Address Books are traditionally a notebook for storing contact names, addresses and phone numbers. Address books have changed with the time and instead of “Fax Number” we are seeing entries like “twitter” “@” “email” or “Website”. I love my paper address books and still use my regularly even though HOW I use my address book has changed over the years as well.

When I first started writing this blog I was a nomad moving every 6 months, a lot of my friends did the same so I needed a solution for constantly changing address (while still keeping a paper copy). At the time I wrote about the so-called Everlasting Address Book from Padblocks which contained preprinted address stickers for neatly updating contact details. This of course can easily be DIY’d with your own stickers or labels (or even frixion pens) but I thought it was a great way of keeping the address book tidy.

My favourite paper bound address books include: Paperblanks Slimline Address Book and the Moleskine Volant Address Book (pocket). But more recently I have been frustrated by bound address notebooks when trying to keep my contacts in a nice alphabetical order.

Now I have two address books.

The first forms part of my birthday/special occasions and cards binder. This contains the address for those people I still physically write letters or cards to. Naturally my card binder where I keep my spare cards is the best place for this address book (and birthdays – but more on Birthdays tomorrow). The contacts are mainly family and close friends.

The second is for all the rest of my contacts (and business cards) – friends, colleagues, people I meet at events etc. I use a filofax and not a bound notebook. A Binder Insert System allows you to swap and change, update and reorder your pages in any way you like. I like to print my own and top up when I need them but I use a range of inserts depending on my needs including:

• Address Book Filofax
• 21st Century Addresses and Web Identity Inserts from Philofaxy
• Maude Made Inserts (for some colour)
• Contacts Sheets  from Printed Portal.

Other alternatives include Organised Mum (Pick n Mix Pack) – Personal Address Book (which includes smartly designed ‘family’ inserts) but I have not personally used these yet – but they are on my wishlist.

Thank you for joining us for the first day of the challenge. Share in the comments your favourite address book online, offline, or paper-based.