Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Genius inventions we no longer use

353 replies

Grumpypants78 · 01/09/2022 08:41

Inspired by a chat with a friend after struggling back from the corner shop yet again with the mountains of stuff my family can't survive without. My gran in the 70s used to have a little shopping trolley on wheels she'd take with her. You never see them anymore but what a brilliant idea. They sell them in Amazon, I'm going to buy one and be like my gran only without the curlers and housecoat 🤣
What else do you remember your DPs/DGPs use I can be inspired to invest in?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Nat6999 · 01/09/2022 14:34

Those little mousses you could get from the freezer shop came in little plastic pots. An actual freezer shop, only sold frozen food, places like Bejam.

bingotime · 01/09/2022 14:37

Robinkitty · 01/09/2022 10:55

Adding to the shopping trolley love, I have one that folds up into a thin bag. I can take it in my work bag with me and then stop off at the supermarket on the way home. A few seconds to unzip and pop up the wheels and I’m good to go! I don’t know what I’d do without it and have had the same one for years. I can fit about £60 worth of food in it but can only carry about £20 worth.

Where did you buy it

bingotime · 01/09/2022 14:45

MercurialMonday · 01/09/2022 13:39

We had a orange rabbit mould in house I grew up in and it turned out so did DH. DH found one in a charity shop and found some old style blancmange in packets.

Blancmange was more faff than angles delight but apparently better for packed lunches for a while - the mould was bloody awful never came out in one piece - which is what I remember about my childhood as well.

He sounds like a lovely light hearted person to be around. I'm jealous!

bingotime · 01/09/2022 14:45

Sunnyqueen · 01/09/2022 13:52

How do people not have feather dusters?? How do you get rid of cobwebs? I have 2 currently from b n m, but you get them in pound land, pounds teether etc too

I use the vacuum hose.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 01/09/2022 14:48

MoltenLasagne · 01/09/2022 14:13

I was about to say the removable cuffs and collars which sound ingenious for small boys in particular. Would the shirt not get a bit smelly for adult men though?

Show quote history

You could still change the shirt regularly.

They just don't need to be washed/replaced on the same schedule. Often shirts get threadbare cuffs or a stained collar while the rest of the shirt is in good condition.

Snowiscold · 01/09/2022 14:59

BuildersTeaMaker · 01/09/2022 11:30

They’re every where if you live in non posh places as people don’t have cars to run 10 mins to supermarket . If you walk to shops or take a bus it’s a no brainer.

Even in my posh ish area you see them lads, but mostly during the day as the pensioners are out in force using their free bus passes and saving the planet.

Show quote history

I’m in an expensive area and they are common here amongst all ages. In fact, the posher versions are considered stylish, as well as practical, so lots of young people have them. It’s a bit like why would you not have a wheeled suitcase and instead rather carry a suitcase yourself by the handles? Back in the day, it was thought wheeled suitcases wouldn’t catch on, because men wouldn’t want them (they need to show their manly strength) and women wouldn’t need them (because they don’t travel anywhere by themselves/ without a man).

SpinningFloppa · 01/09/2022 15:03

People do have them where I am but only elderly people despite the fact mn claims load of 20 year olds use them I’ve never seen anyone under about 60 with one

SpinningFloppa · 01/09/2022 15:05

And btw wasn’t saying 60 was elderly before anyone has a go was simply pointing out it’s usually elderly people and 60 is about the youngest I’ve ever seen

amicissimma · 01/09/2022 15:15

The washing dolly. Much less faff for handwashing than kneading the clothes by hand.

Horlicks mixer. Froths milk perfectly.

The detachable cuffs and collars were a Godsend in the days when everybody smoked everywhere and shirt collars and cuffs literally turned black in a day (I was 'allowed' to scrub them for Mum).

I have years of mangling experience and the knack with buttons was to spot them before they went through and make sure they were fed through flat so they didn't break.

I still have a spin dryer - gets loads of water out of wash even though it's been spun in the machine. I think the horizontal spin rather than the vertical one is much more efficient.

I also have a suspended airer. Perfect for drying well-spun clothes in the warmer air above the ceiling.

Lucky13TXUSA · 01/09/2022 15:18

I have nothing but memories of my Nan using a trolley (rolling cart) when we would go to the Norwich Market. Even when she lived in the States she used one (especially since she lived in Manhattan and didn't drive) but honestly many many moons later...my now 12yo is RIDICULOUSLY embarrassed when we go to the open market and I use one so he INSISTS on us each carrying a backpack to hold everything 🙄. Amazon has many alternate options to my Nan's trolley but I prefer the old tried and true and will still use mine (whenever my son isn't around 😉) I purchased a bright pink one that has a glittered handle just so I don't lose it! Can't NOT see it LOL! Nothing wrong with being "old school" so buy one and use it proudly!

Caspianberg · 01/09/2022 15:21

@MercurialMonday - need one like these www.reisenthel.com/en/carrycruiser-OE-V-black-7003?c=19200000

TambourineOfRepentance · 01/09/2022 15:26

SpinningFloppa · 01/09/2022 15:03

People do have them where I am but only elderly people despite the fact mn claims load of 20 year olds use them I’ve never seen anyone under about 60 with one

Basically this. They've been in popular use anywhere I've lived but no one under 60 (and usually quite a bit older).

