40 Things Your Parents Had in Their House That You Never See Today
AlexLMX / iStock via Getty Images 1. Popcorn popper "Shag Carpet" by Homini:) / CC BY 2.0 2. Shag carpet Jupiterimages / Pixland via Getty Images 3. Plastic couch wrap allanswart / iStock via Getty Images 4. Answering machine vladans…
The typical American home looks much different today than it did decades ago. Improved technology and shifting tastes have refined the layout, style, and storage methods in residences across the country.
24/7 Tempo reviewed decades’ worth of old photos of American home interiors from the Library of Congress and Getty Images to determine 40 things your parents had at home that you most likely never see today. (Here, for instance, are 25 modern inventions we really don’t use anymore.)
Certain items on this list have been phased out simply because they’ve fallen out of favor. Rarely if ever do younger homeowners opt for linoleum floors or for plastic covers on their couches. Likewise, certain wallpaper pattern and color choices have not been en vogue for many decades.
Many of the things on this list are simply obsolete. These items may have been upgraded significantly to the point that its replacement is no longer recognizable. Very few homes have a hand fixer, for instance, when an automated stand mixer is an option. And many items on this list have been rendered unnecessary by smartphones. (These are the hottest phones of all time.)
Click here to see 40 things your parents had at home that you never see today
Though they are no longer common, these appliances, styles, and household goods will likely bring memories flooding back for many readers who’ll recognize these items from their childhoods.
1. Popcorn popper
2. Shag carpet
3. Plastic couch wrap
4. Answering machine
5. Hand mixer
6. VCR
7. Printer
8. Linoleum floors
9. Calendar
10. China cabinet
11. Grandfather clock
12. Candy Dish
13. Record player
14. Boombox
15. Sewing machine
16. Fondue set
17. Croquet set
18. Phone book
19. Photo album
20. Water bed
21. Jewelry box
22. Cookie jar
23. Bread basket
24. Jell-O mold
25. Glass milk bottle
26. Fax machine
27. Flower wallpaper
28. Shaded lamp
29. Porcelain dolls
30. Hand-cranked ice cream maker
31. Tea kettle
32. Ash tray
33. Chafing dish
34. Canopy bed
35. Needlepoint
36. Rotary phone
37. Potpourri
38. Bаrcаloungеr
39. Hat rack
40. Alarm clock
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Grant Suneson is a senior editor at 24/7 Wall St. He was previously a digital content creator at Newsy and a reporter at NPR member station KBIA, where he contributed to their Edward R. Murrow Award-winning coverage. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism.
Grant’s work has been published and referenced in many major outlets such as MSN, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, Detroit Free Press, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Austin American-Statesman, The Tennessean, The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Indianapolis Star, The Clarion-Ledger, WSB-TV, Des Moines Register, Asbury Park Press, KMGH-TV, and many others.
