If You Had These In Your Home, You Probably Grew Up Middle Class

If you grew up middle class, you probably never gave a second thought to many of the items in your home or what your home looked like. But for those from a poorer background, visiting middle class homes to play with friends immediately threw up small differences that marked out a house as being from a different socio-economic bracket.

Middle class kids often lived in homes in new neighborhoods that were built to look similar to each other to meet the demands of housing, but behind the walls, certain things marked out that middle class status. Whether it was changes in how the home was organized, features that added that extra touch of convenience, or items that are slightly more luxe than the bare necessities, certain inclusions were markers of this tax bracket. Not sure where you fitted in on the class scale or simply keen on indulging in a little nostalgia? Read on to find out what marked someone out as middle class.

If you were a middle class kid, it's unlikely you had to share a room with your siblings. Kids had their own space, with parents following the best themes for kids' rooms when it came to decorating. Not only did middle class kids have their own space, but it's also likely it was decorated to their exact tastes as well, with the décor being updated as kids grew up.

If you grew up poorer, you'll probably remember the horrors of cheap one-ply toilet paper that wasn't up to the job it was supposed to perform. Middle class kids, on the other hand, typically grew up with triple-ply toilet paper as standard, with parents also knowing how to store toilet paper in the open and make it look decorative. You wouldn't find any messy piles of toilet paper lying about in middle class houses — everything had a place to keep bathrooms looking neat and tidy.

Many middle class kids had their own space to play in, with a dedicated room for all their toys and games. No need to shove toys into boxes at the end of the day to reclaim an adult space — there was a whole room where these toys could be left out day and night. And, once the kids became tweens, middle class parents had plenty of creative ways to transform their child's playroom once they'd outgrown it. Some tweens and teens were then lucky enough to have their own den to hang out in.

There was no need for bathroom sharing if you grew up middle class, as you parents would have made an en suite bathroom work in their space. There was a definite distinction between bathrooms, with a parent's en suite being off limits for the younger generation and a dedicated bathroom set aside for their ablutions. And whilst the kids' bathroom was a practical space, most middle class parents tried to incorporate a touch of luxury and serenity into their own en suite.

For those on a tighter budget, generic unbranded or store brand snacks were probably the norm. But middle class kids always had name-brand snacks in the cupboard, with brands like Hostess, Little Debbie, Handi-Snacks, and Gushers to munch on whenever they were allowed access to the snack cupboard. And yes, there was often a dedicated snack cupboard, too!

Middle class houses tended to have larger fridges with plenty of space for extra food and snacks. And one of the perks of these larger fridges is that they generally came with a built-in ice maker to allow you to add ice to any drink of your choosing. Some of these fridges also dispensed cold water as well, for a little added touch of luxury.

Middle class kids didn't have to trapse to the local playground, with most of them having some sort of play equipment in their garden. Even though this was a backyard upgrade that parents could end up regretting, as it did nothing for resale value, you would still have been hard pressed to find a middle class home without at least some play equipment dotting the yard.

This isn't to say that those from a poorer background didn't read, but while they probably utilized the public library, middle class kids had their own bookshelves with their own copies of suitable books. Not only that, but middle class parents usually had books around the house, tastefully arranged in various bookshelves, that weren't just for show. People in middle class families often had the necessary leisure time to read, meaning all those hardbacks weren't just collecting dust.

While those on a lower income sometimes had to make do with cheaper factory food, middle class families always had a plethora of fruit and vegetables to pick from. Fresh vegetables could be found in the fridge or pantry for cooking with meals, but there would also often be a classic fruit bowl sitting on the counter, ready to be eaten as a healthy snack whenever a kid was hungry.

Middle class kids didn't just have plentiful fruit and veg; they had plenty of food at all times. With no need to stick to a strict meal plan, there was always food in the cupboards and fridge that was just for snacking on, rather than a specific meal. As well as big fridges, there was also usually a big pantry, with parents knowing how to get the most storage out of these kitchen pantries so that there was always food to choose from.

For many middle-class kids, it was completely normal to have one parent at home and not working. If you grew up in the '80s and '90s, this was usually your mom, who spent time looking after the home, taking you to and from school, and running you to various extra-curricular activities. In contrast, those kids from a poorer background often had both parents working, as the extra income was needed to pay for bills and expenses.

Middle class homes didn't have any damages or repairs that needed doing. Of course, damage happens in every home from time to time, with cracks and chips appearing over time. But if you grew up middle class, your parents had the disposable income to deal with these issues and get repairs done quickly, so that homes were never in danger of any permanent damage.

Finally, one of the biggest things that probably marked out your home as being middle class was having enough space for all your furniture and possessions. You might have had a family room in addition to your more formal lounge for relaxing in, or perhaps just an extra room or two that could be utilized as needed. But one thing you never struggled for was a place to put everything without it looking cramped.