Gillio Envy

There has been much talk about Gillio Firenze planners lately.  Many people have purchased them and written blogs posts about them; they have been featured in Philofaxy posts; there’s a dedicated Facebook group for them.  Their planners are beautiful, but they have a price tag to match (though well worth every penny, from what I’m hearing).  It’s like an exclusive club, the way people are talking about them—I’m not all too familiar with the company or the planner names; I don’t have a new bag to compare my new Gillio planner to; I don’t own a binder whose leather is so soft and supple, like butter.

I’m jealous.

There, I said it.  Sigh.

Yes, I’m jealous.

All of the buzz I’m hearing—the excitement over a new planner, and not just a new planner, but a gorgeous one at that, one that compares to nothing like I’ve ever seen before.  Or so I’m hearing.

I’ve perused the website.  I like what I see.  I especially like that there’s a slim collection, with a closure and even without a closure.  Since starting up with the compact Filofax size, I’ve never looked back.  And for some reason, the slim without a closure really appeals to me.  Perhaps in the brown leather.

But at the cost the planner translated into US dollars, and the shipping from Belgium.  We’re talking almost $300 (perhaps even more).  I’ve never paid that much for a planner, never paid that much for a handbag or any other leather good.  It’s simply out of my budget. 

For now. 

I’ve created an envelope labeled “Gillio.”  When I have leftover cash at the end of any given week, I will put that money into the envelope.  When (and if) I reach the amount I would need to purchase said planner, I just may purchase it.  It will take a long time, I’m sure, so we will see how it all plays out.

In the meantime, I need to find some planner excitement.

Truth be told, it’s not the Gillio planner itself I’m really jealous about, but the thrill and surge of excitement over a new planner, or at least a new setup.  I haven’t changed my setup in quite some time (since April to be exact).  That’s because it works so well for me.  And that’s great!  But it’s not very exciting.

I see how others are getting new binders (Gillio or otherwise), starting with new inserts, adjusting layouts and functionality, and generally shaking things up a bit.  They are excited to start organizing in a new way, to plan their lives a little differently.  They are pumped.  They feel the promise of something new, something better.  They have found their planning sweet spot.

I keep pushing on with the same old thing.

Don’t get me wrong—it’s great to have something that works so well that I don’t even have to think about it.  I’ve been in that mental torment of needing to choose which layout is best, which inserts would serve my purpose.  Sometimes I would drive myself crazy with all of the options and my need to choose something quick so that I can reorganize my life and move on.

I don’t want to be there again.

But I would like to spice up my planning life just a little.  But in what way?

Well, in answer to my question, just yesterday I received the latest Franklin Covey catalog.  I stumbled across two types of inserts that intrigue me: the Retro Pop Daily inserts and the Serenity Daily inserts.  Both come in a one-day-per-page layout, which is what I like.

But I hesitate with any FC inserts for a few reasons:
  • They are wider than Filofax binders, and so I would need to trim and repunch every page.  I’ve been there, done that.  Twice.  And both times it didn’t last.
  • While I love the tabbed months that FC offers, I don’t like the Sunday start to them.  I’ve become so accustomed to the Monday start that Filofax provides, and it works very well for me—I love seeing the entire weekend together.  It helps me plan a whole lot better.
  • The inserts listed above do not have time slots.  There is enough room for me to add my own, but do I want to have to do that for every single page?  Probably not.
With all I would have to do to make these pages (as pretty as they are) work for me, I’m not sure it’s worth it.  Plus, I’d be spending more money considering I’ve already purchased and set up my 2014 inserts.

So that leaves me back right where I started.  Function but no fun.


At some point I’ll find something to make my planning fun again.  Until then, I’ll have to dream of the day when I can finally get my hands on the Gillio…

Comments

  1. If you like slim binders and amazing leather, check out cordwain higgler. They have been featured on philofaxy. You can't beat the price, and you can personalise. I'm am over the moon for mine.

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    1. Huh, I'll have to check them out. Thanks!

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    2. I didn't mean to sound like an advertisement.I have no connection other than as a customer to the above company. Not even on the same continent. This was my first ever blog comment and I thought you were genuinely looking for ideas. I had seen other people share ideas in a similar fashion in comments. I apologise.

