Recently, I purchased a Fluoro Pink Filofax Original in personal size. I had hear many negative things about this line of planners, but still wanted to test one out for myself because I love the way they look. In the past I would never have considered myself a minimalist, but as time has passed I have come to like a less cluttered, minimalistic look. The Original is perfect for this!
The outside cover of the Original is very simple. It is very plain, with a button closure. The stitching around the planner is a light tan colour which stands out on the fluorescent pink. Personally, I think this is very appealing.
These planners are made of a solid piece of leather, which means there is no cardboard insert. This means the planner lays flat much easier and quicker than most others. I have had no issues with my Original laying flat (no matter how long it is closed). Keep in mind this makes the planner a little floppier than others. If you like a stiff cover you may not like this planner.
When you open the Original there is an elastic pen loop on the inside cover along with two card slots and a full length pocket. The elastic pen loop is divided into three sections: a large pen loop, a place to put sticky notes or a smartphone (my iPhone 6 can fit in this part of the elastic without a case), and a smaller (much tighter) pen loop. The card slots are literally slots, they open up into the pocket behind, so you may want to keep that in mind when putting important cards in them. That being said, these two slots are fairly tight so there shouldn't be much issue with normal sized cards slipping out. The full length pocket is great for storage, but it is a little stiff. However, since it is made of leather it may loosen up over time with use.
The Original has standard sized rings for a personal: 0.9" (or 23mm).
The back cover of this planner has another full length pocket along with two slots one at the top and one at the bottom which can hold a slim notepad, which comes with a new Original. Again, this pocket is somewhat stiff, but still useful.
Overall, I have fallen in love with this line of planners and cannot imagine using anything else. A lot of people dislike the pen loop being on the left; however, that does not bother me as I don't really use it. Instead of using the pen loop I use a zipper pocket because I carry multiple pens. As for the lack of pockets, it helps keep your planner decluttered!
In my opinion, if you are looking for a really nice planner that feels good, looks good, and is simple this is the planner for you! However, if you like lots of pockets and big pens this planner probably isn't what you are looking for.
As always, thank you so much for reading. If you liked this post please follow and share with a friend!
Stephanie xo
