Devin Jacobs
Every object tells a story, but some don’t belong in your living room forever. Once symbols of comfort and convenience, the items in question now feel outdated. Homes evolve, and so should the things inside them. These ten household staples have lingered long past their expiration date, and it may be time to rethink their role in your home.
China Cabinets
By the early 2000s, formal dining furniture like china cabinets had fallen out of favor. Previously used to display family heirlooms and wedding china, those bulky wood showcases have lost their purpose. Now, they block light, gather dust, and take up space that could be put to better use.
Rolodexes
Packed with business cards and contacts, the Rolodex was once a staple on every boomer’s desk. But why keep a spinning directory when your phone stores 1,000 numbers in seconds? Still, some people just can’t let go of this old-school tool.
Harvest Gold Appliances
Mid-century kitchens once revolved around harvest gold appliances that dominated until stainless steel took over in the 1990s. The fridges and gold ovens now stand out like disco balls at a minimalist party. They cooked dinner back then, but now they just catch your eye.
Electric Can Openers
Electric can openers emerged as a groundbreaking convenience in the 1950s and reached peak popularity by the 1980s. Such bulky devices often break or take up unnecessary space. Manual models now offer a quieter and more efficient alternative which proves convenience has evolved, even if the gadget drawer hasn’t.
Floral Fabric Recliners
Massive recliners in floral upholstery once ruled living rooms like upholstered thrones. Built for comfort rather than style, they frequently clashed with the rest of the room’s furnishings. As interior trends lean sleek and neutral, these floral giants now feel more like “grandma’s garden” than a modern sanctuary.
TVs With Built-In VCRs
Nothing screamed tech-savvy in 1995 like a combo TV-VCR unit. Unfortunately, the VCR stopped being manufactured in 2016. Now, the bulky relics serve as expensive paperweights – too big to move, too broken to fix, too outdated to matter. Once essential, now just another obsolete gadget collecting dust.
Wall Calendars
Some homes still display calendars in the kitchen and hallway. Why? Old habits are hard to break. While smartphones provide instant access to dates and reminders, wall calendars rarely get flipped after April anyway – making them more of a decoration than a planner.
Magazine Racks
Stacks of Reader’s Digest and Better Homes sit in baskets beside recliners – rarely read, but still oddly cherished. These racks were once the Netflix queue of print media. Now, they overflow with yellowing pages no one rereads. Maybe it’s time to recycle the past, quite literally.
Plastic Couch Covers
Crackling like a bag of chips every time someone sits, plastic couch covers formerly symbolized protective pride. Popular in boomer households through the ’60s and ’70s, they trapped sweat in summer and cold in winter. Today, they preserve furniture and repel guests in equal measure.
Telephone Tables
Tiny tables built solely for landlines and notepads were household staples in the 1950s. You’d sit, chat, and scribble down Aunt Ruth’s recipe. But cell phones eliminated the ritual, and such tables now serve no purpose beyond tripping unsuspecting toes. Nostalgia doesn’t always earn square footage.