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32 Things Middle-Class People Do At Home That They Don’t Realize Mark Them As Middle Class
Everyone aims to improve their lives and live in the best and most comfortable way possible. These aspirations push people, especially the middle class, to work harder and reward themselves with the things that remind them they’ve come a long way.
This list is inspired by that sentiment and talks about all the things that the working class has in their homes that definitely mark them as middle-class folks. Some stuff mentioned on this list might be surprising because they’re subtle enough to pass under peoples’ radar.
More info: Reddit
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#1
I once had a speaker tell the group that the “lower class is surviving, they don’t have money to fix things or to have things fixed, the middle class have tools and are DIYers, while upper class have no tools because they hire the work out”.
So yeah, tools.
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#3
Food that there isn’t a plan for. Like you can eat it whenever. I remember my rich (read: middle class) friends casually offering me a bowl of cereal or chips after school as a snack. I was floored at the luxury of this. At home everything was rationed, or spread thin enough to get us to next paycheck or at least as close as we could get to it. Every bit of food had a plan. We couldn’t just eat whatever, whenever because we felt like it.
Also, matching furniture sets and getting your hair done *professionally,* in a salon. These were rich people things to me.
Right from books and television shows to pop culture references, it seems like most people strive to be a part of the middle-class. Although the number of people in this category is on the rise, there is still a big disparity in wealth and income across the globe. Many folks still struggle to get basic necessities like food, water, and a roof over their heads.
The largest population of middle-class people seems to be in China, whereas in places like the United States, with the rich only getting richer, this middle category seems to be ‘disappearing.’ That’s why many folks aspire to reach that level of comfort where they are able to take care of their basic needs and also live with small luxuries.
#5
Actually, growing up in the 80's-90's I will tell you what I remember most about the middle class houses was the amount of fresh fruit and veggies they always had. Large bowl on the counter, plenty in the fridge and pantry. Not just cheap factory food.
Huddo's sister 1 day ago (edited)
One thing we always had when I was a kid was fruit and veggies, it was the prepackaged stuff that was expensive. Fruit and veggies were cheaper when you went to the Dandenong (and other) market, and grew things yourself. There was always plenty of pumpkin for example, because they took up a large part of our garden and whole ones keep for months (mind you, I didn't really like pumpkin back then). We could have one store-bought treat in our lunch box a week, everything else was homemade. This was while living on one income most of the time, and then later two government payments, in Australia in the 90s.
#6
Kids having their own room.
As you can probably see from this list, there are many subtle things that can indicate that someone is in the middle class. Things like owning matching cutlery or being able to fix what’s broken all show that a person has enough money to afford what they want. Apart from that, folks in this class also seem to aspire toward owning their own things.
Right from real estate to their cars, middle-class people want to have the luxury and convenience of ownership. This signals to them that they have achieved their goals in life and no longer have to scrimp and save just to get by. Completing their education, saving up for retirement, taking vacations, and having health insurance are some of the other indicators of it as well.
#7
Books, shelves full of books. That was what hit me as a kid going to my posher friends houses. Now my parents didn't read much when I was young, but I was massively into books so seeing walls of shelves with books around my friends houses made me think they were super clever and mega rich. I know, not necessarily true especially these days, but while I have never become rich myself, I guess I became middle class through education and life experiences, so my flat is filled with books I've read or will read one day. So, I guess I always thought that being middle class was associated with having a library of books :).
Shoopyfloop Roundbird 13 hours ago
Grew up dirt poor. We had books books and more books. Very affordable entertainment when you have no budget. Thrits stores, flea markets, used book stores. My adults encouraged reading as a hobby when i was quite young. I cant imagine a world with out books.
#8
A family room. Like a whole separate room from the living room with a tv and huge couches.
#9
No noticeable damage/repairs needed… cracks/chips in walls, damage to floors or furniture, old windows, etc. (it can be clean but need repair)
Having a house and being able to afford to upkeep the house are two separate things.
Hard work is often the best predictor of success, but birth and family circumstances can also be strong predictors of whether someone will reach middle-class status. Studies show that children who are born underweight or who have a mother who is poor, a dropout, or unmarried only have a 17% chance of bettering their financial circumstances.
On the flip side, nearly 24% of people who go off-track earlier in their lives manage to achieve middle-class status. This shows that although birth circumstances can affect a person’s success, their determination can play a big role in the final outcome.
#10
I finally felt like I had "made it" when I moved into a house and found I had a room I had no idea what to do with. It's been months and it's still empty.
#11
Those fridges with the water dispenser.
Geoffrey Scott 17 hours ago
I am SO spoiled. I never want to own a fridge without an ice dispenser again.
#12
Kids having cute bedding. The couple of dollars difference between plain sheets and blankets and the cute stuff with dinosaurs and unicorns is a giant gulf when you’re poor.
