Every few years, there is a resurgence of vintage-inspired trends. The bell-bottoms from the 70s came back into our lives at the end of the millennium. If you peak through clothes stores right now, wouldn’t you believe it, but the flare is back! Walk into a stationery store and you’ll see orange and pink floral patterns that look just like that famous mattress cover from the 80s. You know the one! Every South African family had at least one. It certainly seems that vintage is experiencing a renaissance. 

Maybe we’re all reaching for the good-old-days? Maybe we have just realised that, sometimes, going forward doesn’t mean letting go of what worked in the past. Regardless, these basic home items from days gone by can still add value to modern households. 

Revamped Birthday Calendar 

You know exactly the one we’re talking about. The long, narrow ring-bound birthday and celebration calendar that your mom had hanging behind the bathroom door, that was easily visible from the loo.  

Bathrooms have become the new phone booths, so why not double up and make the most of your time in there? What better place to check up on who is celebrating what this week, and send off a quick congratulatory message?  

Trust us – no one will ever suspect it’s a loo message, and you’ll look like the most organised friend on the group chat! 

There are some lovely, updated versions of this type of calendar available with aesthetically pleasing and minimalist designs. Find one you like, fill it in, and hang it up…and remember to update it as your social circle increases due to your new magical date-remembering skills! 

Vintage Telephone Table 

This little table can have a double benefit. First of all, it’s a handy place for you to put your keys, cell phone and wallet when you get home, so you can find them all easily tomorrow morning.  

But! It can also be so much more! 

If you can get your hands on one of these old-fashioned tables (Most second-hand stores usually have one standing around), you can easily convert it into an extremely useful piece of furniture.  

Set up a charging station for everyone in the household’s phones and try to leave them there, at least for a couple of hours each day. This can help create a calmer, more un-plugged home life, especially for teenagers.  

Safety Station

This can also be a good spot to have a wide array of sanitizing solutions for you and your personal items. Phones, keys and wallets are notoriously germ-laden whether it’s an international pandemic or not. Regularly and properly sanitizing these items will benefit you in the long run.  

Combine your telephone table with a dedicated shoe rack or shoe stand, and you’ve got the makings of a very organised entrance hall! 

Wearing shoes indoors is a strange concept that most cultures don’t embrace at all. Eastern cultures in particular as well as the majority of northern European countries frown upon wearing your shoes indoors for various reasons. The benefits of not tracking in germs, dust and mud from outdoors can’t be denied. Get your family into the habit of taking off their shoes and placing them neatly on a rack or stand by whatever door you use most. 

Once you start adhering to the no-shoes-inside rule, it will feel strange to walk with your outdoor shoes on your rugs and carpets. A shoe rack or stand will make a difference to your home’s general levels of cleanliness and hygiene. 

Sodastream 

Can you believe that Sodastream is still trending? The unit design and even the flavour options have been updating all this time. 

A Sodastream can be a blessing to any household and carries through the good vibes all the way to the planet and environment.  

Most cities and towns in South Africa still have perfectly fine and drinkable water running through their taps, and many homeowners also have their own water filtration systems in place. Therefore, there really is no need for you to keep on buying plastic bottles of sparkling water or even fizzy cold drinks every week. Reduce your plastic footprint and start carbonating your own drinks in the comfort of your own home.  

An added bonus is that with a carbonator at home, you’ll never run out of mixer for your G&T again! 

Vintage Wire Outdoor Set 

These vintage outdoor sets are becoming sought after on all second-hand platforms. We are moving away from cheap materials that fade, crack and petrify. No more wood-look polyethylene wicker or those awful white or green plastic chairs that break out from under your guests. 

It’s more than likely that the old, white wire mesh set that your parents have owned for 40 years is still as sturdy as the day they purchased it. 

Don’t fret, however. If you want the durability of a wire set without the vintage vibes, there are many newer designs for you to consider. 

Just like the set in your ouma’s garden, this set will last until your grandchildren start clambering all over them. 

Join the Vintage Renaissance 

We’d love to hear more ideas of how old school cool is making its way into your life. Why not share your repurposed or vintage-inspired home aids with us? Remember to tag #homemakerssa on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. 

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