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    3. No, I apologize! My post regarding the comments was not directed at you at all! Your comment is relevant to the discussion (and I thank you for it). That was meant for people who keep sending me comments with links to products and organizations that have nothing to do with my blog posts whatsoever. I'm so sorry you thought that was directed at you.

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    4. Don't waste your money!! The rings are poor quality, the leather gets grimy, black and spotty over time (toms old one looks Hideous) and the customer service is APPALLING.

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    5. Huh. I haven't heard of anyone having customer service issues with them or poor quality. But of course, I don't know too many people personally who have a Gillio. I've actually stepped away from my envy of these, mainly due to the expense. I have invested in a couple of Van der Spek binders and I am so smitten with them, I feel I'm satisfied.

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  2. I TOTALLY know what you mean! I keep trying to find some way to justify it, but there is just no way. Especially since it's nearly the cost of one month's rent at our new place.

    The only thing that may change my mind: I still have a flute that my grandfather bought me YEARS ago. I only played a few years in Jr. High, and will never play again. But when I was telling my aunt how I felt horrible even thinking about selling it since my grandfather has passed away, she said: "I'm sure he would understand. And what if you bought something that would last you forever and make you happy? I'm sure that would make him happy."

    Hmmmm.... looks like it's time to get that flute appraised :)

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    1. Wow! I need to move to Kentucky if your rents are that low! I don't rent but I'm sure I could get a MUCH lower mortgage rate. In any event, I'm sure I could sell something, too, now that you mention it. Maybe a bag or two... Hmm, I may just have to look into that. Thanks for the idea!

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    2. Of course! I'm sure I'd still waffle back and forth for AGES before making the purchase even if I did have the money from selling items - I just don't have that "go ahead and splurge on yourself" gene I guess!

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    3. I usually have no problem spending money on myself, lol. But I have some big expenses lately, and even when I do spend money on myself, it's never that much, so the desire to save my money for it outweighs the need to have it right now. So we shall see...

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  3. I'm glad that I don't want a Gillio now. I want a persobal Malden anf FC inserts. I have already bought FC inserts and a Malden is on it's way to me. And I'll use them both and will be happy!

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    1. Ooo, very nice! I love my Malden, and I wish I could easily use the FC inserts, as I love their layout. But every time I try it turns into an immediate fail.

      For now, I'm holding off on the gillio. Once the new year comes around though, I don't know how long I'll be able to hold out. ;)

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  4. Ha! I've been a bit sucked down the Gillio vortex too. They look lovely and seem like a good option. The prices are astronomical but do not exceed what I pay monthly for my car payment and I'd surely enjoy the Gillio more than my car and would likely own it for a longer time....

    But really I don't need any more binders, and I have other things I want to spend money on.

    What I do not like about Gillio is that apparently they've gone the route of high-end ladies handbags, offering colors and patterns in extremely short runs, creating anxiety that if one doesn't buy this binder right now one may never be able to buy it in the future, so one buys it impulsively. I find this practice to be exploitative and excessively consumerist.

    I do think that Gillio is doing exactly what Filofax *should* have been doing, offering quality with excellent customer service and no "70% off clearance" sales.

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    1. I completely agree about the buying anxiety. Of course, that's how they get a lot of people. I must admit, that I might be party of that buying frenzy if I already had one. But since I don't, it's like I don't know what I'm missing. I'm still hoping to save some money to buy one, but at the cost they are (especially for those of us in the US), I don't see myself buying a lot of them, the way I did with Filofax. It's just not feasible -- I'd have to save up money for each and every one I want. That could potentially take a long time. Plus, since I am all about the compact/slim binders right now, there's not a ton to choose from in the Gillio brand. Now if they expand that line, who knows what might happen...

      Really though, I'm very satisfied with my setup currently, so while it would be nice to own a Gillio, I'm not itching to. I'd just like to. It would be nice, too, to have that tiny bit of extra room that the Gillio slim binders offer compared with the Filofax compact binders. FF works well for me, but I could really use just a tiny bit of extra room. And right now, that's what is really drawing me towards the Gillio idea.

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