Most of the folks on this list are in awe of and appreciative of the things that middle-class people seem to have in their houses. There may be some people who struggle with this class disparity and envy what they don’t have. Dealing with such feelings can be overwhelming and frustrating but they also help give an insight into the things we feel we’re lacking in ourselves.
The best way to deal with envy is to notice the emotions and try to have trust in the fact that regardless of where you are right now in your life, you have the capacity to better yourself and your circumstances. Although the road may be long, eventually, you will be able to reach your goals.
#13
I remember back to school shopping in middle school. Think J C Penney and K-Mart. Mom budgeted and paid cash for everything. I would get a few new things but not much. Most of my clothes were hand me downs from relatives.
My best friend picked out all her own clothes in a nice department store and put them on hold. Her dad went by the store after work and paid for it all and brought it home to her. No dickering, no pleading or figuring out what to buy and what to put back.
Forty five years later I contributed to her go-fund-me so she wouldn't get evicted from her apartment. I hate that for her, the childhood and teenage years were the best years of her life.
#14
Garage or basement fridge where the drinks are stored.
Scott Rackley 14 hours ago
Fridge has to be 50 years old and either harvest gold or avocado green
#15
First thought that popped in my head was matching cutlery, cups, and dishes.
Geoffrey Scott 17 hours ago
All our bowls match. They either say 'Cool Whip' or (local) cottage cheese brand.
Hopefully, everyone who reads this list will be able to enjoy all the little and big luxuries mentioned in it. It just goes to show that some of the small things we take for granted in our own lives might be an aspiration for another person.
What are some of the things you’ve noticed in peoples’ houses that you think signal luxury? Let us know in the comments.
#17
I remember when I was around 9 or 10 I went to my first sleepover. It hit me when we pulled up; absolutely no trash in the yard or weird scraggly trees growing through the fence, no peeling paint, no cracks in the windows at all, and there were no bare patches on their lawn from a fire.
#19
Kids being allowed to take whatever they want out of the refrigerator.
#20
Name brand snacks. Never had handi snacks, gushers, hi-c, lunchables, etc. as a kid. I love that I can afford them now that I'm 38.
#21
Garage, bonus for a paved driveway in rural areas.
Brian Droste 14 hours ago
The house that I grew up had a double garage and a cemented driveway. We were poor. But that was back in the 70's.
#22
The good toilet paper. I grew up with a single mom that always bought the cheapest TP she could find. I still distinctly remember when I visited a middle class friends house and saw triple ply for the first time. My brain told me it was some sort of towel material and I was super f*****g confused for a second.
Stephanie Did It 1 day ago
The cheapest TP is offset by the fact that everyone uses 3 times more so it doesn't disintegrate. I'd rather buy the better brand and use less.
#23
Flooring.
As a kid our apartment had very old and worn linoleum glued to the concrete floor. Slippery, hard, and so thin you could feel imperfections in the floor. Everything echoed off the hard surfaces, especially in the kitchen.
Even modern vinyl floors with a built-in layer of padding feels better even though it's pretty similar.
Going to a friend's house who had new padded carpet was magic.. it not only felt better it made the room quiet.
#24
The door bell that goes bing bong bong bing. Bong bong bing bong.
#25
Central air conditioning.
Colleen Glim 13 hours ago
I had central air for the first time when I bought my house 13 years ago. My husband likes it more than I do. Different heat tolerances. I’m usually happy with just a fan unless it’s ugly hot
#26
Matching furniture, matching appliances, dishwasher and ice maker.
#28
Their houses are way brighter. Maybe it’s just me, it seems like they have more lights and newer brighter ones. And not a bunch of burnt out bulbs.
#30
Mattresses not on the floor.
Bec 13 hours ago
Husband and I finally bought a frame and new mattress, we probably lived without a frame for 10-15 years because when we upgraded from a double to a queen, we didn't have a frame. It just didn't seem to important, but it did feel a little embarrassing to be adults and not have a basic thing
#32
Multiple flavors of breakfast cereal.
Robert Beveridge 14 hours ago
One of my roommates keeps at least four kinds on hand at all times--though it's one of the few things she CAN eat given some dental issues, so special circumstances. (we are a household of SSI x1 and SSDI x2, so decidedly not middle class.)
Poll Question
What minor home upgrade do you believe has the most significant impact on perceived wealth?
Renovated bathroom
Updated kitchen fixtures
Energy-efficient windows
Luxury flooring
What do you think ?
Forrest Hobbs 12 hours ago
Most of the things on this list aren't the difference between working class and middle class: they're the difference between poverty and adequate income. Plenty of working class people have adequate income - my grandparents and parents, for example. (Me? I'm supposed to have had a class upgrade to middle class apparently...)
Forrest Hobbs 12 hours ago
Most of the things on this list aren't the difference between working class and middle class: they're the difference between poverty and adequate income. Plenty of working class people have adequate income - my grandparents and parents, for example. (Me? I'm supposed to have had a class upgrade to middle class apparently...)
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