think they're worth it. You can get the academic ones from Amazon but I prefer either undated or Jan - Dec ones.

https://passionplanner.com

They don't come with pen loops, but I buy them from Amazon.

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 01/10/2019 13:06

Ooooh Kitty that Tokyo planner ... that's a beauty! That's probably going on my Christmas list StarSmile