Sunday 4 March 2012

Envelope insert hacks for the filofax

[I promised pictures and here they are.]

I bought some top-opening envelopes for the pocket filofax but they weren't quite right (especially as they needed re-punching to let them move on the rings!) and so I have done two hacks: one using the packaging the envelopes came in and the other using cheap zip-lock bags.

First up: cheap hack to have a very thin ‘envelope’ to reinstate guinea fowl card and picture of me and DH. This was made from the packaging that the top-opening envelope came in, with the top (where the sticky fold-over flap is) sliced off and holes punched in it. This packaging went through the rapesco hole punch without assistance!

I love the guinea fowl - I'm so pleased to have them back in the filofax!

Next: zip-lock bags. This is a picture to show how the ones I bought (125mm x 90mm) have the zip-lock bit sticking out beyond the dividers. I like this because it means the rest of the pages and dividers in my filofax aren’t sticking up because of the zip-lock bag.
The zip-lock bags do not go through the hole punch without assistance!!
I needed to put a slip of paper inside the bag and to wrap the area to be punched in another bit of paper. I wrecked a bag finding this out! But since they worked out at 40p each, I don’t really mind.

The zip-lock bit sits outside the area of the pages and dividers and so everything still lies flat

What have I used the zip-lock bags for? Well, I have vouchers in one and paper money in the other.

Vouchers in zip-lock to left; stamps in top-opening to right

Money in another zip-lock

I find the top-opening envelopes from Filofax a little difficult to get into quickly and in the queue in a shop was getting flustered trying to access the vouchers easily so I have put them in the zip-lock bag instead. I find the pocket behind the card-slots equally difficult to access quickly so I have paper money in the other zip-lock. I still use a top-opening envelope for stamps (I’m never in a rush to get them) and my training schedule for my half-marathon is now tucked behind the card-slots (I don’t need to access it in a hurry, but sometimes I do need to check what hellish item is on the day’s schedule!)

Does anyone else use any hacks like these?

[p.s. - don't forget to vote on which card to use for new dividers... see the post here for details]

8 comments:

  1. Great hack :) And the colour of that Aston is still so lush. It just looks so luxurious I want to stroke the laptop screen Lx

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    1. Thank you!
      At risk of being called an enabler, why don't you treat yourself to one? Then you can stroke the leather for real and not leave smudgy marks on your computer screen...
      :-)

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  2. I love your idea so much! I am using pocket size as wallet and hate to use the side open zip (filofax own zip pocket). I wonder if you could make the tutorial more detail, like step by step photo or video?, because I wasnt really clear how to combine the top open pocket with zip?

    kind regards, Thanks for great idea!

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    1. hi ehan,
      I haven't combined the zip with the top pocket - I bought some zip-lock bags (from eBay) and punched holes in the side (which was tricky and I found I needed to have a sheet of paper inside the bag and have the edge wrapped in paper before trying to punch the holes as the plastic is very stretchy and didn't cut nicely otherwise).
      In the pocket I had (just changed it again...) two zip-lock bags and one top-opening envelope. I didn't do anything to the top-opening envelope except to re-punch the holes so it sat on the rings better.
      Hope that helps...

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    2. sorry - by 'pocket' in the last bit, I mean pocket filofax.

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    3. thanks Amanda, that's very detail, and I will give a try soon. thanks!

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  3. Amanda, I thought it was just me with difficult top opening envelopes! I purchased one & it wouldn't fit on the rings at all. They replaced it straightaway, but I needed to re-punch the replacement as it wouldn't turn once on the rings...

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  4. Love this hack ! I just happened to have received a pocket sized ruler in the mail for my FF Dakota/Sand color and did this pronto....worked perfectly so I could put in a couple of pics and stamps! Thank you. Love this!

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