Life in the 1970s required a very different set of everyday abilities than we rely on today. Without the digital conveniences and instant access to information we take for granted, people had to master practical things that were part of the daily life.
From managing money and keeping households running to communicating, and navigating the world. These skills weren’t considered optional; they were part of ordinary routines and shaped how people worked, socialized, and solved problems.
Many of them faded away quietly with the rise of new technologies, while others became entirely obsolete. Looking back now, they reveal how self-sufficient, hands-on, and resourceful people needed to be just a few decades ago.
1
Using CB radio codes
Truckers and hobbyists used CB radios with specific lingo, hard to master.
2
Memorizing phone numbers
No digital contacts list,
3
Changing oil yourself
Cars were simpler and many people did basic maintenance at home.
4
Carbon paper duplication
Making copies by stacking sheets with carbon paper between.
5
Writing letters by hand
The proper way.
6
Operating a projector
Teachers and businesspeople once relied on physical slide carousels, alignment, and focus knobs to give presentations.
7
Typing on a manual typewriter
Touch typing without autocorrect, delete keys, or backspace, errors meant starting over.
8
Fixing cassette tapes with a pencil
If your tape unwound, you had to carefully twist the reels back in place with a pencil and try not to mess it up.
9
Using a card catalog at the library
Finding books required knowing the Dewey Decimal System and rifling through drawers of index cards.
10
Using a rotary phone
Dialing correctly, waiting for the dial to spin back.
11
Driving a stick shift
Manual transmissions were far more common, and nearly everyone had to learn how to use a clutch.
12
Threading film projectors
Home movie nights and school lessons often involved threading reels of film into 8mm or 16mm projectors without tangling or burning the film.
13
Reading paper maps
Without GPS, travelers relied on large fold-out maps and had to fold them back properly.
14
Adjusting rabbit ear antennas
Watching TV sometimes meant carefully adjusting metal antennas until the picture stopped being glitchy.
15
Sewing and mending clothes at home
Many households routinely patched jeans, darned socks, or even made clothes from scratch like knitwear.
16
Making mix tapes
Recording songs off the radio (without catching the DJ’s voice) took timing and care.
17
Developing film in a darkroom
Photography required knowledge of chemicals, timing, and enlargers to process photos.
18
Using a slide rule
For math and engineering before calculators were cheap.
