The Well-Appointed Desk

Butterfly

So when Ana first approached me about the Clutterbug organization methods, I had no idea what I’d be. But after taking the quiz and watching the video I’m firmly in the camp of Butterfly.

According to Clutterbug:

[Butterflies] Love visual abundance and organizational simplicity. You are a really visual person and for you, it’s out-of-sight, out-of-mind. You need visual, but fast and easy systems, like clear or wire bins and baskets and lots of hooks.

This is sort of me to a T. I think I’ve written multiple times about my love for desktop planners. I’m currently using my Year of the Optimist planner, but I also love the Desk Calendar Weekly Planners from Ruff House Art. I need a visual look at the whole week ahead, and the ability to add things easily to individual days. In general, I just make a big long list of my to-dos for each day, but I can check them off as I go and transfer them to the next day (a la bullet journaling) if necessary. While I’ve tried a variety of planners over time, these work best for me.

I also definitely need my tools on my desk and in my line of sight to be able to function. Hence why I have overflowing pen cups with fountain pens, fine liners and gel pens all on my desk. My camera always stays on my desk in case I need to grab a few quick shots for personal use, or for work.

And clear bins! I have those a plenty to store my yarn and fiber collection and still be able to see what’s in those boxes (it doesn’t always stop me from forgetting what I own). I also have several collapsible fabric bins that hold groupings of items (check out what’s coming up for reviews on The Desk!)

I do have a bit of a clutter problem, and strive to keep things more organized, but sometimes I just can’t put a frequently used tool away – I might not remember where I put it and then I’ll need it!

I was pleased to see that lots of the tips that are recommended to help keep butterflies organized are already things I’m doing: visual lists in easy to find places, grouping items together in “buckets”… now all I need to do is wage war on my office/craft room and get it tidied!

In feature

What’s Your Planner Style?

AnaJune 28, 2021June 28, 202131 Comments

August is the start of planner season so we thought we’d spend this week figuring out what planner style best suits you. We’ll be using the Clutterbug organizational categories to help figure out which planner style suits you.

If you’re not familiar with Clutterbug and her organizational system is quite an internet sensation. She has a a great YouTube channel, website, books and now her own organizational TV show on HGTV (Hot Mess House).

The Clutterbug organizational system is based on the idea that there is more than one way to organize your life and we here at The Desk believe the same idea applies to planners.

Stay with me here… I know this seems a little weird. You may not have ever thought about your organizational style (or even thought of yourself as being organized at all) but by playing along with us, we may be able to help you solve both your organizing and your planning system.

You might be wondering what we mean by all this. Over the last few weeks, Jesi, Jaclyn, Laura and I have been going through the Clutterbug organizational styles and it got us thinking not only about how we organize and clutter (or de-clutter) our homes. The more we talked it through, the more we realized how the Clutterbug organizational categories might also apply to planning styles.

What we have figured out over the last few weeks is that how we organize our physical objects can directly relate to how we organize our planning.

First, I recommend that you pop over and take the Clutterbug “What Clutterbug Are You?” Quiz. This will give you a jumping off point and then come back throughout the week to see our recommendations for planners and journals based on your Clutterbug style.

To give you a hint, I am a Ladybug, Jesi is a Bee and Laura is a Butterfly (Jaclyn is probably a butterfly but she’s been busy saving the world so she hasn’t taken the quiz yet). Since the three of us all ended up being different styles of organizers, we got to thinking how these styles of organizing might reflect in the type of planners that work best for us.

We lacked the perspective of a minimalist Cricket but we enlisted a friend of ours to be our token Cricket. She also likes planners so she was willing to give us her perspective.

Leave a comment and let us know which Clutterbug you are and come back this week as we run down each planner style.

In Pen Review

Vintage Find: Telescoping Dip Pen

AnaJune 25, 2021June 20, 202111 Comments

I don’t often share vintage purchases on the blog. Partly, this is because a vintage pen I purchase might be a dud (or a gem) but you, my fine reader, might have the exact opposite experience depending on the quality of the item, where you purchased it and how reputable the seller was.

I make an exception in this case because I want to introduce you to a type of pen rather than a very specific make and model. This is a telescoping dip pen. This was a traveling dip pen that was designed to retract the nib into the barrel by way of the ring around the barrel and the length could be extended by extending the rear finial.

