10 At-Home Tasks Delawareans Have Ditched

Have you ever thought about how much stuff Delawareans used to do on their own that few people try to do anymore?

If you’re from the younger generation, perhaps not. But older generations from Delaware know there was a time when fixing a shirt or changing car oil was just a normal weekend thing.

Life’s easier in a lot of ways in 2025. But it’s also sad how many of us have slowly stopped doing the basics. These are some of the everyday things that many Americans have stopped bothering with.

Sewing Your Own Clothes

Once upon a time, moms or grandmas would sew a button back on like it was nothing.

If your pants ripped, no big deal—out came the needle and thread. Everybody had a little sewing kit in a drawer somewhere, just in case.

Now? A ripped shirt usually ends up in the donation pile or the trash.

Most people wouldn’t even know where to buy a needle and thread these days. Even something simple like fixing a loose hem feels like a job for the seamstress.

And since clothes are so cheap now, it almost feels like more work to fix them than to just buy something new.

Back in the day, people made stuff last. Today, it’s more like, “Welp, time to hit up Walmart again.”

Washing Your Car in the Driveway

Washing the car at home used to be a thing. You’d grab a sponge, a bucket of soapy water, and blast the hose. Sometimes it turned into a mini water fight if the kids were helping out.

It was pretty fun—and you saved a few bucks.

These days, most folks just drive through one of those automatic car washes. Some even have monthly memberships, so you can roll through whenever you want without even getting out of the car.

Plus, some neighborhoods have rules about using water for vehicles, and other people don’t want to deal with the mess.

So instead of scrubbing bugs off the bumper, many people catch up on social media in their car while machines do it for them.

Changing Your Own Oil

Back in the day, learning to change your oil was part of owning a car. You’d crawl under there, get all greasy, and feel super accomplished when it was done. People even taught their kids how to do it.

Now? Yeah, not happening.

Cars are more complicated, and half the stuff is hidden under weird covers. It’s easier to just swing by one of those quick oil change places and be in and out in 15 minutes.

And honestly, with how fast they do it and how busy everyone is, it’s hard to argue.

Still, it’s pretty crazy to think that something so basic used to be totally normal—and now most people wouldn’t even try.

Cooking From Scratch

Making a full meal from scratch used to be the only option. You’d chop veggies, season everything yourself, and let stuff simmer for hours. People had recipes written on index cards, and dinner was an event.

Now? Most of us are microwaving something frozen or ordering from an app.

Even when we cook, it’s like… “open jar of sauce, dump it on pasta, done.”

And hey, no shame—it’s quick and easy. But it’s a far cry from how things used to be.

Even grocery stores make it easy to skip the work. Pre-chopped onions, ready-made sauces, and meal kits have pretty much taken over. It’s cooking, but also… kind of not.

Doing Your Own Taxes

Doing your taxes used to mean sitting down with a calculator, some forms, and probably a whole lot of confusion. But people did it.

They read the instructions, crunched the numbers, and sent it all in.

Now? Few people want to take the time or energy to figure out their taxes. They either use apps like TurboTax or hand everything off to an accountant.

Even if one’s taxes are super simple, they often still don’t want to mess with it.

To be fair, tax rules and loopholes feel like they’ve gotten more confusing over the years, so it makes sense. But still—back then, it was just part of being an adult.

Now it’s like, “Here, you deal with it. I’ll be over here hoping the IRS doesn’t choose me for an audit.”

Canning Food and Making Preserves

There was a time when summer meant canning season. People would stock up on fresh fruits and veggies, then spend hours cooking, sealing, and storing jars of stuff like jam, pickles, and tomato sauce.

Your pantry looked like a little grocery store.

These days, not so much. You want strawberry jam? Just grab a jar at the store.

Same with pickles, salsa, or anything else. It’s all right there, cheap and ready to eat.

Sure, some people still can food as a hobby or to save money, but it’s not super common.

Back then, it was just what you did. Now it’s more like something you watch on YouTube but rarely try yourself.

Cutting Hair at Home

Cutting hair at home used to be totally normal. Your mom would throw a towel over your shoulders, grab some scissors, and snip away.

Buzz cuts in the garage? Classic.

Bangs trimmed in the bathroom mirror? Risky but common.

Now, even little kids go to a pro for a trim. Salons and barbershops are everywhere, and most people don’t want to risk ending up with uneven hair or a weird bald patch.

During the pandemic, some folks tried cutting hair at home again—and let’s just say it didn’t always go well. As soon as salons reopened, many people ran back to them.

Ironing Clothes

There was a time when ironing was just part of your morning. If you had work or church, that shirt was getting ironed—no questions asked.

People even ironed their jeans.

Nowadays? Most folks couldn’t even tell you where their iron is, if they have one at all.

Wrinkle-resistant fabrics, steamers, and the “toss it in the dryer for five minutes” trick have pretty much replaced ironing altogether.

Unless it’s a fancy event, most of us are cool with a few wrinkles. We’re not trying to impress anyone at the grocery store.

Shoveling Your Own Snow

When it snowed, the whole family used to bundle up and head outside with shovels. It was cold, it was tiring, but hey—it had to be done. And helping out your neighbors was just part of it.

Now, lots of people hire snow removal services.

You can even book snow removal through an app, like ordering pizza but for your driveway.

Honestly, it makes sense. Shoveling snow is no joke, especially if your back isn’t as strong as it used to be.

But still, it’s kind of wild how fast we went from “grab a shovel” to “someone else will take care of it.”

Fixing Stuff Around the House

It used to be if something broke, you at least tried to fix it yourself.

Wobbly chair? Get the screwdriver.

Leaky faucet? Time to crawl under the sink and give it a shot.

Nearly everybody had a toolbox and some basic know-how.

Now, most people skip the hassle and just call a handyman. Even small stuff feels like a big deal if you’ve never done it before.