TambourineOfRepentance · 01/09/2022 15:28

I've never thought of it as an "old fashioned" thing, just an old person thing. Even when I was little, you never saw young people with them.

MayISuggestSomeThickCutSteakChipsToGoWithThat · 01/09/2022 15:28

MichaelAndEagle · 01/09/2022 11:28

What about the housecoat? Put it on over your clothes when doing cooking, cleaning, to prolong the time your clothes go between washes.
Basically the nanas know what they're doing!

My Nana always used to wear one. In fact I'm pretty sure there is a shop where I live that still sells these!!

Leftbutcameback · 01/09/2022 15:28

Time40 · 01/09/2022 09:44

In terms of other inventions, why can’t you buy proper feather dusters on a stick anymore? My nan used to have two - they were great for getting to high-up cobwebs

You can still get them. I've got a baby pink one on a very long stick. It's useful for removing those annoying cobwebs ... but its real value is in camping up the housework.

I have one too. I like to have Queen on and pretend I'm Freddie when dusting.

Snowiscold · 01/09/2022 15:32

TambourineOfRepentance · 01/09/2022 15:28

I've never thought of it as an "old fashioned" thing, just an old person thing. Even when I was little, you never saw young people with them.

Ah, it wasn’t the thing then to have them. Only old people had them when I was young too, and they had an image problem. But times have changed, at least where I live.

MayISuggestSomeThickCutSteakChipsToGoWithThat · 01/09/2022 15:33

HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 01/09/2022 13:06

Also my mum had an amazing whisk which had double beaters that spun when you turned a handle. I remember a lot Of blancmanges, table creams and Angel Delights. Perfect for these days when you want to whip up eggs but don’t want to waste energy either physically or via electric bills.

Speaking of blancmanges, did anyone else get wobbly jellies and blancmanges made in rabbit moulds? And those lovely frilly primary coloured paper dishes you got jelly and ice cream in at parties.

Im sure I got one from Lakeland about 4-5 years ago. Although it was pretty shit and barely whipped anything up

MysteriesOfTheOrganism · 01/09/2022 15:45

I can actually remember as a young kid helping mum put clothes through the mangle on washing day (always a Monday). And sitting on the kitchen step shelling peas - which has got me wondering: when did stores stop selling peas in their pods? I never had a trebuchet, but did have a pretty wicked catapult. 😆

MercurialMonday · 01/09/2022 15:46

Caspianberg · 01/09/2022 15:21

@MercurialMonday - need one like these www.reisenthel.com/en/carrycruiser-OE-V-black-7003?c=19200000

9OOh I like that- (though I don't like the price).

I have been looking at both foldable trollies and backpack trollies - and it does look like I'm due an upgrade so I'm grateful for all the suggestions.

I'm also thinking as it's not that long before teens will leave and need to deal with getting shopping regularly - so knowing what's out there is good idea for when we need to kit them out as well.

x2boys · 01/09/2022 15:50

Nat6999 · 01/09/2022 14:34

Those little mousses you could get from the freezer shop came in little plastic pots. An actual freezer shop, only sold frozen food, places like Bejam.

Unrill very recently we had a freezer shop on our local indoor market ,that sold those ,they also sold many other lovely things too untill it closed down 😢

MercurialMonday · 01/09/2022 15:54

when did stores stop selling peas in their pods?

I don't think I've seen fresh peas in shops for years - they're either frozen or tinned.

Kids know they need shelling only as GP grow them so have had a go.

x2boys · 01/09/2022 16:00

MysteriesOfTheOrganism · 01/09/2022 15:45

I can actually remember as a young kid helping mum put clothes through the mangle on washing day (always a Monday). And sitting on the kitchen step shelling peas - which has got me wondering: when did stores stop selling peas in their pods? I never had a trebuchet, but did have a pretty wicked catapult. 😆

I have only ever seen peas in pea pods on the local market fruit and veg stall.

viques · 01/09/2022 16:01

BertieBotts · 01/09/2022 09:58

Oh yes, my dad has (had?) one of those whistling keyrings!

I have this idea that mangles would wreck clothes but maybe I'm being a bit unfair? I don't think in general we make modern clothes like they used to make them when people used mangles.

They were death to buttons, which is why grannies had button boxes and saved old shirt buttons to replace broken ones.

1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor · 01/09/2022 16:02

ofwarren · 01/09/2022 09:24

I have one, it's invaluable
Does anyone have one of those manual carpet sweepers? Ewbank were they called?

Definitely a Ewbank, i remember my nan telling me to get the ewbank out of the pantry and not knowing what on earth she was going on about, if she said get the carpet sweeper out of the cupboard I'd have known exactly what she was on about (think I was about 7)

viques · 01/09/2022 16:06

Talking about peas in pods reminds me that strawberries and raspberries used to be sold in little split cane baskets ( I am saying split cane but I don’t actually know what it was) there must have been a small cottage industry of people making these by the hundred thousand in winter months for the strawberry season. They were then sold in little green plastic baskets and now in clear plastic boxes. I think they should bring back the wicker things, I bet they are compostable.

Swipe left for the next trending thread