Analogue living is trending in 2026, with people swapping streaming, scrolling and screens for DVDs, books, journals and slower, more intentional habits.
Global (14 January 2026) – Last year, we shared insights into how “Granny Hobbies” were taking over, and while those are still being pursued well into this year, something new is trending. Well, actually quite old! Analogue is coming back! And by that, we mean how people are consuming their entertainment.
We have become so digitised that the “old ways” feel so foreign. Taking a photo with a camera that has actual film inside? That isn’t just for wedding fun. Listening to vinyl has been on the up for several years now. Real-life books – love them! And don’t get me started on magazines. I have started investing in a few key publications that are filled with good reading (I am a birder, so they are mostly bird and bush-related), because my offline days are for lazing at home, while still reading and learning. Just not on my phone.
The article below highlights some of the nostalgic practices many of us grew up with, before cellphones and doom scrolling were a thing. So if you find yourself longing for simpler times, maybe adopting one of these “old-school” ideals, or as it’s now being called, analogue living, should be on your 2026 to-do.
Don’t Forget to Rewind
A growing trend online is seeing people cancel their streaming services, and heading out to second-hand and thrift stores to purchase DVD and VCR players so they can buy their favourite movies and series on disk and tape format to share with their families, or just to indulge in nostalgia.
It’s still screentime, yes, but there are no algorithms involved, just what you truly love to watch when you decide.
I did the maths in December on how much we spend on streaming services, and the amount actually shocked me. What made it worse is that in our home, whenever we feel like there is nothing to watch (which happens often), we revert to our old favourites like House (which we just finished for a third time), Gilmore Girls, Friends, and movies, like rewatching Harry Potter for the millionth time; we watch more 80s and 90s movies than we do new releases. All of these are available in DVD format… So it has me thinking, maybe we choose one or two services and go back to DVDs instead? Maybe if we want a new movie, we can make a date of it and actually go to the movies?
If you are keen to look into this, local charity shops have mountains of DVDs and VHS tapes they cannot shift, with many selling for as little as R5. I am definitely adding a few to my basket next time I go thrifting. How about you?
Bring The Bookworms Back
I am also here for paperback comebacks. While I love having my library with me while I am on the go, lying in bed with soft lighting, reading a real-life book is the ultimate splurge. Plus, it reduces screentime. If I am reading on my phone and a message pops up, 9 times out of 10, I go check it (unless the book is really, really great, then I ain’t checking anything – just one more chapter lol). Your paperback won’t share your WhatsApp messages while you are flipping the pages.
Another big win is finding your local library, signing up and checking out a book. Did you know all the Only Good Things books are at the National Library of South Africa (NLSA)? I think that is pretty damn cool! I will be sure to tell you about it sometime, promise!
But the real comeback for me has been thifting cookbooks. I deleted my Pinterest, which used to be a go-to for recipes, after I realised most of the recipes I had saved were AI-generated (we see you grilled [insert protein here] with broccoli and garlicky cream sauce). I thrifted 3 new (and I mean, never even cracked open) cookbooks. The only thing missing from one of them was the front page, where someone had obviously written a personal message. I have been cooking some delightful meals from them.
Cookbooks are more than just a kitchen aesthetic; they actually have some great inspiration in them, and going back to that instead of scanning the beige offerings of Pinterest has reignited my love for cooking. My meal plans are far more exciting now and surprisingly budget-friendly (we can thank Jamie Oliver for that!).
Dear Diary
While I may be a writer, my handwriting is horriffic and learning to slow down and actually write legibly has become a goal for 2026. I am sure that in one of my school reports, there was a note a teacher made saying exactly that. Well, after two decades… I am listening.
Journaling has long been touted as a great tool for mental wellness, and while I have always been a list gal, actually writing my thoughts on paper is new.
I saw a man at the park the other day, sitting alone on a bench, gazing out at the trees every now and then while scribbling away in his journal. I actually felt envy, like real green envy because of a man sitting on a bench, writing. And then I corrected myself because I have free will and there is absolutely nothing stopping me from sitting on a park bench writing in a journal.
So I bought a journal. I have not quite decided what to write just yet. So far, I have just made more lists. It’s a start, I guess.
The Latest Luxury, Going Slow
It’s all rush here, rush there. Do this quickly, go, go, go! Not anymore, life, not anymore!
What all of these analogue habits have in common is intention.
You choose the DVD instead of scrolling endlessly for something “new”. You pick up a cookbook instead of being fed the same recycled recipe in a different font. You write in a journal instead of shouting your thoughts into the digital void. None of it is about rejecting technology completely. It’s about deciding when and how it gets to be in your life.
There’s also something deeply comforting about objects that don’t update, refresh, vibrate, or need charging. A book doesn’t rush you. A DVD doesn’t judge how long you paused it or if you have been watching too long, asking if you are really still watching… (eyeroll)! A notebook doesn’t care if your thoughts are messy (noted).
And maybe that’s why analogue feels so good right now. In a world that constantly asks for more, these habits ask very little.
So if 2026 is the year you’re craving less noise and more meaning, maybe the answer isn’t a new app or subscription. Maybe it’s an R5 DVD, a second-hand cookbook, or a blank notebook waiting to be filled. Sometimes, moving forward looks a lot like rewinding.
Sources: GTG
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