10 Things Your Great Grandparents Did

Have you ever wondered about the things your great grandparents did? So I say great grandparents but for younger generations it may be even further away; so think of it as your ancestors. Here is a list of 10 Things Your Great Grandparents Did! We live in the age of GO GO GO; smart phones, social media and Google.  I am not lobbying to get rid of all that, though we could use more unplugged time.

10 Things Your Great Grandparents Did – And You Should Too!

But there are a few lessons that we could learn from a few generations ago that would improve our health and well being. I find the more I incorporate these into my life the more satisfied I feel…does that make sense? I would love to hear your thoughts and additions to this list so feel free to leave a comment.

10 Things Your Great Grandparents Did

1. They hung their laundry out to dry.  Even those that had auto washers hung their laundry out to dry.
   See: How to Line Dry Your Clothes, Like a Boss!
2. They ate locally.   Most of great grandparents grew their own garden and ate from it.  The rest ate what was grown locally and seasonally because shipping perishables was impossible.
   See: How to Have An Amazing Backyard Garden
3. They cooked from scratch.  Convenience food simply didn’t exist.  Foods were prepared from fresh ingredients and didn’t come from boxes or drive thrus.  They also canned, dried and smoked foods to preserve them.
   See:  Vintage Cooking Skills Everyone Should Know  and 10 Reasons to Cook From Scratch  and 75 Free Canning Recipes
4. They walked a lot.  Even after the early invention of cars people walked.  You walked to the store, to see neighbors, to work on your property, to go to work.  Life happened closer to home too back then…
   See: Walking a Complete Guide
5. They played with each other.  Our great grandparents grew up in a time where parlor games, card games and some board games were popular forms of social gatherings and entertainment.
6. They saved and reused.  Credit was not popular until the 50s and 60s and even then it was nothing like today.  People saved up for big purchases and re-purposed/reused items instead of constantly replacing them.
7. They bartered and haggled.  It was quite common in the early 20th century to barter goods and services.  What couldn’t be traded would have been haggled (talked down) in price.  Retail price wasn’t a set thing everywhere.
   See: 40 Vintage Frugal Skills
8. They sewed and mended.  Unless your great grandparents were quite wealthy they made their own clothes.  Most people only had a handful of outfits and not a walk-in closet full.  Clothes were made to last with quality fabrics and craftsmanship.  Clothes were mended instead of replaced.
9. They raised their own meat and butchered it.  Most women included butchering small animals part of their household skills.  Many would raise chickens, rabbits and other livestock right outside the kitchen door.
10. They wrote handwritten letters and sent them by mail.  Our great grandparents had correspondence via beautifully handwritten (penmanship was a required skill) letters.  People knew how to convey their daily lives in lovely letters that arrived in a mailbox.

Our great grandparents had it going on!  I know our lives don’t always allow for the slower paced activities and skills of our ancestors; but imagine if we just chose a few…

If you’re lucky enough to still have grandparents,
visit them, cherish them and celebrate them while you can. Regina Brett

If you like this article be sure to read my Eat Like Your Great Grand Parents and Improve Your Health article!