40 Fascinating Examples Of Things Getting Worn Down Over Time

Many people view time as an unstoppable force with existential implications, a relentless march that engulfs everything. However, beyond the philosophical perspective, time has intriguing effects on our everyday surroundings. Let's explore some fascinating examples of how time influences the look of common items around us in the gallery below. 

#1 My Coworker Is Still Using The Same Post-It Note For 2 Years To Check His Pens

Image source: SolarcatStarshine Hippopotamuses: You could frame that and sell it as art.

#2 My 2-Decades-Old Water Bottle Gave Out Last Week, And Nalgene Just Sent The Replacement

Image source: chrislon_geo I don’t know how many metric tons of water I consumed out of this, how many miles it traveled with me, or the number of times it tumbled down a rocky trail, but the answer to all of them is a lot. It finally met its demise last week when it fell out of my stationary car. I reached out to Nalgene, and their replacement just arrived. I don’t have much customer loyalty, but Nalgene is pretty great.

#3 27 Years Of Daily Cuddling Including Many Attempts To Repair Him

Image source: EquiinoX96

#4 Floor In Front Of The Counter At The Pharmacy I Go To

Image source: KnightBourne Jaya: Interesting how apparently a lot of people stand with their right foot slightly closer to the counter

#5 How Sun-Bleached These VHS Tapes Are. The Whole Display Was The Same

Image source: HarryWWII

#6 These Stairs In A Church Bell Tower

Image source: highvolkage Mark: I LOVE old church bell towers. I"ve been in several, and the feeling of walking into the room on those rickety wooden stairs, and the levers and pulleys needed to operate the bells are so beautiful

#7 My Work Overalls When I First Thrifted Them In November 2020 vs. April 2023

Image source: mightymarmalade Let’s All Just Try And Be Decent: What are you washing them in to lose the colour so much?! Even if working outside, that seems a bit nuts?!

#8 The Remains Of This Hammer Stuck In Asphalt

Image source: marmosetohmarmoset Jack Burton: That's kind of arty

#9 6 Lines On My Fingernails, One For Each Chemo Session I Had Recently

Image source: Rowadd Let’s All Just Try And Be Decent: I have these. I had no idea that's what was causing them and no one told me. It's weird the stuff they just don't bother to tell you because it's not "medically relevant". I never thought that's what would be causing it so never thought to ask. So thank you.

#10 My Mom's Dog Can Open The Door, And This Is Where Her Paw Has Worn Down The Wall Over The Years

Image source: kamicham J L: Opening the door or turning on the light?

#11 This Spoon Has Been In My Family For About 70 Years, And Still Going Strong

Image source: mandy563 Crazy Panda: Is it tho?

#12 Brand New Pikachu Replacing Its 15-Year-Old Sun-Bleached Cousin

Image source: AmazingDevo

#13 18-Year-Old Tyvek (Never-Tear Paper) Wallet Next To A Brand New One

Image source: RoverTBiggs182

#14 Winnie-The-Pooh Baby Blanket: New vs. 21 Years Of Use

Image source: PieLover6699

#15 My Scrub Daddy

Image source: VB4

#16 3.5-Year-Old Wire Brush Used Every Day Compared To A Brand New One

Image source: AusiiM

#17 A Chunk Of My Red Hair From When I Was 16 Compared To My Faded With Time Hair Now That I'm 27. Red hair tends to lose its redness over time, it's very common.

Image source: fiori_ PnutButterFalcon: I never knew that.

#18 This Rug In The Old City Center Of Cluj-Napoca

Image source: reddit.com René Sauer: what rug?

#19 This Stand At A Restaurant Has A New Candle Placed One After The Other

Image source: DavyCrockPot19 McNugRay: Looks like a mop

#20 Strasbourg Cathedral

Image source: DontTouchGrandad

#21 Brand New Work Boots And The 6-Year-Old Boots They’re Replacing

Image source: myovarieshurt April: My son’s work boots are faded and stained and worn. I offered to get him a new pair for Christmas and he was nearly hyperventilating. “Do you know how long it takes to get boots comfortable?!?!?” Apparently no, I do not know.

#22 The Way These Door Handles Have Worn Down The Wall They Hit

Image source: beefytrailmix

#23 Behavioral Biases. Distribution Is Pretty Normal, But 95 Always Rounds To 100

Image source: NunoClara_

#24 My Baby Blanket. I’m 22 And Can’t Sleep Without It

Image source: Standard_Honeydew909 Crazy Panda: I think it's time to get a new one

#25 Steps Leading Up To The Old Wall Around Dinkelsbühl, Germany

Image source: blaarfengaar

#26 My New Prosthetic Foot Shell Versus The One I Walked On For Two Years

Image source: stalnoypirat Let’s All Just Try And Be Decent: It's awful that you had to use the old one in that condition. It's amazing that we have things like this but even the new one looks like it could be better. I hope the new one is more comfortable and that soon they'll be able to replace it with something even more comfortable for you.

#27 2-Year Difference

Image source: meiiodv Bored Templar: The worst shoes for your feet health

#28 The Difference Between A Brand New Sketchbook And A Full One (The Same Exact Sketchbook)

Image source: luvmell Watermelon_gum (she/her): Cool! This is how my journals usually look once finished!

#29 The Hoodie I Am Wearing When Working From Home, Window Is On The Left Of The Desk

Image source: latflickr

#30 My Finger After I Finally Got Off A Ring That’s Been On For 2,5 Years Straight

Image source: AndersonZR DetriMentaL: (@.@)!? Nu-uh.. Ring's too tight i panic, if it doesn't slip off comfortably then it doesn't go on.

#31 Cards After Being Played With For Almost 20 Years

Image source: No_Driver_1655, No_Driver_1655 ZGutr (edited): Hi mom !! (oh how i wish) She had the same deck in blue and red. Played them every evening when we went to bed. That's how they looked.

#32 The Pristine Q On My Keyboard Cover After 5 Years Of Use

Image source: twinightstream7 ZGutr: ¿Qué?

#33 Blanket With 25 Years Of Love That’s Being Put Away For Safe Keeping vs. An Unused Version My Spouse Surprised Me With

Image source: mossy_vee BoredPossum: Perfectly lined up too.

#34 Every Pencil I've Used Up In The Last 3 Semesters

Image source: Ghostie20

#35 My Daughter’s Favorite Stuffed Animal “Scratch” vs. The New Backup Replacement

Image source: ProfessionalFox9617

#36 Step At Westminster Abbey

Image source: starlight_aesthete Hippopotamuses: Mind the......

#37 Before And After Water Filters From The Water System At My Work. 7 Days Of Use

Image source: foco_del_fuego Mahayana: 7 days?? That water is nasty!

#38 This Worn-Out Road After Buses Stopping There Every 1-4 Minutes

Image source: Legal-Philosophy-445 Hippopotamuses: Bus stops really need to have concrete pads under the road to stop this.

#39 Old vs. New Chocolate Chips

Image source: ChairsAreIdiots Sharkie: Chocolate is usually perfectly edible if just discoloured like this. It could be a rule to have the container filled, so why put away something ok if you get it from below anyway?

#40 I Saw People Sharing Their Wear And Thought I’d Share The Wear On My Almost 10-Year-Old Docs

Image source: wafflebuggy Javelina Poppers (edited): I was the same way. You got a bad gait cycle, does your back hurt?