Midori Purist diary layout - download the source files

When I released 2016 sets for the new Purist layout for the Traveller's Notebook I promised to  make the source files available. These will allow you to tinker with the layout and make changes.

By downloading the source files, you get to make a diary for any period you like, including academic years, odd months, extended holidays and other trips. You can also change the fonts, the colours and any other aspect of the layout just for one week's spread and then through the magic of mail merge have these changes carry through to as many weeks as you like.

I'll show some basic instructions for getting the mail merge done, but if you have some basic Word and Excel skills you should be fine. You can always go to the web to find many detailed tutorials on mail merge for your specific versions if you need more help, and on the Free Diary Pages link at the top of this blog you'll find some YouTube tutorials.

Here are the steps you need to take.

1. Download the source Word file and the source Excel file. You need them both. Save them somewhere accessible.
2. Open the Excel file. Change the very first date in column A and watch as all the other details change automatically.
3. If you want a shorter period, delete the lower rows. If you want a longer period, stretch the data range (Google for tutorials if you need to.)
4. Save the Excel file.
5. Open the Word file. You will probably be prompted to link to the data source. Navigate to the Excel file and select it. If you get a dialog asking which sheet to link to select Sheet1. If you're not prompted, start the Mail Merge helper in Word.
6. From the Mailing ribbon or toolbar, find and select the command to start the mail merge. You need to choose the option to merge to a new document.
7. When the new document has been created. save but don't close it. 
8. Perform a find an replace in the new document (CTRL + H in Windows). In the Find field, type ^b, leave the replace filed blank and then replace all.
9. Insert a blank page at the very start of the file. Starting with a blank page will mean that as you flip through the finished booklet you will see a week per full spread. You can decorate this blank page if you like.
10. Save the file again.
11. Print the file in booklet mode. If you don't know how to do that, read the detailed instructions in my post on the subject.

My ability to provide detailed support on this is very limited, so by all means have a go, but beyond these notes and the collective resources of the web you're on your own.

New Midori insert - Purist weekly diary - full size

This new weekly layout is based on one that I made a while ago in Field Notes Size.

I've called this the 'Purist' layout because it is all about the days. At the top of each spread there is week and day numbering and each day of the week is given equal space. This is for people who think that a diary is a diary and should not need to accommodate notes, actions nor anything else.

You can download and print it for free. Links to the prepared half year sets for 2016 are below.

    2016 H1 A4 version                         2016 H1 Letter version

    2016 H2 A4 version                         2016 H2 Letter version

What you'll download is a file that is ready to print straight away, without any need to use booklet format on your printer. Just print this straight to A4 or Letter paper, with duplex set to flip on the short edge (I'd recommend you print just one or two pages first to make sure your printer deals with this correctly and make adjustments as necessary.)

Once you've printed out the pages, you can bind them into a booklet and cut to size using these instructions:

I will make source files available shortly so you can roll up your sleeves.

New A4 Filofax layout - minimalist vertical weekly

Steve and I often get requests from readers of Philofaxy and My Life All In One Place. This was one that Steve put together.

Here it is:

The week is laid out left to right, with vertical divisions for morning, afternoon and evening but otherwise in free format.

You can download a 2016 set as either a Word file or a PDF file. They are created as A4 documents. To use them as A5 inserts, print the document in booklet mode on A4 paper, then use a guillotine to divide each sheet into two and punch the required holes, which the templates are set up with mirrored gutters to accommodate. Or, if you have A5 paper, then either the printer or the PC will scale it to size for you.

Of course, you can print these on any paper you like; coloured, patterned and fountain pen-friendly are all options, as is plain white A4 printer paper.

If you want to tinker, you can download the Word base file and the Excel data file (you will need both files.) As long as you have some basic Word and Excel skills, you should be able to give this a go. You'll need to be able to set up a basic mail merge file link, and there are plenty of web tutorials that show you the way - including some available on this site via the Free Diary Pages link at the top of every page.

Depending on what version of Word you're using, Word may put section breaks between every record, which will throw out the mirrored gutter formatting in the layout. If it does, the solution is quite simple; do a find and replace on section breaks (^b) to remove them all. You'll also need to add a single page break to the front of the merged document so that each 2-page spread has gutters in the middle for the holes.

