Archiving the Years
It’s only recently that I started archiving my past inserts. I used to keep only the previous year’s pages but after having read how other people keep their pages for years, I thought maybe I’d start keeping mine as well. I confess that my system isn’t formal, nor is it unique in any way. But it works for me, at least for now. I created my archival system back in June when I completely overhauled not just my system, but everything Filofax-related that I own.
On New Year’s Day, I set up my Malden for all of 2011. This meant that I also pulled out anything relating to 2010 and put those pages into my “Past” binder, a Personal black Guildford. Keeping these pages in a binder on my bookshelf allows for easy access to anything from the past year I might need. Since using the daily pages, however, it’s impossible for me to keep everything in one binder – there are just too many pages. So I put only the last half of the daily pages in my “Past” binder and put the rest into my archival box.
Likewise, I had to put the second half of 2011 daily sheets into the box for the same reason. I keep my upcoming sheets in my “Future” binder, a Personal red Domino. This is where I pull a week’s worth of daily sheets from to add to my Malden at the start of every week when I do my weekly planning. The past week’s daily pages will also go into the “Future” binder until July when it’s time to make the swap again.
I use Avery tabs to label the years and the format. For each year, I use a different color so that it’s easy to distinguish them at a glance.
Like I said, my system isn’t glamorous but it’s functional. I’ve only started saving my pages since 2009 so who knows what my archival system will end up being when I have year’s worth of pages to deal with. But that’s another post for 10 years down the road…
I am so pleased for you that you have made this decision. You will find yourself referring to them more often than you thought you would before you started archiving. Franklin Covey has a good 3" storage binder and cover for personal size pages, and for most (not me) that is more than adequate.
ReplyDeleteI came to this through my Father, and have all of his notebooks back to the early 1920's. They are one of my most cherished possessions, and a constant source of inspiration, plus I have many from his Father going back to pre-civil war. Quite a record of family history.
I leave you with this quote from Benjamin Franklin; " I am indebted to my notebooks for the happiness of my whole life." Hard for many to identify with, but I not only understand it, but agree with it whole heartedly.
I think I will need to start some kind of archival system at the end of this year. I may use box folders initially. I will have to remember this post for 2012!
ReplyDeleteI archive my pages by year - diary, drawings that others made me, letters that I received, postcards, photos, etc., basically whatever was in my diary/filofax at the time. It's so interesting to see what I deemed important that year, what seemed so vital to my life then.... It's really a tribute to the passage of time and my part in it, I suppose....
ReplyDeleteCrofter - How great that you can look back on your father's and grandfather's writings. I will have to look into the FC storage binder. I did buy a Filofax storage binder but I don't think it's great quality, and it's expensive. As for your Ben Franklin quote: I may have to add that to my list of quotes. I feel the same way about my many journals.
ReplyDeleteCP - I highly recommend it, as do many people I've heard from on Philofaxy.
Aspire - That's cool that you keep special artifacts like that in your Filo. I usually put those kinds of things in whatever journal I'm using at the time. One day I'll have to do a post on those too...
Cool idea! I tend to just throw mine out as I have no where to put them. maybe if I did this that wouldnt happen!
ReplyDeleteI used to throw mine out. I had a number of binders that weren't in official use, so this is a good use for them. That and hold extra inserts.
ReplyDelete