for the love of a calendar
I love a new year, a fresh start, and best of all — a brand new weekly desk calendar. For a design geek like myself, it can't be just any calendar. Here's what works for me: 1) it needs to have one week per spread 2) it needs to lie flat when open, spiral-bound works best 3) each week must be divided into days, with ample space for writing in appointments, birthdays, etc 4) it can't be larger than 6" x 9" since it sits open on my desk all year long, and 5) it needs to look good.
After years of buying all different kinds of calendars, I finally found the calendar of my dreams back in 2001. On my way home from work, I stumbled into the Ordning + Reda store on the Upper East Side and there it was...
The Ordning + Reda cloth diary. It was the perfect size. It came in an array of colors. It had the perfect amount of space between the lines for my tiny handwriting. The paper felt nice. It was beautifully designed (I love those little red numbers). And it was Swedish (everyone knows Sweden is the land of all things beautiful and well designed).
For the next few years, all was well. I developed a little system with my calendars. Birthdays and anniversaries were written at the bottom of the page in red, appointments and other to do lists were written in black. In 2002, I got married. And JR started giving me a calendar for Christmas, a different color each year.
And then a horrible thing happened. Ordning + Reda closed their US stores! But we were not deterred. In 2003 I found one at the Swedish import store in midtown, but they stopped carrying them soon after. Then JR found them at the Bodum store in the meatpacking district, and for the next few years I always found one waiting for me under the Christmas tree. But last year the Bodum store stopped carrying them, and as far as we know, they aren't available in the US anymore. Last year I protested and didn't have a desk calendar at all. But I miss it.
I've considered a few options, (like this, or this, or this, or this) and this year I decided to go with the Kate Spade weekly calendar. It meets all of my requirements (even if the lines are a bit too widely spaced for my writing) and though I don't love it the way I love my old calendars... it'll work.
Now does anyone have a connection in Sweden who can hook me up for 2010?
01.2.2009
Reader Comments (29)
I see you have gotten mails from people in Sweden, so it all probably worked out, if not, let me know and I can get it for you. I live in Norway and we have the stores here also. Know about the obsession with kalendars, so I understand the need to have one.
Love your blog - found it today.
Kristel
B,
How funny. I just bought my 2009 and chose the Ordning + Reda ....L E A T H E R day planner. A good friend is the AD for Bodum so I can ask him what's up with the US.
J
Hi Brooke!
Stumbling upon your UH-MAZING blog just a few minutes ago, I've been sitting glued to my computer and bookmarked more posts from you than I have this entire week (and I bookmark a LOT).
Naturally, when you requested a swedish reader's assistance for 2010 I couldn't help but reaching out. I see that a few of my fellow Swedes already contacted you, but now you have my email and if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask!
Now, I'll go back reading your older posts and picking my jaw up from the floor over how creative you are!
=)
Hi
I was happy to read your blog and all the comments
My name is Anthony and I actually own 2 Ordning and Reda stores in Stockholm and I would be so happy to help you with your calender needs
Just take a look on the web site for the new 2010 calenders (from August09) and e mail me with what you want and I will arrange to send them to you
Our most exotic diairy destination so far has been Zimbabwe!!!! :)
Hi Brooke-
I have had those calendars for over 10 years and have been ordering them from the London store for the past few years! Don't settle for any others, these are the best and the London ones are in English! Contact the web site or try this email: guildford@ordning-reda.com. Good luck!
I can't believe that I came into this post. I landed in your blog using StumbleUpon and I think it has been one of the best links that it has recommended me. I had the same Ordning + Reda issue when Bodum closed the MeatPacking store. After that I would contact any friend who was traveling to Europe for Christmas and ask them for the calendar...
Once you start visualizing your week in the vertical format its so hard to change... This year I decided to make a change and bought a Moleskine vertical weekly planner and it has been quite good... Heres the link in case you want to try it next year! http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_id,8795/
:)
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