Every Day Items That Will Disappear Sooner Than We Think

Pens just won't be needed anymore

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You have probably already noticed that less and less you are making sure you have a pen before you head off to places like work. However, as we advance in the digital world pens will just be something we never use. With the development of notebooks and smartphones having more capacity there really won't be any need for them. With this being said it might be a great time to start collecting pens before they become something you can't get your hands on at all! You might even make some cash from it!

Parking meters but that doesn't mean you won't have to pay

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Getting to the parking lot and realizing you have no change might be the worst scenario that can happen to anyone. However, with the technological development of parking technology, more and more parking lots are using electronic systems from your mobile phones. This means that the actual parking meters don't have to be manned anymore. A development like this cuts jobs and also makes the money being paid a lot more secure. It just means now you have to make sure your phone is fully charged or you won't be parking at all!

Paper envelopes just won't be needed anymore

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As time goes by the amount of mail that goes through the system becomes less and less. With this being said, envelopes just aren't needed as much anymore to send postal letters. This is due to the advancement of email and different social media sites offering an easy way to contact each other. With security getting better each year online there's really no reason why important documents need to go through the mail nowadays. Besides who really wants to wait for anything longer than a few minutes? We're in the 21st century!

Calculators in schools and the workplaces just won't be needed

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Remember sitting an exam and having your trusty calculator next to you ready for all the mathematical-workings-out you were about to attempt to do? Well, the emotional support calculator might just soon be a thing of the past! With the development of smartphones and the capabilities they have, there's hardly any reason for calculators to still be circulating. This means that calculator sales and production are seriously plummeting as time goes on. It's the same for a work environment, the demand is just not there anymore.

Mailboxes to post all of your mail

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As we mentioned earlier if you're not using paper envelopes to send out letters then mailboxes get kicked out of circulation too. Due to the decrease of mail demand the amount of mail boxes are already decreasing. Noticed how much longer it took you to find one last time you needed one? This has a serious toll on mail staff and means that this cutting creates a large amount of job cuts. The worrying thing is due to a big alternative of email already being used so much there's really not many options to stop it.

Our wide range of languages around the world

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There are so many languages spoken around the world, over seven thousand of these in fact. However, this number has been decreasing due to less people using their native languages as society changes. As the English language becomes more spoken around the world the need for a native language becomes less. The sad truth of this means that places are losing their native languages and less people are aware of how to speak it. To stop this we must put in time to learn more about the languages around the world.

Plastic wallets

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These plastic wallets used everywhere in schools and workplaces for filing documents are becoming a thing of the mere past. Due to the development of the digital world these little plastic organizers just aren't being needed as much. Besides, most important documents are now being stored online in our advanced, secure systems. Looking at security reasons this is a much safer and reliable way of storing private documents. Adding to that, if you're forgetful you don't have to worry about remembering what you did with them, this is a big win.

Power outages that leave you without power for days

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A long day of work finished and ready to chill out on the couch watching your favorite TV program and then the power goes! Possibly the worst scenario to happen, right? Well with better infrastructure of the energy world these power outages will soon become a thing of the past. As time goes by we become more knowledgeable about what works and what doesn't when it comes to electricity and this is only going to get better. With money being spent yearly on improving electrical infrastructure, it really shouldn't be long till you never have one again!

Your TV remote control

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There's nothing worse than losing the TV remote and arguing with your other half about who had it last. Well as technology develops you can say goodbye to this argument. With more TVs opting for a smart phone remote over a traditional plastic remote this issue really won't be a big issue anymore. Although, at the moment, a lot of TV sets still come with a traditional remote (there's nothing like old times) and the smart phone remote is usually an added option. This will change as the smart remotes develop, so you best be sure to have a smart phone.

They'll be no searching for your charging cable when they are a thing of the past

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Charging cables create a lot of stress due to the fact that they are not long enough, they break too often or just being in general mega inconvenient. More and more phones are opting for a wireless phones charging option and this says goodbye to any annoying cables attached to your phone. It does still require a dock but nothing that physically plugs into your phone. Most phone companies at the moment make this an option and still offer the traditional charger but it is increasing in popularity in every phone release that goes by.

Plastics bags to carry your goods won't be an option

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You're probably already used to having to pay for a bag every time you now go to the grocery store. However, that option soon won't be available anymore when plastic bags cease to exist. Due to the extreme impact plastic bags have on the environment it's really no surprise that they won't be around forever. There's so many reusable bag options so it's best to get prepared by investing in some of these. Besides we should all be doing our bit for the environment so that doesn't slowly disappear too.

