12 Office Supplies That Don’t Exist Anymore
This list looks back at common office supplies that have disappeared over time.
- Daisy Montero
- 3 min read
Offices used to be filled with tools we rarely see today. Typewriters, carbon paper, and Rolodexes were once part of everyday work. This list shows 12 items that were once essential but have now been replaced by modern technology. It is a quick look at how much office life has changed.
1. Typewriters
Sammlung der Medien und Wissenschaft on Wikimedia Commons
Typewriters were once the main tool for writing letters and reports in offices. Their clacking keys and sliding carriage gave every document a distinct sound and feel. Computers eventually replaced them, making typing faster and editing easier.
2. Carbon Paper
Emilian Robert Vicol from Com. Balanesti, Romania on Wikimedia Commons
Carbon paper made it possible to create exact copies of a document in one go. You would place it between sheets of paper so the writing or typing pressed through. Photocopiers and digital files made this method unnecessary.
3. Onion Skin Paper
Louis Ledoux on Wikimedia Commons
Onion skin paper was thin and lightweight, making it easy to send by mail or stack in large quantities. It was often used with carbon paper to make multiple copies. Today, it is rarely seen outside of old stationery collections.
4. Rolodexes
BOOM 💥 on Pexels
A Rolodex kept all your important contacts in one place. You could flip through the cards to find a name, phone number, or address in seconds. Smartphones and digital address books have made them a thing of the past.
5. Mimeograph Machines
Brigade Piron on Wikimedia Commons
Mimeograph machines copied documents using ink pushed through a stencil. Offices used them to produce many pages quickly before photocopiers were common. They were messy to use and eventually became outdated.
6. Dot-Matrix Printers
Corvair on Wikimedia Commons
Dot-matrix printers created images and text using tiny pins striking an ink ribbon. They were slow and noisy, but they got the job done. Quieter, sharper printers replaced them as technology improved.
7. Physical Ledgers
Bolton & Dickens via NYHS on Wikimedia Commons
Physical ledgers were large books used to record financial transactions by hand. Accountants filled them with neat rows of numbers and notes. Most record-keeping is now done on computers and stored in the cloud.
8. Microfilm
Ianaré Sévi for Lorien Technologies on Wikimedia Commons
Microfilm stored documents and newspapers on small reels of film. It saved space and preserved records for decades. Digital storage has taken over, though libraries and archives still keep microfilm collections.
9. Mechanical Time Clocks
Ianaré Sévi for Lorien Technologies on Wikimedia Commons
Mechanical time clocks stamped the exact time an employee started and ended work. Workers slid a paper card into the machine to get it punched. Digital timekeeping systems have now replaced them in most workplaces.
10. Pneumatic Tubes
Hexafluoride on Wikimedia Commons
Pneumatic tubes carried messages and documents through a system of air-powered tubes. They were a quick way to send information across a building. Email and instant messaging made them unnecessary.
11. Fax Machines
TIM Archivio Storico on Wikimedia Commons
Fax machines sent copies of documents over telephone lines. Offices once relied on them for contracts, forms, and urgent messages. Email and online sharing tools have made faxing rare.
12. Correction Fluid
8joKeaton on Wikimedia Commons
Carbon paper and onion skin paper were often used together for making multiple copies. This method was common before photocopiers became affordable. Today, it survives only in historical displays and old office supply boxes.