We remember doing many tasks the old-fashioned way. From preserving food harvested from the garden to manually cleaning nearly everything, there were very few efficient aids available for housework until fairly recently. Did you want canned tomatoes? Can it yourself! Did you want cherry pie? You gotta remove those pits yourself! Most young people today have never had these experiences and won’t know many of the old tools. You’re more likely to see these collecting dust in antique stores than in someone’s home because no one knows what they’re used for anymore!

10) Breadbox

Image taken at Seattle Antiques Market

Back when mom baked fresh bread most days, a bread box was necessary in order to keep it fresh (and protected from the cat!). When folks stopped baking all their bread and started buying pre-sliced in bags, we saw these become decorative items with old timey charm. They really are quite useful if you bake, though!

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