Passwords for your devices

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With more and more accounts having to be made, it can be a nightmare to have to remember all the passwords for them and keep them secure. This can be a massive issue and generally means that it takes so much longer to log in to anything. With the development of technology going as fast as it is, this won't also be a problem due to the increase in non-traditional passwords now being used. These passwords can be anything to using a finger print, face activation or voice activation which is something you simply don't have to remember.

A trip to the shopping Mall

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As much as you might love a trip to the shopping mall to have a stroll around looking into shops, this could soon become a thing of the past. Due to the high increase in online shopping traditional shopping malls are finding it even harder to compete. You may have already noticed that items are cheaper online and this is due to not having to have a physical store which costs more money. This means that a lot of people opt to go into a store to browse but only buy the product online to save money. It makes sense but it puts stores at risk.

Wallets and money holders

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With the development of different ways to pay for your goods you may notice that your trusty wallet is something that you don't rely on so much anymore. Most banks now have the option to have your card stored on your phone and with a phone being the number one item most people won't leave the house with, this makes it so much more convenient. With this being said it creates a worry for people who do not trust the security of smartphones and means that they could be left behind as technology develops.

Truck drivers jobs and drivers

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There's a few reasons why truck drivers might no longer be seen on the roads at some point in your life. One of these reasons is due to the development in technology in terms of driving without an actual physical human. This is all done by robotics in newer trucks. Many logistic companies are trying this method to ensure that they can keep costs down and make delivery as smooth as possible. As much as this sounds exciting it does mean that there are less jobs available for truck drivers. Losing these types of jobs could be very serious.

Traffic will be a thing of the past

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Following on from the previous point with more robotic driving setups being on the roads it does mean that the chances of traffic jams could become even less. This is a pretty exciting idea and as probably music to your ears, I mean, who wants to be stuck on the highway after a long day at work. By using robots, they all follow technology which allows them to be flawless on the roads. However this isn't something that we'll see overnight and it does mean that this technology will only be seen in newer cars so it could take some years for this.

Jobs at fast food joints will slowly decrease

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You might have already seen when you've gone into your local fast food joint that cashiers aren't always as readily available as they used to be. This is because of the introduction of self-service kiosks in most fast food joints. Although many people hate the idea of using something a self-service setup this is what a lot of fast food companies are now pushing for in most restaurants. A big reason for this is the cut of costs that a self-service kiosk bring. Although it cuts cost it also cuts the amount of workers needed.

Annoying paper receipts

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Is your bag full of old receipts from places that you don't even remember going to? Well this could become a thing of the past with the introduction of non-paper receipts. The alternative to paper receipts is simply your email address and this is used by giving it when you purchase your goods. You simply receive an email with all the information that you need regarding the purchase that you've just made. This makes it super easy when you're trying to take something back and you just can't find that receipt you need.

Physical hard drives to hold all your files

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You've probably got a collection of old hard drives with information on it that you're sure that you might need one day. Let's be honest though you'll probably never need it! Physical hard drives are becoming a thing of the past though and this is due to the introduction of things like the cloud. The cloud is a place where you can store pretty much all of the information and data that you'll ever need all in one place online. This simply gives no reason for physical hard drives to exist anymore.

Print catalogues for department stores

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You probably remember sitting as a child going through your favorite toy shop catalogs at Christmas time finding all the things that you would love to receive. This could become a memory that no other child will live very soon due to the decrease in companies creating physical catalogs anymore. The internet is the biggest reason for this change simply because everything can be shown in one place online. So rather than spending hours going through your favorite catalog we can now look online and go through many different stores at our fingertips!

Public pay phones won't be a thing soon

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This one is probably something you've already noticed but as the years go by public pay phones become less and less available. This is simply due to the reason that so many people have smartphones readily available to them 24 hours a day. This one does come as a risk though if you lose your smartphone it can be really difficult to try and find a way to contact anybody without a replacement. This makes it super important to make sure you always know where your smartphone is or have a backup just in case.

office spaces to work from will slowly decrease

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You either love or hate going into the office environment every day seeing your favorite work colleagues. However office spaces are becoming a thing of the past due to changes that had to be made when COVID-19 struck our lives. Many companies have not opted to go back to a office working environment and this leaves many office blocks empty without any staffing. A big reason for this is due to the home life balance that comes with working from home. It also means that companies can save a lot of money by not having to pay rent on an area for people to work.

Forget perfecting your signature, ink signatures will be a thing of the past

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You've probably spent hours perfecting it but you won't always need your signature as you go through life. Due to less documents being physical it now means that many companies opt in for different ways of gaining a signature on important documents. This could be by using a electronic signature or it might just be a code that has to be put in to show that you agree to the document. Don't worry though, this change is something that is slowly happening so you might just have a few more years of your favorite signature.

