Going to work once required a surprising amount of preparation. Before smartphones replaced calendars, calculators, cameras, address books, and even lunch money, workers often left home carrying everything they thought they might need for the next eight hours.
Briefcases were heavier, desks were more personal, and pockets were filled with objects that have mostly disappeared from the modern commute. From packed lunches wrapped in wax paper to pocket calendars covered in handwritten appointments, these everyday items were simply part of heading to work.
1. A Metal Lunch Box
For generations of American workers, a metal lunch box was almost as essential as a set of keys. Packed at home with sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and usually a thermos, it followed factory workers, construction crews, and office employees through countless workdays.
2. A Thermos of Coffee
Long before there was a coffee shop on seemingly every corner, many workers brought their morning coffee from home. A sturdy thermos kept it warm for hours, and unscrewing that little cup on top became a familiar part of the morning break.
3. A Briefcase
The classic briefcase was once a fixture of the morning commute. Papers, contracts, notebooks, pens, and whatever needed to be taken home for the evening all traveled inside, making the briefcase practically a symbol of office life.
4. A Rolled-Up Newspaper
Morning commuters could often be spotted carrying a folded or rolled newspaper under one arm. Some read it on the train or bus, while others saved it for their coffee break and passed sections around the office afterward.
5. A Pocket Calendar
Before digital calendars sent reminders automatically, appointments had to be written down. Small pocket calendars were filled with meetings, birthdays, deadlines, phone numbers, and scribbled notes that workers checked throughout the day.
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6. A Handkerchief
A clean handkerchief tucked into a pocket or purse was once an everyday necessity. It could handle everything from a runny nose to a small spill, and many people would not have thought of leaving home without one.
7. A Pack of Cigarettes
For much of the 20th century, cigarettes were an ordinary sight in American workplaces. Workers carried packs in shirt pockets and purses, and smoking during breaks or even right at a desk was common in many offices.
8. A Book of Matches
If someone carried cigarettes, a book of matches was usually nearby. Restaurants, hotels, bars, and local businesses handed out branded matchbooks for free, so pockets and desk drawers often accumulated collections of them.
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9. A Personal Address Book
Important phone numbers were not stored automatically anywhere. Workers carried small address books filled with handwritten names, home numbers, office extensions, and addresses, sometimes with years of crossed-out entries and corrections.
10. A Roll of Coins
Commuting often required having the right change. Coins were needed for buses, subway fares, parking meters, vending machines, and pay phones, so many workers made sure they had a pocketful before leaving home.
11. A Transit Token
In cities with public transportation, a token could be part of the daily routine. Workers kept them in pockets, purses, or coin holders so they could quickly get through a turnstile without thinking twice about it.
12. A Pocket Calculator
Before every phone had a calculator built in, a small electronic calculator could be incredibly useful at work. Salespeople, accountants, managers, and other office workers often kept one close for quick calculations throughout the day.
13. A Fountain Pen or Favorite Ballpoint
People once paid much more attention to the pen they carried because they used it constantly. Signing forms, taking messages, filling out paperwork, and writing notes all depended on having a reliable pen within reach.
14. A Paper Notepad
There was no notes app waiting in anyone’s pocket. Small notepads were used for reminders, phone messages, grocery lists, meeting notes, and random thoughts, often ending the day covered in hurried handwriting.
15. A Comb
Keeping a small comb in a pocket, purse, or briefcase was common, especially when workers were expected to maintain a polished appearance throughout the day. A quick trip to the restroom before a meeting could mean fixing a hairstyle with a few quick strokes.
16. A Packed Sandwich Wrapped in Wax Paper
Before plastic containers and reusable lunch bags became commonplace, sandwiches were frequently wrapped in wax paper or tucked into small paper bags. By lunchtime, the wrapping might be crumpled and the bread a little flattened, but it was a familiar part of the workday.
17. A Set of Office Keys
Many employees carried more physical keys than people do today. There could be separate keys for the office door, desk drawers, filing cabinets, supply closets, and company vehicles, often gathered together on a heavy key ring.
18. A Few Personal Photos
Before thousands of family pictures lived on a phone, workers sometimes carried a favorite photograph in a wallet or purse. A spouse, children, a new baby, or a vacation snapshot might eventually find its way onto a desk, offering a small piece of home during a long day at work.
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