Alex Buscemi
Some things really do feel like they were from another dimension—and by “another dimension,” we mean your parents’ garage.
This collection rounds up relics from a time before phones were smart and TVs needed antennas.
Maybe you’ve heard your parents mention one of these odd little gadgets or spotted something similar collecting dust in a thrift store.
Either way, they’re the kind of old school things that make you go, “Wait… what even is that?”
From clunky machines with mysterious knobs to forgotten household staples that somehow required more steps to use than today’s tax software, these nostalgic posts are a low-key time machine to a weirder, slower, and more analog world.
1. Spirograph Was Something I Could Play With For Hours
2. Sometimes The Best Ideas Don’t Need To Change
3. The Frigidaire Flair Range By General Motors In Aqua With Matching Fridge
4. I Suddenly Feel The Need To Practice My Printing
5. This Was The Jungle Gym We Had At My Elementary School
6. In The Products We Don’t Use Much Anymore Category, Gummed Reinforcements To Fix Ripped Holes In Notebook Paper
7. 1975 Chrysler Imperial Front Seat. When Cars Came With A Living Room Couch
8. The Pokey Little Puppy Golden Book A Childhood Staple
9. Pull Down Maps Used To Be In All The Classrooms
10. Teeter Totters Were Great Until Your Friend Jumped Off And You Slammed Your Rear Into The Ground
11. Just A Basic Tricycle, But It Brings Back Memories!
12. Tupperware 2 Quart Drink Container, I Know My Grandma Always Had One In The Fridge
13. Chinese Checkers Were A Weekend Favorite
14. Scholl Exercise Sandals. They Always Hurt My Feet But I Know A Lot Of Ladies Loved Them
15. I Had No Idea There Were So Many Different Types Of 45 Record Adapters
16. We Had The Exact Ice Cube As The One On Top. You Had To Be A Body Builder To Crack It Open If It Was Really Full
17. Easy Bake Oven. One Of The Toys I Wanted So Badly But Never Got As A Kid
18. 1930sapartment Size Jadeite Enamel Kitchen Electric Stove And Oven
19. The Lunch Counter At Woolworths
20. Frosted Bar Glasses With Gold Accents
21. Until I Found This Picture, I Didn’t Realize Other People Had The Same Measuring Spoon Set That I Grew Up With
22. Back When Fast Food Places Had Ashtrays
23. Clairol Herbal Essence Shampoo. This Was Some Of The Best Smelling Stuff!
24. These Made Eating Corn On The Cob Even More Fun
25. If You Had A Crock Pot Back In The 70s, It Was Very Likely This Rival In Avocado Green
26. Trouble I Can Still Feel What It Was Like Pushing Down The Dice Dome
27. We Had A Dustpan Like This. It Fit On The End Of The Broom
28. Mousetrap! I Loved Playing This!
29. Diving Lady Neon Sign For The Starlite Motel Mesa Az. I Imagine This Must Have Looked Cool Lit Up At Night
30. Play Wigs. I Always Wondered What They Looked Like On, And Then I Found These Little Girls Wearing Them
31. Did Anyone Ever Live A House With These Antique Light Switches?
32. Mastermind
33. The Barbie Camper That Used To Take Road Trips In The Backyard
34. Green Stamps And The Machine That Spit Them Out
35. An Amc Gremlin Was A Prize On The Price Is Right In 1974
36. 1976 Saturday Morning TV Guide
37. Late 1970s Grocery Store Checkout With The “Scan Master”. Nothing But Brown Paper Bags
38. My Mom Was Not A Fan Of Me Stomping Around The House On These
39. Mister Merry’s Play Lighter. Perfect Of Baby’s First Cigarette!
40. Gentlemen. Are You Going Out Tonight? Jcpenney Has Just The Fashions To Attract Those Ladies You Are Wanting To Impress And Don’t Forget To Top It Off With A Jaunty, Single Feather Hat
