1. Pegboard Walls Covered in Mismatched Tools
Back in the ’70s, it seemed like every dad was on a mission to cover every inch of wall space with pegboard. It wasn’t just practical—it was an art form. Rows of rusty wrenches, paint-chipped screwdrivers, and tools you couldn’t even name were arranged like a museum exhibit. If a tool didn’t fit on the board, it got a special hook or its own little shelf. The thing is, half of those tools probably never got used. Some were hand-me-downs from a neighbor, others came free with a lawnmower says MSN.
Today, most people just toss their tools in a sleek toolbox or buy a pre-made organizer from the hardware store. Pegboards are still around, but that chaotic, anything-goes ’70s vibe? It’s been replaced by matching toolkits and Bluetooth-operated drills adds Reddit.
2. Coffee Cans Full of Random Screws
If you walked into a garage back then, odds are you’d trip over an old Folgers can filled to the brim with nails, screws, bolts, and maybe even a button or two. There was no rhyme or reason—just years of “you never know when you’ll need it” logic. A screw for a swing set? In there. A bent nail from a broken crate? Definitely in there. It was like a tiny hardware store for one very specific person shares Etsy.
Now we’ve got tidy, clear plastic organizers with compartments for every type of fastener imaginable. No one’s saving a stripped screw from 1963 anymore. It’s kind of wild to think our dads once sorted parts by memory alone and could still find what they needed says Gladiator Garage.
3. Old License Plates Used as Decor
For some reason, garages in the ’70s doubled as shrines to expired license plates. They’d be nailed to the walls in crooked rows, usually next to a rusted rake or a dartboard. Maybe it was nostalgia, or maybe it was the ultimate “I’ve been around” flex. Plates from different states or decades were considered cool—like an automotive passport.
But these days, people want their garage to look more like a showroom or a gym. Unless you’re a collector or running a man-cave with a Route 66 theme, license plates just seem a little random now. Especially when they’re hanging next to a weed trimmer.
4. An Ashtray on the Workbench
It’s hard to imagine now, but in the ’70s, smoking in the garage was practically part of the experience. Many garages had a big glass ashtray sitting right next to the hammer. Some even had a can full of cigarette butts under the workbench—gross but true. Fixing a bike? Light up. Changing the oil? Time for a smoke.
Now with health consciousness and fire safety in mind, the idea of puffing away surrounded by sawdust and gas cans sounds bonkers. Plus, ashtrays themselves have basically vanished from households entirely. The smoky garage has turned into an air-purified yoga nook for some folks.
5. Metal Cabinets That Weighed a Ton
Those old gray or army-green metal cabinets were built like tanks. Once you got them in place, they were never moving again. The paint would chip, the doors would squeak, and they’d be jammed with old paint cans, glue, and half-used tubes of caulk. Some had labels that faded decades ago, and opening one was like opening a time capsule.
Today, storage is all about lightweight materials and modular systems. We’ve swapped out the industrial vibe for sleek rolling cabinets or plastic bins from IKEA. Plus, no one wants tetanus from a cabinet corner anymore.
6. A Manual Push Mower
Even though gas mowers were around, so many garages still had that heavy manual push mower parked in the corner. You know the kind—with spinning blades that jammed the minute you hit a stick. It made the worst grinding sound and left your arms sore for days. But it never needed gas, and that counted for something.
These days, even the most eco-conscious folks go electric or robotic. Those vintage push mowers are now more likely to be found at antique shops or Pinterest pages. No one’s voluntarily breaking their back for a patchy lawn anymore.
7. Rows of Half-Empty Paint Cans
Every project left behind a souvenir in the form of a paint can. Blue from the bathroom in ’73, beige from the kitchen in ’75, and some strange green that no one remembered using. They’d be stacked in uneven towers that somehow never fell. Half of them were sealed shut with dried paint crusted around the edges.
Now, we’re all about labeling, consolidating, or tossing anything we won’t use in the next six months. Modern storage rules have no patience for mystery shades of brown. Also, we’ve realized that paint does actually expire—who knew?
