20 Things That Once Were New, but Time Made Them Barely Recognizable

Sometimes, the traces time leaves on the things we use can change them completely. These dramatic transformations become even more noticeable when you have a chance to compare a well-used item with a new one. Worn, ragged, darkened or discolored, and rubbed off — this is what clothing and household items, like toys and instruments, can look like after being used for a while, sometimes after just 1 day.

We at Bright Side found Reddit users who showed the world 20 well-worn items placed side by side with their new counterparts, proving the power of time.

1. “These are identical bowls from the same boxed set — the right has been in use for 2 decades, and the left is a spare I brought out to replace a broken bowl.”

2. “Brand new vs 6 months of daily use”

3. “The air filter I just took out of my lawn mower vs the one I replaced it with”

4. “My dish scrubber before and after 8 months of use”

5. “My new boots vs my 5-year-old boots”

6. “My sister got me a ’new’ version of my old baby doll for my birthday. 27 or so years of love!”

7. “The wear of the wooden coffee cup I’ve used for 3 years (left) vs a brand new, identical cup (right)”

8. “Cleaning archaeological ceramics — a brand-new brush vs one that was used for a single day”

9. “My mom found a cute rug at the store. She brought it home and realized it was the same one she had before!”

10. “The difference between used and brand new climbing rope”

11. “A new key compared to a 16-year-old key with 270,000 miles on it”

12. “The difference between a new tire and a heavily used one on a forklift truck”

13. “A new oven mitt vs a 1-year-old mitt in a commercial bakery”

14. “My pair of pointe shoes, same brand, new vs used for 2 months”

15. “The wear and tear on my 7-year-old basketball vs the brand new one I bought”

16. “2 years old vs brand new”

17. “My dog’s brand-new collar vs a 5-year-old one”

18. “The same exact stuffed animal — one is brand new and the other one was used daily for 2 years by a toddler.”

19. “The wear on a LEGO brick I’ve been using as a key hanger for a few years compared to a new one”

20. “A new phone case vs a 2-year-old version”

Do you have things with a rich history and vivid traces of time? For how long have you been using them? Show us their pictures in the comments!

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