The model I purchased had no hallmark or branding on it and the nib said “SIGNATURE 6 Made in U.S.A.” I don’t think the nib is gold but rather is probably gold tone steel. The barrel, if it was gold was only gold plate and very thinly coated. I purchased it for about $30 on ebay via an auction (not a “Buy It Now”). The nib, which I suspected was probably bent or damaged actually writes quite well. I had planned on replacing it with a Zebra G or Nikko G but the matching SIGNATURE gold nib writes well enough for me to use for ink testing purposes for the time being.

I love the detail etching on the barrel and ring. The whole pen is very delicate and pretty. It’s about the width of a standard pencil so it’s much slimmer than most fountain pens. It is comparable to a lot of the pocket dip pens I’ve collected over the years.

I would compare the nib to a European medium nib. I tested the nib with the best vintage pen ink available — Waterman Inspired Blue (my bottle just has a weird label) on and Elia Note Tomoe River A5 notebook (totally sold out).

The slide mechanism is a little stiff so I am going to apply some silicone grease and see if that helps lubricate it a bit though the internet searches I’ve done suggest I look to other grease or oils so if any of you are experts in this area, please give me some suggestions.

I just wanted a chance to introduce you to a pen style you might not have seen or considered. It’s the kind of thing that in a flea market tray or pen show display, might look like a broken pen, weird mechanical pencil or some other freaky Victorian tool but might end up being something that with a little cleaning and a couple dollars for a dip nib could become you new favorite ink testing tool.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased this item with my own money but I do reference items available from our sponsors. Help support this site by shopping with our sponsors and be sure to leave a comment in your order that you heard about them from us. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: Secret Stamp Messages

AnaJune 23, 2021June 23, 20212 Comments

Even in these unprecedented times, there are some things that remain constant like scorching heat and humidity in June in the Midwest followed by a rain storm that brings much needed relief. With this milder, warm weather everyone wants to be outside at the pool, by the grill or on the patio with a cold drink in their hands and I am no exception. It makes me envy school-age kids who are spending the summer trying to figure out how to fill their time while we adults must figure out how to carve out a few minutes of time to relax and enjoy this time.

But isn’t “carving out time” why we pursue this hobby? We evaluate planning systems to maximize our time so we can fit it all in — the work AND the play. We want our analog tools because they help us slow down, get off the computer and reflect.

I hope that all of you are able to take some time this week to enjoy your time — whether that’s sitting outside and listening to wind blow through the trees or spending an evening watching your favorite movie in the cool dark. I was reminded this week (Thanks, Anthropecene Reviewed) that we are on this earth for a mere blink of eye. We should probably enjoy it, see everything we can and embrace the best moments.

Also, we can decode some postage stamps, consider a specialty nib or nib grind, try some inks, and even watch Patrick Stewart on Sesame Street.

Until next week…

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In photo

Technicolor Tuesday: What ink matches my knitting?

Laura CameronJune 22, 2021June 21, 20215 Comments

While I’ve been working on the yoke of my new sweater (Dovetail by Quinn Reverendo) I’ve been pondering what color inks would fit into this gemstone palette:

KWZ Raspberry – Manos del Uruguay Alegria Grande in Cactus Flower
Sheaffer Green – ” in Tahiti
Diamine 150th Anniversary Blue Velvet – ” in Oceano
Robert Oster Honey Bee – ” in Turmeric
Colorverse Purple Cosmo – ” in Magenta

What do you think?

In Tools

Giveaway Winner: Yenderings Pen Roll

Laura CameronJune 21, 2021June 21, 20211 Comment

Thanks to all of you who commented on the Giveaway Post telling me about your go to pen cases! I too have cases from Nock and Rickshaw and they accompany me to many a pen show. This Yenderings case is something really special though, and I wish I had one of these. This one, however, is going to Margret:

Congratulations Margret – I hope you love it!

In Art of the Day

Pen Rests: PenQT Pen Rest from Penquisition

AnaJune 21, 2021June 20, 2021Leave a comment

I love that people in the pen community keep finding their own unique ways to add to the community. Penquisition created the new PenQT Pen Rests ($4 each plus shipping). the 3D printed pen rest is modeled after the Penquisition logo (nib with question mark) and are available in a dizzying array of colors. These pen rests are small and lightweight but provide just enough resistance to keep pens from rolling off the desk or behind your computer (which is where my Apple Pencil and/or Wacom Pen ends up with frightening frequency). I relocate my pen rest to the kitchen table, lap desk or office as neded as it slips easily into my bag or carrying case. I look so profesh!

They even made me a custom logo version just because they could. I’m sure they’d be open to suggestions or ideas for other shapes as well.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Penquisition for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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