Remember some things around your house if you grew up in the 80s. It was a time when children survived without cellphones, the internet, and a place where only one TV per household. There were no luxuries like we have today, which means those in the 80s had to make do with what they had—a different life to what we have now.
Answering Machine
It would be uncommon for you to find a landline in a household today, but in the 80s, they were the only form of communication for most families. An answering machine is like a voicemail. If someone rang your home phone and you weren’t home, you would be left with the droning noise of an answering engine where you could leave a message. If you had too many messages left on your machine, you would no longer be able to receive them.
Encyclopedia Set
Due to the fact the internet wasn’t a thing back in the 80s, libraries and books were the most common ways of gaining knowledge. In most households, there would be an encyclopedia set full of facts and knowledge on all subjects. The only problem with these was that they became outdated as soon as they were printed, which meant that the ever-changing information would no longer be relevant.
Slide Projector
We have a tiny computer daily, meaning taking photos is easy. All you have to do is find the camera app and press one button. However, back in the 80s, you had to develop your pictures, and it could take over a week to deliver them to your home. Most people would get their photos turned into slides so they could show everyone what they’d done. It’s basically a very old-fashioned Instagram in real life.
Popcorn Ceiling
You couldn’t walk into an 80s home without seeing the popcorn ceiling. This was a popular texture and was a staple in most homes. It would make a plain ceiling look a bit more interesting. However, despite this, homes have now gone plain again, and if you have a popcorn ceiling, it’s classed as outdated and unwanted.
Electric Popcorn Popper
When microwavable popcorn first came out, it didn’t taste nice, so that many people would invest in an electric popcorn popper. It would give off less burnt kernels than a microwave, which meant you could make more giant bowls of popcorn for movie night.
Electric Typewriter
Most 80s houses would have an original manual typewriter in their home. It was a way in which children could write their assignments, and even though you couldn’t erase mistakes as you can on a modern laptop, they were wonderfully appeasing and a household staple.
Wall Phone
Before cell phones became the most popular item on the planet, families had to share one phone, and most of the time, this phone was attached to the wall and had a small wire. This means you wouldn’t be able to have much of a private call, especially if you had a more prominent family.
Juicer
These aren’t the type of fancy juicers you get these days, but they are ones you would have to do yourself. You would get the fruit you wanted to make into juice, and you would have to turn your pulp into compost. It was a manual process, and anyone who grew up in the 80s knows precisely the amount of effort that would have to go into it. However, a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice was a staple of love and dedication.
Boombox
You may have heard of a Walkman, which was popular in the 80s, but if you wanted to listen to your music loud, then a boombox was required. These were used often during family gatherings or parties in the street with your neighbors. Everyone could choose and listen to their favorite songs, and it was a time well spent.
Mirrors
We’re not exactly sure why floor-to-ceiling mirrors were popular, but you couldn’t walk into an ’80s home without seeing at least one. People just loved to have the wall-to-wall reflective surfaces. We think maybe it was to make a small room look bigger, but this didn’t stop some families from having floor-to-ceiling mirrors in most rooms of their homes.
Tupperware
Even though these are still used, Tupperware boxes were trendy in the 80s. Most households had a few Tupperware boxes of all shapes and sizes, and most would be taken to parties full of snacks and goodies.
Cabbage Patch Kids
It was unlikely if children of the 80s didn’t have at least one cabbage patch kid. If one child had one and the other didn’t, it would usually cause a few rifts. They smelled like baby powder and were the most popular toy of the decade.
Mini blinds
Curtains weren’t the only thing that would block the windows in the 80s, and they came into fashion very quickly. However, most blinds would be destroyed by cats or children.
Trivial Pursuit
This game is still a family favorite in many homes, but in the 80s, it was necessary to play it at least once a month. Most of the time, these games would miss wedges and well-worn cards because they were played so much.
Massive Television
TVs are becoming thinner and thinner, and sometimes, it’s hard to process how all the wiring will fit behind it. However, in the 80s, TVs were huge, not in inches; they all had massive backs hanging off them. They would take up a lot of space, and they usually didn’t have remotes with them, which made watching TV a little bit frustrating.
Metal Lunch Boxes
There were no fabric or plastic lunch boxes in the 80s like you would find now. Lunch Boxes were all made of metal, but despite the taste they would leave on the food, the boxes would have all of your children’s favorite characters on them like they do today. Most would also come with a matching thermos, and showing their friends was a significant part of a child’s lunchtime routine.
Atari
In the 80s, this was the best thing since sliced bread. It was the beginning of home gaming systems, and every child was hooked. However, it didn’t have the outstanding graphics that gamers see today.
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