8. A Giant Bag of Rags
For some reason, the ’70s garage always had a ripped paper grocery bag full of stained T-shirts and old towels. These rags were used for everything—wiping grease, cleaning spark plugs, mopping up who-knows-what. There was zero organization. You’d grab one, use it, and toss it back in. Some of them might’ve been shirts from college or old baby blankets.
Nowadays, people buy microfiber cloths in bulk or use disposable shop towels. The idea of keeping a bag of dirty laundry around “just in case” feels kind of weird. And most garages now have a designated cleaning caddy instead of a cloth graveyard.
9. A Broken Radio with a Coat Hanger Antenna
Music was essential for garage time, but those radios were always on their last leg. The dials didn’t really work, and the volume knob was usually missing. To make it pick up a station, someone jammed a bent coat hanger in the antenna socket and crossed their fingers. Somehow, it only played classic rock and baseball games.
Now we stream music with Bluetooth speakers or have smart assistants doing DJ duty. The static, the fuzz, and the occasional burst of Spanish talk radio are long gone. But part of that janky charm kind of made garage work feel real.
10. Old Bike Parts You’d Never Use Again
Wheels without tires, chains in knots, and banana seats with torn vinyl—it was like a bike graveyard. If a kid outgrew a bike, it didn’t get donated. It just went to live in the garage corner forever. Some parents swore they’d fix it “someday,” which never came. Others figured they could build a Frankenstein bike from spare parts.
Today, we either fix it fast or toss it on Facebook Marketplace. No one’s hanging onto rusty handlebars in the hopes of crafting a custom ride. And good luck explaining to a kid now what a banana seat even was.
11. A Refrigerator That Barely Worked
Many garages had an old fridge that got demoted from the kitchen. It buzzed like a chainsaw and leaked at the bottom, but no one dared unplug it. Inside, you’d find flat sodas, mystery meat, and ancient condiments. Sometimes it doubled as beer storage—just don’t open the freezer unless you wanted a frost avalanche.
Now, extra fridges are energy efficient and actually function properly. That jalopy fridge from the ’60s is likely long gone due to electric bills alone. Plus, who wants spoiled food next to their power tools?
12. A Creepy Doll Head or Clown Mask
There was always something weird in the garage that didn’t belong. Often it was a doll head from a long-lost toy or a creepy rubber clown mask from a Halloween past. These things just ended up on a shelf or in a box labeled “misc.” Over time, the dust settled in, and they became terrifying garage mascots. No one ever wanted to touch them, but no one ever threw them out either.
Today, we’re more ruthless about decluttering—and anything that looks like it might be cursed? Straight to the trash. Those strange leftovers from forgotten storage boxes don’t make the cut in a Marie Kondo world.
13. A Manual Oil Drain Pan
Every DIY dad had one of these shallow pans stained black from years of oil changes. Changing your own oil was a rite of passage, and garages smelled like motor oil all summer. The pan always had a crusty rag sitting in it and probably a bolt or two from the last job. Disposal? That was a mystery.
Now, most folks leave oil changes to the pros or use tidy, spill-proof kits. We’ve got safety rules and EPA guidelines that make dumping used oil into an old milk jug a definite no-go. The idea of crawling under your car in your driveway is more of a TikTok novelty than a weekend routine.
14. A Single Roller Skate with No Mate
Somehow, every garage in the ’70s had at least one lonely roller skate—usually missing its partner for eternity. No one knew where the other skate went, but that didn’t stop people from holding onto it. It might’ve belonged to a sibling, a neighbor, or just mysteriously appeared one day. The leather was cracked, the wheels stuck, and yet there it sat, year after year.
Today, things like this get donated, recycled, or tossed quickly. No one’s hanging on to a half-pair of anything anymore, especially not in a garage that now stores holiday decorations and camping gear in color-coded bins. That one rogue skate? It had a longer garage life than most people’s cars.