Top 14+ Things Your Parents Had in Their House That Are Rare Today

As the years go by, more and more of our favorite gadgets and gear are rendered obsolete. For a quick blast to the past, check out this list of 14 things your parents used to have in their house — but you’d almost never see now.

Rotary Dial Telephones

Remember when making a call meant spinning that rotary dial for each number? In today’s world of instant touchscreens, these old-school phones are like museum pieces. That distinctive ring and the patience it took to dial – it’s stuff from a time capsule. It’s hard to imagine now, waiting for the dial to slowly return for the next number.

Encyclopedias

Before Google, every household had its own set of encyclopedias. Those heavy tomes were our go-to for homework help and random trivia. It’s kind of funny to think about lugging out a huge book just to answer a question, now that we have all the answers in our pockets.

Console Televisions

Those massive console TVs were like the centerpiece of every living room back in the day. Now, with sleek flat screens on our walls, the idea of a TV that’s also a piece of furniture, complete with dials and a built-in radio, seems pretty wild.

Record Players

Record players, with their warm vinyl sound, were once the heart of home music. They’ve made a bit of a comeback, but let’s be real, they’re nowhere near as common as they used to be. It’s a bit nostalgic, thinking about flipping records and adjusting the needle.

Slide Projectors

Slide projectors were the way to share vacation photos before Instagram. It’s hard to believe now that we used to gather around, watching slides click by in a darkened room, when today we just swipe through photos on our phones.

Landline Phones

It’s getting rarer to see a landline phone in someone’s house these days. Why have a phone tied to one spot when your mobile goes everywhere with you? It’s a shift that’s left those old home phones gathering dust in many homes.

Phone Books

Phone books were once a necessity, a thick tome full of every number you could need. Today, the idea of flipping through pages to find a number, instead of just searching online, seems almost quaint.

Clotheslines

The image of laundry swaying in the backyard breeze is less common now. Tumble dryers have mostly taken over, but there was something uniquely satisfying about pinning clothes up in the fresh air.

Floppy Disks

Floppy disks were the go-to for storing and transferring data. Now, with cloud storage and USB drives, those iconic square disks seem like relics from another era. It’s a tech transformation that’s happened so fast, it’s almost hard to keep up.

VCRs and VHS Tapes

Let’s be honest, VCRs and VHS tapes are practically ancient history now. Remember the hassle of rewinding tapes and the frustration when they got chewed up? Ironically, with all the streaming services today, those problems are a distant memory. It’s odd to think that we used to actually wait for a tape to rewind or sit through those grainy images.

Film Cameras

Film cameras, with their charm of waiting for photos to develop, are a rare breed these days. Nowadays, the idea of not seeing your photo instantly is almost unthinkable. Admittedly, there was something special about the anticipation and surprise of seeing how your shots turned out. But honestly, the convenience of digital cameras and smartphones has pretty much made this a nostalgic memory.

Fax Machines

Fax machines were once a big deal in home offices. But now? They’re virtually extinct. Frankly, it’s easier to send an email than to feed a document through a machine and wait for that screeching transmission sound. It’s surprising how quickly technology that was once cutting-edge can become obsolete.

Cassette Tapes

Cassette tapes and the ritual of rewinding to find your favorite song have been swept aside in the digital age. Undoubtedly, there’s a bit of nostalgia for mixtapes and the distinct sound quality of cassettes, but let’s face it, streaming music is just so much more convenient. It’s odd to think that something once so integral to our music experience is now just a symbol of a bygone era.

Typewriters

Typewriters in today’s world of high-speed technology seem almost like a quaint novelty. The clatter of the keys and the bell at the end of each line are sounds from another time. Surprisingly, there’s still a charm to them, a reminder of a slower-paced era in writing and communication, but practically, they’ve been left far behind.