Hello Folks! Trying something a little different this time. A quick, hand-written look at my experience using the Plotter Mini5 as a wallet. Full text transcription is available below.
So. You want to use the Plotter Mini5 as a wallet.
I’ve been there. I get it. I support you fully. Before you go filling up your cart with inserts and refills, let me go over some things I’ve learned after a couple years of carrying mine around.
First things first:
What do you carry right now? A wallet with a few cards, cash, and an ID? A notebook and pen? A paper planner? Plotter makes pouches and inserts for just about everything, but the Mini5 can only hold so much.
Cards & Currency
Plotter’s card holder fits about 5 card-sized items. More if you don’t mind stretching the leather. Their Fastener Case adds a zipper pouch to the front and back of the binder, good for coins, cash, or note scraps.
Plotter’s pen holder, which also serves as a divider, holds pens roughly the size and shape of a Parker Jotter. The Band with Lifter adds an elastic closure to the binder. Plotter also offers project management folders, a ring protector, and several inserts of various formats.
It’s all too easy to slip into Accessory-Maxing territory, so caution is advised. When I started using my Mini5 as a wallet I tried just about everything. I noticed almost immediately that it was getting too bulky. It needed to be slim enough to go in and out of a front pocket, but functional as a wallet and notebook.
Here is what I ended up with.
Leather Card Case: In the beginning I made my own simple card case. It was ugly, but functional. Then Plotter released a purple leather case and I caved immediately.
Project Manager folders: They ship in a 5-pack, but I only use 1. More of a divider than tracker for me, but I like the color.
Plotter paper: Plotter’s paper is very high quality, capable of handling whatever pen I happen to have on me. I use To-Do, grid, and dot-grid refills. No trackers or calendars here. This is not a planner.
DaVinci refills: A great alternative to Plotter’s paper. Raymay’s DaVinci paper line is capable, affordable, and can be found at Yoseka Stationery.
What didn’t stick?
Ring Protector: I had this initially to protect the rings from crushing or bending, but have since shelved it to save space. I also prefer how the cover wears-in over the rings without the extra layer.
Fastener Case: I ditched the Fastener Case for similar reasons, and it was really crowding the cover’s edges.
Pen holder: This was great at keeping a pen handy, but limited by which pens actually fit. I don’t mind carrying a larger pen in my pocket, especially if it’s one I enjoy writing with.
Band with Lifter: I loved having the band to lock everything down, but it was curling the corners of the leather.
And that’s it! My humble Mini5 wallet experience. I hope this has given you a better idea of how this little binder works beyond the intended purpose. Now, dear reader. Go forth and plot!
One More Thing…
If the Mini5 will be your first Plotter, be warned: I call it the “gateway Plotter” for a reason.You will, in all likelihood, be impressed by the quality and you will want to ditch your old planner and move to a Plotter system.
Buy what you love, and love what you buy.
Disclaimer: Products mentioned in this article were purchased at full price retail price. All opinions stated are my own.
The Poor Penman 