Your beloved house keys

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Ever felt that pit in your stomach when you think that you've lost your house keys? Will this might not be something that you have to worry about forever due to the development in different ways of getting into your home. More and more house developers are using different alternatives than your traditional metal keys and this is because of the added protection that other options give. Many houses now have keypads rather than keys or even fingerprints to get into your house. This takes away the whole panic of losing your keys.

Writing skills being a core learning process

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As a child we think the biggest thing that we need to learn is to read and write. However as technology develops the task of writing becomes less and less important. This is simply because of the digital world that we now live in. Due to this, many states have now opted in taking out writing skills as something that is a core lesson in a child's development. Instead of writing skills, states have opted to use technology skills as something that is more practical for a child's life. This is just one of the ways we prepare children for society today.

Physical cash

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This point really follows on from not having to have a wallet anymore. Due to the cashless society we live in there are more amounts of people choosing to using cards over physical cash. I think we can put this down to the convenience that using cash brings to a person's life. A big reason for this increase in convenience could be due to credit cards now being available on smartphones. I mean, Apple Pay is dangerous! It also makes it a lot easier for companies to stay away from fraudulent customers with fake cash. Many companies have become completely cash-free.

Taxi drivers will be cut

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It's already been mentioned earlier how self-driving cars are something that will see more common in the future and this is something that's being seriously tested in the taxi driving community and more and more self-driving cars in the US are being trialed as taxis. These non human taxi drivers simply pick you up from the spot you agree on an app and drop you in a convenient place that works for you all done by a robotic operating system. The chances are you'll probably try out one of these in the next few years, pretty exciting?

Cash registers to pay for your groceries

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There's nothing worse than when you finished a long shop than having to wait with your shopping cart to be served by a cashier. You might just be able to forget these queues now though considering more and more grocery stores now have self-serving kiosks for you to be able to use. I guess it's free labor! As people become more common with using these types of services shops now choose to have less people working on the cash registers. These people can be used in different areas of stores such as restocking or simply allows a business to cut back on staff. Not everybody loves self-serve kiosks though!

Your computer mouse won't be an integral device

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The computer mouse is a staple piece to any computer setup. Although, as technology develops, the computer mouse begins to evolve and change its shape. While there's a few reasons for it, one of them is due to the increase of users smaller handheld devices like laptops and tablets. These devices can have touch screens or mouse-pads which can be used rather than a mouse. With the development of twitch pads in full force, they're gaining popularity and are now being used with computer setups and not just on laptops. So if you love your computer mouse it might be time to keep it somewhere safe.

Delivery drivers won't be bringing your parcels anymore

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Waiting in all day for that important parcel that you expect to be delivered by your local delivery driver might just be something that will become a thing of the past, thank the Lord! With more delivery companies trying different methods of delivering your goods it won't be long before delivery drivers just aren't a thing. Companies are trying resources such as drones to deliver customers their goods rather than the traditional forms of delivery. Not to mention it will save time time and prevent any holdups from traffic that would impede the delivery.

Newspapers

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Newspapers are becoming less and less common due to the news being available online. Most people now log online to see the news at any time, at their convenience. You can ready it anywhere you want, wherever you are because you don't have to carry the newspaper around. Apart from the older generation, there is no longer a demand for newspapers and it seems that they will soon cease printing altogether.

Books!

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Books are another thing that are no longer demanded due to everything being online! There are so many things available such as talking books, e-books, and podcasts that more and more people are moving away from the traditional hard book, paperback book. Devices such as kindles are a convenient way to hold thousands of books. And even though it's not the same as holding and reading a real book, people are opting for convenience!

Desktop computers

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How often do you even see desktop computers anymore? Not often at all, apart from maybe in offices. People now have iPads or laptops which are much more practical. Desktops may soon stop being made as there isn't really any need for them any longer. They can't be moved around, and the technology in a laptop is just as good but they are much more practical!

DVD players

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DVD players are almost finished. Nobody uses them anymore, unless its to watch those childhood favourites that you still have stored somewhere out of pure nostalgia. But the truth is that we no longer need DVDs. We can find movies and box sets online, without having to buy a psychical copy. We also have a lot more range (rather than repeating the same 5 DVDs over and over) and we can watch them on any appliance, whenever we want!

Non-electric cars

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As it is becoming more and more urgent to think about the environment, electric cars are becoming more and more popular. In fact, they are quickly becoming the norm and will soon be the only vehicles on the road. Traditional cars may stop being produced as we switch to electric instead as they are more sustainable. And, all cars may soon be automatic too and the gear stick will be something of the past!

Paper maps

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There's something super satisfying about looking at a paper map, they have a kind of beauty to them. Yet the majority of us can't read the, map reading is a skill that is dying out. And so are paper maps. If we're ever unsure of the way to go, we use google maps or a sat-nav which specifically tells us where to go without us having to do any of the work. Paper maps will soon be gone, and it will be sooner rather than later!