A more flexible Midori Traveler's Notebook weekly insert

I get lots of requests to make an insert that combines a weekly diary and a page per week of notes space. Today's new layout is just that, but I think I've introduced some options to the layout that people will like.

I have two versions of the inner pages. You can choose between the 'righty' and the 'lefty':

Although anyone can use either, I suspect that the 'righty' will work better for the right-handed writer and the 'lefty' for the left-hander. That is because diary entries tend to be short - a word or a phrase, say, whereas notes tend to require longer writing sessions, so the note section is on the relevant preferred facing page.

On the notes page, I've added action checkboxes on each line. Because these are unobtrusive, you can use the page either for tasks that you check off or just for general notes, ignoring the boxes. Or you can divide the page as you see fit and do both.

So, as I say, I think this will prove a flexible insert. You can download and print it for free. Links to the various versions are below.

 Lefty A4 PDF file
 Lefty Letter PDF file

 Righty A4 PDF file
 Righty Letter PDF file

What you'll download is a file that is ready to print straight away, without any need to use booklet format on your printer. Just print this straight to A4 or Letter paper, with duplex set to flip on the short edge (I'd recommend you print just one or two pages first to make sure your printer deals with this correctly and make adjustments as necessary.)

Once you've printed out the pages, you can bind them into a booklet and cut to size using these instructions:

The Daily Dashboard Large Cahier Midori insert - free files for 2016

I recently introduced this format in Large Cahier size.

The booklet begins with a full-month view:

This is followed by a two page spread for each day.

I have now produced files to see you through 2016.

You can choose the A4 paper versions or the Letter paper versions.

  Jan 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Feb 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Mar 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Apr 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  May 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Jun 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Jul 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Aug 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Sep 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Oct 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Nov 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

  Dec 2016:  A4 version   Letter version

What you'll download is a PDF file. This is ready to print straight away, without any need to use booklet format on your printer. Just print this straight to A4 or Letter as appropriate, with duplex set to flip on the short edge (I'd recommend you print just one or two pages first to make sure your printer deals with this correctly and make adjustments as necessary.)

Once you've printed out the pages, you can bind them into a booklet and cut to size. This video shows how.

Remember to cut at 130mm (13cm) wide rather than 110mm (11cm) wide as you would for a regular Midori insert.

Daily Dashboard in Moleskine Large Cahier size for free.

Remember the Daily Dashboard? Well, following a request it is now available in Large Cahier size.

The booklet begins with a full-month view:

This is followed by a two page spread for each day.

I'm making available for free download PDF sets in this layout for 2015 for both A4 and Letter paper users. Each file contains an insert for a full month. Here are the files:

  October 2015 - A4 version

  November 2015 - A4 version

  December 2015 - A4 version

  October 2015 - Letter version

  November 2015 - Letter version

  December 2015 - Letter version

What you'll download is a file that is ready to print straight away, without any need to use booklet format on your printer. Just print this straight to A4 or Letter paper, with duplex set to flip on the short edge (I'd recommend you print just one or two pages first to make sure your printer deals with this correctly and make adjustments as necessary.)

Once you've printed out the pages, you can bind them into a booklet and cut to size using these instructions:

Remember to cut at 130mm (13cm) wide rather than 110mm (11cm) wide as you would for a regular Midori insert.

I'll work on a set of files for 2016 soon.

Free photographic Jan-Dec dividers for 2016 for Personal and A5 Filofax

I've updated my Filofax photographic calendar dividers for 2016 and they are free to download, print and use.

These are available in Personal Filofax size as well as A5 Filofax. For the A5 version, you can download a version set up for A4 or Letter paper printing.

Download your chosen version (they are all Word files) and simply print onto card, cut out and punch holes as required.

1. Personal size

Jan - Feb dividers
Mar - Apr dividers
May - Jun dividers
Jul - Aug dividers
Sep - Oct dividers
Nov - Dec dividers

2. A5 size

Jan - Jun dividers (A4)

Jan - Jun dividers (Letter)

Jul - Dec (A4)

Jul - Dec (Letter)