07 January 2016

Zero spending on binders in 2016

I don't normally have a large collection of binders. Over the years, I've bought and sold a fair amount, but I usually only own two or three at a time. In the past, I've enjoyed being able to add some variety by purchasing something new and then selling the one that I had been using.

My 2015 acquisitions:
1. Oxblood personal Winchester - sold
2. Black A5 Hamilton - sold
3. Vintage Mulberry Agenda - given away, but got it back and money spent on repairs
4. Black personal Kensington - sold in 2014, repurchased and sold again in 2015 (face palm)
5. Tan ostrich print A5 Time/system - purchased when feeling a bit sorry for myself and I immediately had buyer's remorse! (to be reviewed here and rehomed)
6. Black personal Dundee - my main planner in use
7. Black A5 Stratford - given to me, to be rehomed
8. Vintage red slimline - purchased from Philofaxy reader gmax and used as a notebook
9. Oxblood A5 from Cordwain Higgler - awaiting delivery.

For those of you with larger collections or for those just starting out, it might be that nine acquisitions in a year sounds fairly reasonable. However, I'm a minimalist at heart so I feel slightly horrified by this (for me personally)... therefore I have decided to not spend anything on binders in the coming year.

Looking through my past posts here, I know I have a tendency to say something along the lines of, "I'm so happy in this, I won't be buying any more, I'm done etc." Rather than repeat this process, I've decided to spend a whole year using what I already have and to slowly sell any unwanted ones. I've felt quite fickle and muddled with all the binders and it certainly hasn't helped with my planning, which in my opinion is the main reason for owning one.

My current plan is to keep these four:
1. Mulberry Agenda - I do like the A6 paper size, but still have quite a bit of personal paper left so it makes more sense to be in personal right now. I may consider removing the rings or turning it into a Cabriolet
2. Dundee - after selling my personal Ascot, I realised just how much I love croc print binders (why I sold my Winchester). I repurchased my Kensington at the same time as buying this and the Dundee won
3. Red slimline - it's a great size for taking notes from books or when out and about, and I may use this as my main binder with the A5 for projects
4. A5 from Cordwain Higgler - despite my attempts to abandon the A5 size (why the Hamilton went), I have come to the conclusion that it is a useful size to have. I had planned to use the Stratford, but realised that I actually don't like it very much! It might have been free, but I've decided that I deserve to own an A5 that I like.

I am behind with some posts for Philofaxy, so will be writing about the Time/system, Dundee, vintage slimline and Cordwain Higgler A5 soon.

So...
I, Anita Lim, promise to not purchase any binders or planners in 2016.
I swear by Philofaxy that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!

PS
After writing this, Steve asked me the following tricky questions!
1. What if you are sent something for free?
Technically speaking, this wouldn't be a purchase, but it would have to be something very special for me to accept. For example, I'm not looking for a red personal Ascot or Dundee, but I would find it very hard to refuse a free one and would sell one of the others. I think it's very unlikely that I will receive any for free anyway.  
2. Are you allowed to trade one for one? 
No, not for the rest of 2016. I may consider relaxing this after the year is up, but the idea is to stop the crazy-making buying/selling cycle that I feel I have gotten into which I'm no longer enjoying. 

13 comments:

  1. Zero new binders for a whole year.....

    That's a good one, Anita..... ;-)

    Should we start a pool to see how it lasts?....

    Just teasing......

    Good luck with your resolution....

    Best,

    Mark

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    1. Haha, thank you, Mark! I will be sticking to it :)

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  2. I am entering the phase of conscious spending.. If I buy a planner it has to follow a strict criteria and if it doesn't follow then I won't be buying it

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    1. Sounds like a great idea. I have a suspicion that in the past I've bought more as I wasn't quite sure what I needed or wanted in a planner. Finally I've figured it out & I'm very relieved.

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    2. I'm so wanting one of these it's been horrible last couple months I've lost my job my uncle and just had surgery and my man of 11 years. It has to get better I'm trying. If there's anyone who can help me get started with a planner Filofax good bless you if you could help me. My email is mchele79@gmail.com I know this is a weird question but I believe it never hurts to ask thank you

      Michelle

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  3. I'm on the hunt for a Dundee but am planning to sell some binders so hopefully 1) the cost will even out and 2) I'll be down in my overall Filofax numbers.

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    1. They are wonderful binders & I can't recommend them enough. I even prefer it to Ascot! I'm looking forward to selling some of mine.

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    2. I've been on the fence about selling some of mine but have come to the realization that I will most likely never use them so they should go to a good home. (I'm planning to post them on Adspot, hopefully I'll get around to it next week!)

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  4. I thought I loved a particular binder as well until I actually used it. I lasted a week, and only that long because my preferred RG was 5 states away and a I couldn't switch back. I'll be selling the other one.

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  5. You have a nice collection of binders. I am using my week insert that has a large equal space on all days in my Franklin pocket binder. I created the layout last year and drew a few months for this year. Because I no longer buy paper I use lined paper from notebooks. The paper is of nice quality. I can understand that you do not want to buy or trade binders. I do not want to buy paper.

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  6. I'm in! One of my 2016 goals is to analyse my spending better and stop spending so much on wants so this fits nicely! Of course, the two I bought before the new year which haven't yet arrived won't count... *oops!*

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  7. Im going to try it too! I have more than enough to keep me going for the year.

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  8. I am I the middle of downsizing the number I have in order to just have a few that I use all the time. Not an easy task but £ comes into it!

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