You think that your iPhone is sleek? Ha! In the ’60s, the everyday items looked straight out of a sci-fi dream. Televisions were furniture items, telephones had tails attached to them, and fridges were louder than your uncle during Thanksgiving dinner. You won’t believe what the ordinary things in the past looked like—and in all sincerity, some of them were straight-up iconic.
Phones With Cords… and Attitude
You couldn’t even speak in bed – you were strapped to the wall by a curly cord like a hostage. And don’t forget the rotary dial. Calling up a friend was a finger exercise and a patience display. Miss a digit? Start all over again. Every. Time.
Fridges Were Tiny, Rounded, and Heavy AF
’60s fridges resembled pastel marshmallows—curved corners, chrome handles, and mint green or Barbie pink colors. Their chrome handles were as thick as car doors and required you to wrench them open as if you’re cracking a vault. And yes, they were roughly as energy-efficient as a bonfire.
Milk Came in Glass Bottles, Delivered to Your Door
You didn’t go to get milk. Milk was delivered in glass bottles by a milkman like some dairy-powered Santa Claus. You’d put out empty bottles and perhaps a note, and voilà—fresh milk on the door with some cream on the surface and mild fear over stolen bottles.
Hair Dryers Looked Like Sci-Fi Helmets
Blow dryers of today? Luxury. In the ’60s, you wore a bubble on your head, attached to you by tubing to a massive box that whined like a jet engine. Beauty delivered with a side of embarrassment — and possibly mild hearing loss.
Typewriters that Sounded Like Thunderstorms
Before laptops came into play, there was the resounding clack-clack-ding! of a typewriter. It was loud, weighty, and unforgiving—and the original source of writers’ rage. Backspace a sentence? You can wish. Enjoy a full white-out.
Toasters That Could Toast… and Burn Down a House
Two slices, if you were lucky enough. These chrome beasts heated bread as if prepping for combat. No timers, no sensors — you and your instincts and the ominous aroma of “too late.” Oh, and they remained hot hours later.
Vacuum Cleaners That Were Basically Small Cars
Forget your cordless stick. Vacuum cleaners in the ’60s were clunky metal bodies that trailed behind you like irate pets. Loud and massive and great at sucking your Barbie heels into oblivion. If you weren’t sore the next day, you weren’t doing it right.
Alarm Clocks That Could Scare the Soul Out of You
No soothing chimes. No dawn simulator. Just a ticking bomb that clanged with a ferocity that was more of a fire alarm than a clock. It was enough to jolt you into next week. And if you threw it onto your nightstand in a rage? That thing was built to survive.
Cameras That Needed Film and Hoped
You couldn’t preview your selfie – you waited. Perhaps even a week. ’60s cameras were bulkier and loaded with rolls of film and gave you 24 shots at most. You blinked? Too bad. You’d discover three weeks later when the prints arrived, and you looked zombie-like.
Seat Belts Were… Optional (and Basically a Suggestion)
’60s seat belts were really just a fashion accessory and not a safety device at all. Fewer than you can count on one hand wore them. Backseat kids were basically turned loose in the back row and were flying around like clothes in a washing machine. Wild times indeed.
Soda Bottles That Were Heavy Enough to Be Weapons
Before plastic ruined them all, sodas were packed in thick glass bottles with serious weight to them. You drank one and had a slightly stronger bicep. And you clinked them around in your backpack like you were carrying home treasure — which basically you were.
Washing Machines That Shook the Entire House
They were not energy-efficient. They were earthquake-inducers. You’d put the load in, and the whole house rattled like a rock concert. Don’t even try to think of washing a rug — that washer inched its way around the floor as if it had opinions of its own.
Toothpaste in Metal Tubes That Cut You Back
A finger injury and minty fresh breath? ’60s toothpaste was packaged in metal tubes that folded and split at the seams like origami paper. You rolled it up with a key, and if you squeezed it too forcefully — hello mouthful of aluminum
Eyeglasses Were Statement Pieces, Not Accessories
Glasses were never intended to “blend in.” They were thick and bold and unmistakable. Horn-rims, cat-eye frames, and colors in the form of cherry red or leopard print turned every wearer into a Bond-type villain—or a film star.
Light Switches That Clicked Like Drama
Light switches in the 60s were not motion-activated or touch-sensitive. ’60s switches clicked on with attitude. You flipped that thing with intention. And if the lights did flicker? You had a ghost or a bad wire waiting to get you.
Heaters That Looked Like Murder Machines
They were those chunky, iron heaters that resembled the set props in a horror film. They’d hiss and clang and reek of burnt metal. Accidentally touch them and you’d end up with a second-degree burn. But you stayed warm — and terrified.
Fans That Were Essentially Death Traps
No cover. No guard. Just spinning metal blades and a prayer. It was a miracle that every kid didn’t lose a finger. But hey — they were LOUD and they did the job. No oscillation required; just blasted the wind like they were mad at the room.
12 Forgotten Toys Only ’60s Kids Remember
If you are a kid of these treasures, then congratulations, you made it through the golden age of a notably perilous but absolutely awesome childhood. Buckle up, because you’re about to feel very seen (and perhaps a bit attacked).
12 Forgotten Toys Only ’60s Kids Remember
17 Essential Things That Didn’t Exist 40 Years Ago
Here we are, living in a world with all these gadgets and luxuries straight from that were pure sci-fi back then. Some of these did not even exist in the imagination. And now? You’d be sweating without them. Prepare to feel both old and wildly dependent.
17 Essential Things That Didn’t Exist 40 Years Ago