Landline phones

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Okay so landlines have pretty much disappeared already. The majority of people now do not have a landline, and those who do tend to be of the older generation. Now, everything is conducted through our mobile phones so it makes no sense to have a landline. People who need to speak to us contact our mobiles because they know that we always have them with us, so we are constantly contactable!

Alarm clocks

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Just a few years ago, everybody had an alarm clock. It was the contraptions that we all relied on to get up in the morning for work, or for school. Now, there's absolutely no need for them! We have an alarm clock on our phone that won't randomly run out of battery without us knowing. When it's as easy as pressing a button on your phone, you can understand how they will soon disappear.

Any printed ticket i.e. boarding passes

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We use tickets all the time without even realizing. Whether it's a ticket to the cinema, a boarding pass, a train ticket...and yet even this is getting less frequent as we download an app where we can scan a mobile ticket instead. It's now always an option to show your ticket online instead of a physical copy. Even printers are becoming less common as everything is now online instead!

Disposable cutlery and plates

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Think back just a few years ago when everything was plastic and things were being sold on the premise that you could throw it away after using it so it was super easy. Now, this is no longer acceptable given the current climate crisis. Plastic consumption has to be reduced and so things such as plastic disposable cutlery and plates will no longer be produced!

Traditional thermometers

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Traditional thermometers are not commonly used anymore. There are more modern versions and electric thermometers instead. Some of the old thermometers used lead and so they were deemed toxic and unsuitable for use as they could be dangerous if they broke. Since then, different versions of thermometers have taken over. And now, most people who own one have an electric thermometer.

Non-rechargeable batteries

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Most things that are made now are rechargeable. Otherwise, it is seen as wasteful, because they only last for one use or for the duration of the product until it runs out and is no longer useful. So batteries now are made rechargeable and non rechargeable batteries are being made less and less as people don't want to continue to rebuy when there is no need.

Printed dictionaries and encyclopaedia

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Gone are the days when you would reach for the dictionary or the encyclopaedia to double check something or to assure that the word you are using is right. Now, a simple google will tell us the answer. Fast information is what is prioritized now, and a search online can give us the result quicker than we can find the answer in the book, and it's much easier to do.

Traditional cameras!

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Cameras are less and less used nowadays because we all have a camera with us 24/7 in the shape of our phones! And so, cameras are no longer seen as a device we need when we can easily use our phone camera and get high quality photos. This way you have multiple devices in one, and cameras are super expensive. Disposable cameras especially are not completely unnecessary.

Plastic toothbrushes

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Whilst plastic toothbrushes are still very common, they are becoming less so. Electric toothbrushes have taken over for many reasons. For one, you only have to change the head, rather than the entire brush which makes them less wasteful. They are also considered to be much better for our oral hygiene as they clean our teeth more effectively than a standard plastic toothbrush!

Recipe books

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Recipe books have been used for centuries, in fact, passing down written recipes from generation to generation was a rite of passage. These traditions have started to rapidly die out, and now if somebody needs a recipe they google it and find a free one online, rather than buying a book of recipes. Books contain multiple recipes and people now prefer to search only for the ones they want to try.

Wired chargers

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Even though we have laptops and Ipads and all sorts of high tech and innovative technological devices, we still have to plug them in with a charger (at least the majority anyway). But more and more chargers are becoming wireless. It's appealing because chargers always get tangled, or they break, and wireless charging is super easy and no fuss. Soon all devices will have the option for wireless and we won't need charging wires!

Board games

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Ah, board games, a classic form of entertainment. Board games remind us of rainy days stuck inside, playing board games with our family. There's something about board games that are extremely nostalgic and hold a fond place in our hearts. But new generations don't play them and they refer online games. So when there's no longer a demand for something, it disappears. In just a few years, board games may completely disappear!

Physical gift cards

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Gift cards are an easy go-to present when you have absolutely no idea what to buy someone and you want to get something practical. Receiving the plastic card allowed you to scan it. But now we have gift cards online that we scan and there is no use for the physical card itself. In fact, it's really just a waste of plastic and soon they will no longer be used at all.

Car mirrors

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Car mirrors are essential of course, yet now with modern cars there are such high quality cameras and highly tines sensors that we often rely on these rather than using the mirrors. In fact, car mirrors may be gone for good, and much sooner than we think. Future cars may be installed with even more advanced technology that make the use for mirrors redundant.

Real fireplaces

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Real fireplaces are pretty much a thing of the past and they'll soon be gone forever. When was the last time you lit a proper fire? You probably can't even remember! Real fireplaces are very rare in homes and even the traditional ones are now being replaced with gas or electric fires which can recreate the look of a fire, without having to assemble it from wood and kindle.