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11 Totally Nostalgic Millennial Must-Haves That Prove Your Childhood Was Secretly a Time Capsule (And Yes, You Had Them All)

Added on September 19, 2025 inASTROLOGY CARDS

Ever wondered why that old landline phone’s ring still echoes louder in the memories of millennials than any buzz or ping from today’s slick smartphones? Maybe it’s something about the Mercury retrograde kind of nostalgia pulling us back to a time when every call was a surprise—and waiting by the kitchen table was part of the ritual. Growing up in the ‘90s and early 2000s, our homes were filled with quirky staples that today seem downright prehistoric, yet hold a warm spot in our hearts—from inflatable furniture that defied gravity (and patience), to the ritualistic glow of ceiling stars, and even those annoying-but-loved bowls of potpourri that tried their best to mask who-knows-what. If you’ve ever caught yourself reminiscing about the weird joy of collecting Pokémon cards or the simple triumph of cranking up your favorite CD on a bulky player, you’re in the right company. So, let’s dust off those vintage memories and dive into the 11 things every millennial kid had in their house growing up—because honestly, isn’t it curious how the stars align to shape not just our personalities but our living rooms too? LEARN MORE.

Every generation has household staples they grew up with. Trends and needs vary as time goes on, and things quickly become out of style. The possessions every millennial kid had in their house growing up vary from those of boomers, Gen X, and Gen Z.

As a millennial myself, these items hold a lot of sentimental value. I grew up excited to hear the sound of our landline phone ring (and now, I ignore almost every call I get on my iPhone). Things like ’90s TV shows, popular foods, and toys just hit differently for us. Get ready to unlock memories with the items on this list that you may have forgotten about, but we all had in our childhood homes.

These are 11 things every millennial kid had in their house growing up, pretty much without exception

1. A landline phone

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception a landline phone Gajus

The ’90s and early 2000s were the height of the landline phone craze. While the number of landlines in the home went down with the popularity of cellphones, every millennial has memories of them.

I remember how exciting the ring of the landline phone was. Unless you had a caller ID, whoever was calling was a surprise. It was our only way of communicating with people outside of our immediate household. I remember spending hours on the phone with friends and begging my parents to let me have my own phone line.

2. Collector cups from fast food restaurants

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception collector cups from fast food restaurants Africa images

Parents in the ’90s were more accepting of dining out at fast food restaurants. I have many memories of eating junk food, then climbing around in those germ-riddled play places.

Fast food restaurants like McDonald’s and Burger King would go above and beyond with their toys and promotions in the ’90s. One fond memory I have is collecting cups with Disney or Looney Tunes characters on them. Now, you can find almost any of those cups in antique stores.

3. Inflatable furniture

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception inflatable furniture Sydney Sang from Pexels

Millennials grew up with some interesting furniture in their home. Some things that were especially hip growing up were inflatable chairs and couches.

Kids couldn’t get enough of the bright, bouncy furniture pieces they could put in their rooms. It allowed us to show off some personality. However, it was always devastating when they would become deflated.

4. Pokémon cards

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception pokemon cards Donicht from pixabay

Millennial kids could not get enough of collectible items. We loved having little trinkets (and still do, to be honest). One popular item we all had in our homes was Pokémon cards.

There was a game associated with the cards, but if you were anything like me, you just loved having a binder full of your collection. They always told us it would be worth big money in the future. I thought all millennials would be rich by now.

5. CD player

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception cd player mladn61 from Getty Images Signature

Portable music players were all the rage in the ’90s. Whether it was a classic boombox or a Walkman, we millennials were always listening to music.

While the latest generations get to enjoy music on demand, there was something special about going to the store, buying a CD, and blasting it in your bedroom or headphones.

6. A TV with a VCR built in

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception a tv with a vcr built in Beyza Kaplan from Pexels

If you’re a millennial, I’m sure you can hear that sweet crunch of opening up one of those chunky VHS tapes. Few things are more nostalgic.

Every millennial had a VCR in their home, but the true nostalgia comes from those little TVs that had them built in. The quality was bad, but the memories are great. It was especially rewarding to use when you had recorded an episode of a TV show and were watching it back on your own tape.

7. An oak kitchen table with uncomfortable chairs

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception an oak kitchen table with uncomfortable chairs mashabuba from Getty Images Signature

I don’t know about you, but some of my earliest memories of trauma come from sitting at that uncomfortable table trying to do my math homework. I think it is a shared experience all millennials have. If that includes your dad trying to help you, I can especially relate.

This table was peak ’90s furniture. The chairs that came with it were miserable. Sometimes, there would be nice cushions on them, but that was rare. My grandmother still has this table! So, when I’m at her house, I still get to relive this pain.

8. Glowing stars on their bedroom ceiling

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception glowing stars on their bedroom ceiling FotoHelin from FotoHelin Images

I can picture it now. Lying in bed, covered in my character-riddled comforter. The lights go out and BAM! Stars on the ceiling. Glowing like a real night sky.

Almost every millennial I knew growing up had the infamous ceiling stars. They were extremely popular. Some millennials are reliving their childhood by making an adult version of the galaxy ceiling in their homes.

9. A bowl of potpourri

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception a bowl of potpourri geax2007 from Getty Images

When I was growing up, my house always smelled like some sort of artificial air freshener. We had those sticky Glade plug-ins, but I remember my mom’s favorite way to leave the home smelling nice was one we never see today: a giant bowl of decorative potpourri.

Did you know the term potpourri was taken from the French word meaning ‘rotten pot’? That doesn’t sound great, but every home in the 90s embraced this ‘rotten pot’ invention. The potpourri itself was usually rather pretty, and while the smell could be overwhelming at times, it was definitely something all of us remember from our childhood homes.

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10. Frozen cans of juice

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception frozen cans of juice Sasaran Olteanu

How many millennials remember going down that aisle in the grocery store that was full of small, frozen cans? Instead of buying a bottle of juice from the store, for some reason, the parents of millennials were drawn to those little frozen cans they’d have to defrost to make ‘fresh juice.’

Although it may seem odd as we reflect on it, it turns out that canned juice existed for a reason. During World War II, it was a reliable and shelf-stable option for easy transport. It could be stored for long periods of time. Did the parents of millennials need to buy strictly frozen, canned juice because of the war? No. We just had it for fun.

11. An Easy-Bake Oven

thing every millennial kid had in their house growing up pretty much without exception an easy bake oven Mike Bird from Pexels

One of my favorite things from my millennial childhood was how my parents trusted me with a small oven that could certainly be a fire hazard.

The Easy-Bake Oven had been around since the 1960s, but millennial kids also enjoyed the toy. It was a toy that got so hot it could cook small baked goods. I can still taste those chalky cookies. Using an Easy-Bake Oven made me feel like a true adult.

Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.