You’ll find these 11 things in almost every boomer home

Walk into a Boomer home and remember when things were built to last a lifetime.

The recliner spot

There was typically one oversized recliner in the living room angled just right in front of the TV.

Years of wear and tear molded the chair to fit one person better than the rest.

Beside it, there normally stood a small table with coasters, a stack of remotes, and one pair of reading glasses.

Appliances from the 80’s

Someone you know probably still has a perfectly functioning mixer from the 80s.

Old appliances seemed so much sturdier than the ones everyone replaces after a few years.

It’s quite possible some are now older than the folks who actually use them.

Central vacuum wall inlets

If you have an older house, each room probably has a curious looking plastic flap tucked into the bottom of the wall near the baseboards.

Those used to feed giant built-in vacuum units hidden in the garage or basement. You had to plug in an industrial sized hose directly into the wall just to vacuum your floors. 

Thankfully, lightweight cordless vacuums have replaced these dinosaurs, but the wall flap stays as a testament to days of vintage indulgence.

The formal living room

You know that spare room right by the door, the one that’s always so untouched. It’s that room where the carpet’s always crumb-free and the pillows sit perfectly.

It’s designed for visitors, yet when guests arrive, everyone inevitably gathers in the kitchen.

The oak dining table

Long before IKEA furniture was a thing, you’d find families commonly meeting up at a sizable oak dining table.

The beast rarely moved.

A spare table leaf was stored in the back of a closet for emergencies like Thanksgiving dinners that occurred twice a year.

A thick cover would be thrown over it to prevent the surface from aging too fast.

Wall-to-wall carpeting

We know, wall-to-wall carpeting in the bathroom is controversial in this day and age.

But there are still plenty of homes with soft carpet in the master bathroom (or finished basement). Remember when floor softness was the goal?

Back then, bathroom carpeting was a real status symbol, with the plushest rugs often vacuumed into sharp, neat lines.

Souvenir spoons and plates

Most Boomers have a few souvenir spoons or decorative plates either out on display or stashed away in a drawer.

These are just trinkets, really, meant to jog your memory of holidays, weddings, or other family happenings rather than for any practical use.

With time, they transform into dusty mementos rather than practical tools.

The linen closet

This closet is stacked up to the ceiling with more towels and bedsheets than your local Motel 6, folded with military exactness.

Distinct groups, like “dog towels,” “beach towels,” and “good guest sheets,” are color-coded.

This closet reflects a generational tendency to want to be prepared for any guest or minor household disaster at a moment’s notice.

Shatterproof Corelle plates

Rather than clunky ceramic, most retro kitchens are known for having super thin glass plates with outdated green or gold flower designs. 

These plates are known everywhere to be unbreakable because they often bounce off the floor without cracking. 

Because they’re so compact, you can fit an impressive number of them into your cabinets. And even forty years of dishwashing haven’t managed to dull the pattern one bit, keeping them in daily use.

The wooden magazine rack

In the days before phones, bathroom reading required a tiny slab of wood furniture of its own.

Those dusty old oak or rattan magazine baskets remain next to couches and bathroom cabinets in many older homes.

Most folks don’t even skim magazines these days, but the racks stay put just because no one ever bothered to toss them out.

Tufted vinyl bar stools

Should you walk into a Boomer house with a basement bar, or high kitchen counter, chances are it’s lined with bulky swivel stools upholstered in thick vinyl.

These chairs are unbelievably sturdy. You cannot tear them. They have shiny chrome bases with a line of brass tacks.

They bear no resemblance to streamlined, contemporary furniture, but they’ve outlasted generations of family get-togethers.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.