A normal morning in the 1950s or 1960s looked very different compared to a normal morning today, and that’s mostly because of things people did that aren’t as common anymore.
The sandwich bag routine
You definitely wouldn’t throw away a perfectly good sandwich bag in the past, and that’s because many families would wash them after they were done. It was especially common when the bags had held something like a peanut butter sandwich.
Boomers would turn the bags inside out and give them a good scrub, then leave them to dry. A lot of them didn’t want to waste money on new ones. Nowadays, though, most people will either throw disposable bags away or stick to reusable containers.
The jar beside the stove
Bacon grease was far too useful to simply pour straight into the trash, and that’s why many boomers would hold onto it. They would empty the leftover fat into an old jar or metal container once they were done with it.
Then they’d use a spoonful of it when making fried potatoes, eggs, or even vegetables. It just made it all taste so much nicer. Vegetable oil and cooking sprays have taken over the modern kitchen. You’ll be lucky to find a single grease jar anymore.
The perfect fold
There was one way and one way only to make a bed. It was hospital corners. No, you didn’t simply throw the covers over the bed like most people do today. You had to tuck the sheet beneath the mattress and lift the loose fabric at the corner before folding it into a neat diagonal.
The rest of it was tucked underneath. It was especially important to fold the sheets this way because fitted sheets weren’t really a thing back then, although their invention made the whole thing much easier.
The morning dress code
It was totally normal for boomers to get told off for coming downstairs in their pajamas. Yes, for them, getting up involved a whole routine that had to take place before joining everyone for breakfast. People still have those routines today, of course.
The difference is, back then you were expected to do these routines before ever saying hello to anyone. Most people today are happy to spend their mornings in sweatpants or nightclothes, without thinking much about it.
The news with breakfast
There were no such things as cellphones when boomers were growing up, so that meant you had to get your news from the TV or newspaper. A lot of parents would read the newspaper at breakfast time, while sitting at the kitchen table.
Their kids would fight over the comic section. It’s very unlikely for people to read newspapers at all these days, and especially not at the breakfast table. You can get all the news you need from your cellphone.
The extra layer beneath everything
It wasn’t exactly easy for boomer women to get dressed, and that’s mostly because of the girdles. These were a common part of their everyday clothing, especially for boomer women wearing a fitted dress or skirt. Girdles gave them a smoother shape, after all.
Squeezing into one might’ve been difficult, yes, but it was totally worth it. Modern shapewear does exist, yet it’s nothing compared to a girdle. For starters, it’s a lot easier to get into.
The hidden garment
That’s not all for outfits. Any boomer women who wanted to wear a dress would have to check whether they had the right slip to go underneath it. A full slip was a kind of thin garment that looked a bit like a nightgown, and it was a lifesaver for a lot of boomers.
Full slips would stop dresses from being see-through, and they would also stop skirts from clinging awkwardly to stockings. There’s not really any need for slips today, though. The majority of dresses already come with linings, and a traditional full slip is something only for vintage clothing stores.
The nightly wind-up
Even waking up in the morning required a lot more preparation than it does today. Boomers had to wind their alarm clocks manually, as these mechanical clocks ran on tightly wound springs. They’d need regular attention to keep ticking.
That meant that, before bed, boomers would make sure to turn the little winding keys on the back, and then set the alarm hand correctly. You don’t need to do this anymore because most people use their phones for an alarm. Making sure to charge yours is the real problem now.
The matchbox by the stove
Whenever boomers wanted to cook, they’d usually start by striking a match instead of turning a knob. That was because a lot of older gas stoves had burners that they had to manually light. There were some with pilot lights, of course.
It’s not really a thing anymore because modern gas ranges will spark themselves into life automatically. The only time people will have matches is to light a candle these days, not to help make morning eggs.
The bedtime hair routine
Nobody thought that going to sleep with dozens of bobby pins in their hair was glamorous. But still, many boomer women did it anyway because they knew it’d be worth it the next morning. They would start by wrapping some of their hair around their fingers.
They’d then fasten each curl flat against the scalp and use setting lotion to keep everything in place. Their hair would be dry enough in the morning for them to brush into soft waves. You don’t need to bother with any of that today, however, as curling irons and heated styling tools make the process a whole lot quicker.
The ironing board beauty trick
Not every boomer wanted curly hair, and for those who didn’t, a clothes iron was the way to go. Some teenage girls would spread their hair across an ironing board while their friend would press it flat with an iron. Yes, it was as challenging as it sounds.
A lot of people are very grateful for modern hair straighteners because they’ve massively reduced the risk of ending up with a burn. There’s no need to get the ironing board out, either, so it’s way easier.
The shaving cup on the sink
We can’t forget about boomer men. They had their own routines that are mostly forgotten today. Namely, shaving using a shaving mug, brush, and a bar of soap, as cans of foam weren’t as common back then.
The whole process of shaving was a lot more challenging back then, and nothing like the ease of using an electric razor today. You can still shave manually today. But people are more likely to use aerosol shaving creams, rather than traditional shaving brushes and soaps.
The classroom safety routine
It was quite normal for school children in the 1960s to crouch beneath their desks during lessons. Not for fun, but because the threat of nuclear war was very much real. Civil defense exercises were a common part of the school day.
School children do still practice emergency procedures in American schools today, such as school shooting lockdowns. Yet the idea of preparing students for a Cold War nuclear attack is something pretty much only for boomers.
The bubbling coffee pot
No boomer home was complete without a coffee percolator, and some of the most common brands was Sunbeam. There was no finer way to make coffee. They worked by sending hot water up a tube repeatedly, and then through the coffee grounds.
This could make the drink stronger by brewing it for longer. Some homes had the stovetop versions, although those made things a little more complicated. It’s far more common to see Keurig pods and drip coffee machines today than any kind of percolator.
The powder after a diaper change
Practically every baby-changing table had baby powder back in the day, and that was because it was seen as an essential. Parents would sprinkle plenty of it on when they were changing their baby’s diapers. It’d help absorb moisture and keep their skin nice and dry.
But later, doctors began to grow worried about babies breathing in the particles, which could lead to major lung problems. A lot of pediatricians now advise parents to skip talcum powder entirely. Many of them do exactly that.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
Boomers still do these 10 things even when they don’t have to
Boomers have a funny way of turning a five-second digital task into something more like a ritual, and they’re probably not going to give up these habits anytime soon.
Boomers still do these 10 things even when they don’t have to
