Oh, the joys of being a 90s kid. Weak dial-up internet and no WIFI meant hours of playing around your home and garden. A recent survey from SuperSaverOil.com found that WIFI is the home luxury most people in the UK want, with 45% ranking it as their essential home comfort, above TV, microwave and even tea! Unfortunately, growing up in the 90s meant other home comforts and means of entertaining ourselves.
Today’s generation have Angry Birds and Pokémon Go (and quick internet), but in the 90’s it was all about the Tamagotchi. While it was only a fad, the Tamagotchi was just one of many things you could be guaranteed to find in almost any home in Northern Ireland during the 1990’s. Here’s 13 more for you to get all nostalgic about.
13 Things every 90’s NI home had
1. Pogs
For every Tamagotchi playing child there was another going pog mad. Whatever home you entered in the 90’s you could be sure to find a selection of pogs spread across the floor. What made them so popular is anyone’s guess, but pogs kept us all entertained for hours, days and even weeks back in the mid 90’s. If you still have some pogs gathering dust in your roof space, why not put them to use with a retro pog table for your home. Check out this cool design from instructables.com for a retro pog table.
2. Inflatable chair
Another standard addition to a 90s home, the inflatable chair was a must for teenagers (and kids) for years. You weren’t part of the ‘cool gang’ unless you had an inflatable chair or sofa lying about your home. While they seemed great at the time, the struggle with inflatable chairs was they just didn’t stay inflated.
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3. Lava Lamps
No inflatable chair loving room was complete without a lava lamp. Another must have if you were growing up in the 90’s, no Northern Ireland kid’s bedroom was complete without the lava lamp. The lava lamp first became popular in the 60’s and 70’s, before a revival in the 1990’s. Does this mean we’re due another revival in the coming years? Let’s hope not!
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4. VCR Machine
While some homes will still have a VCR machine, the days of having to record your favourite TV shows on video and having to fast forward and rewind to find your favourite bits are long gone (well, sort of). The VCR has since been replaced in NI homes by DVD players, games consoles, satellite and streaming services. While they’re no longer really used, it can be hard to say goodbye to something that no doubt holds so many childhood memories.
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5. TV / VCR combo
As if having a VCR wasn’t enough, having a TV / VCR combo was all the rage back in the 90’s. Weekends were all about getting your favourite movie from Xtra-Vision and watching it on your TV / VCR combo in your bedroom. Long before Netflix and Chill, the TV / VCR combo was where it was at!
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6. Walkman
Sticking with the technology theme, and long before iTunes and Spotify were on the scene, music was all about one thing – The Walkman. The Sony Walkman was the bee’s knees back in the day, providing endless hours of musical entertainment, well, until you had to hit eject and turn the cassette. Those were the days!
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7. Gameboy
While today’s kids will have games at the touch of a button on their smartphone, it was a little different in the 90’s, but one device you could be sure almost every NI home had back in the day was the Nintendo Gameboy. From Tetris and Super Mario to Zelda and Donkey Kong, you could be assured of endless hours of entertainment on this tiny green screen.
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8. Bar Globe
Another item of furniture that could still be in many NI homes, once the Bar Globe was opened, you knew it was going to be a good night. With a real vintage look to this piece, it won’t work for every home today, but will certainly bring back memories of family get togethers down the years for many of us.
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9. Soda Stream
The Soda Stream is making a bit of a revival today, but back in the 90’s, you were the envy of all your friends if you had one of these in your home. Making your own flavoured drinks and impressing your mates after school was all part of the fun of owning a Soda Stream.
10. PlayStation or N64
Before the battle of FIFA and PES, Apple and Samsung, and Xbox One and PS4, the gaming battle of the 90’s was all about two devices; Sony’s PlayStation and Nintendo’s N64. Both consoles were launched in the mid 90’s and would have been top of birthday and Christmas lists for many NI kids as the millennium approached.
Other games consoles that you could have found in many Northern Ireland homes during the 90s are, The Atari, The Commodore, The Sega Mega Drive and Sega’s Dreamcast.
11. Kellogg’s Bike Reflectors
If you had a bike in the 90s (and chances are you did), then you’ll more than likely have had a range of colourful Kellogg’s bike reflectors on your wheels. When they weren’t stuck to your wheels they would likely be found lying around many a Northern Ireland kitchen. For many kids, buying Kellogg’s cereal in the 90s was all geared (no pun intended) at getting these reflectors.
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12. Slinky
Whether it was your stairs, front step or tables and chairs, the slinky was guaranteed to give you hours of entertainment as a child in the 90’s.
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13. George Forman Grill
It may be hard to believe, but the George Foreman Grill was launched back in 1994, bringing grilled cooking into homes across Northern Ireland. Indeed, many homes will still use a George Foreman today, but back in the mid-late 90’s, it was a case of throwing almost everything onto the George Foreman and letting it work its magic.
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Feeling nostalgic yet?
Has this list got you feeling a bit nostalgic about your 90’s home? Have we missed any of your most memorable 90s appliances or furniture? Let us know in the comments section below, or by joining the conversation over on the Property News Facebook Page.
