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If you want to get your money’s worth for an object you’ve purchased, you have to actually use it. You can’t hide it in a cupboard or pull it out only once a year when Grandma comes to visit. And yes, using things regularly will result in some wear and tear, but it can actually be pretty amazing to see just how much objects transform throughout years of usage.

To celebrate items that have definitely served their purpose, Bored Panda has compiled a list of photos from around the internet of worn-down objects. From articles of clothing to floor tiles, we hope you enjoy seeing the drastic transformations that these items have undergone. And be sure to upvote the ones that you find most impressive!

#1 Before And After Powerwashing. New York Used To Be A Much Dirtier City Back When The Northeast Ran On Coal Plants

#2 Slightly Worn Peace Dollar

#3 Door Knobs Exposed To Normal Air vs. Sea Wind

Have you ever purchased something that you were so excited to buy that you never used it? Maybe you have a box of unworn sneakers sitting in your closet, an unopened record by your favorite band, or a gorgeous mug that you’re terrified to taint with coffee. But life is short; we only get around 90 years (and that’s if we’re lucky!), so we shouldn’t be scared of using the items that we have.

Now, if you’re a huge collector and you’re trying to resell those items in mint condition in the future, fair enough. But are you really sure that you’ll be able to increase their value? Supposedly, collectibles made from sterling silver, vintage books, oil paintings, vinyl records, wristwatches, and silver coins will become more valuable over the years. But even those items aren’t guaranteed to skyrocket in value. If the past decade has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t predict the future.

#4 Said Goodbye To My Best Friend After 13 Years. This Is Is Vaccination Tag All Worn Down After A Lifetime Of Tinking Against His Water Bowl. Rip Little Man

#5 Fax Machine/Scanner Used So Heavily, The Paper Has Cut The Plastic Over Time

#6 Diamond Steel Plate Worn Smooth By Shoes At Amusement Park

Society in general has an irrational fear of aging. Women are constantly told to get cosmetic treatments, injectables, and surgeries to make their faces look younger. And celebrities are often shamed for appearing “old.” But it’s completely unfair for us to expect anyone or anything to exist without showing any visible signs of aging.

Just like a human will develop scars, freckles, wrinkles, and sun spots from living a full life, the objects that you use every single day will start to visibly transform over time too. It can be disappointing to see your favorite jeans from 20 years ago start to tear and fade. But you have to look on the bright side: you’ve experienced so many beautiful memories in those pants. And they can tell countless stories! That’s something that a brand new pair simply can’t do.

#7 My Radio Button Has Worn Out To Be A Victorian Portrait

#8 Guiding Tracks For Blind People On This Crosswalk Got Distorted Due To Cars Acceleration Forces Combined With Viscose Asphalt Over Time

#9 This Plaque In Prague Has Been Rubbed To A Shiny Gold Because, For Centuries, Passersby Have Touched The Dog For Good Luck And To Reassure Him That He’s A Very Good Boy

Another beautiful aspect of seeing objects transform over time through plenty of usage is the fact that they’re not being thrown away unnecessarily. Capitalism has convinced many people that they need to replace their items as soon as a newer, shinier thing comes along. But that’s a lie we’ve been told to keep companies earning profits. The truth is that items should be cherished and used until they no longer work. Once they’ve fully served their purpose, they can be recycled, repurposed, or eventually thrown away.

#10 Pigment Stripped From Leaf Because It Spent So Much Time In A Pool

#11 The Wire Has Worn Into This Rock After Years Of Hikers Walking Over It

#12 This Wall Broke Exposing Years Of Layers Of Paint

The problem with this throwaway culture that we have today is that it’s detrimental to the planet. Earth.org warns that fast fashion produces 92 million tons of waste each year. Meanwhile, 39,000 coffee pods are produced around the globe every minute, and 29,000 of these will end up in a landfill. Even paper towels are destructive, as they contribute to deforestation while being created, and they often take months or years to decompose in landfills.

#13 All The Letters On My GF’s Lotion Bottle Started Falling Off

#14 Staples From Posters After Four Decades

#15 My Old Next To My New Clogs

While social media makes it seem like it’s cool to flex about all of the newest gadgets that you have online, we believe that it’s actually much more impressive to hold onto items for years, or even decades. Anyone can walk into a shop and buy a new coffee table. But it takes a special kind of person to take care of their table and cherish it for 50 years. If a leg breaks off, you can repair it, rather than buy a new one. If the paint job wears down, you can repaint it!

#16 My Mother’s Clipboard From Doing The Newspapers Crossword Puzzles For 30 Years

#17 How Many Footsteps Would It Take To Wear Stone Steps Down To This Point?

#18 This Bank Floor

If you’re feeling inspired by this list, and you want to ensure that your own items last a lifetime, Money.com has some advice. First, when it comes to clothing and textiles, you need to learn some laundry skills. Preserving your clothing really comes down to washing and drying it properly. You might even need to get special items dry-cleaned. But it’ll be worth it when you can brag about wearing the same jacket for decades!

#19 My Hats, Past Present And Future

#20 The Wear Marks On This Tetherball Pole

#21 Grandpa Cut His Wedding Band Off After 55 Years Of Not Being Able To Remove It

Another important aspect in making your items last is knowing how to repair them. Whether it’s patching up a hole, sewing a button back on, or removing a stain, most things can easily be fixed with a little tender love and care. If you invest in a small sewing kit, you can save yourself hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in the long run. And if the job is too complicated for you, you can always take the item to a professional before going out to buy something new.

#22 New £500 Bundle Of £5 Notes Compared To Used Ones

#23 Dad Ordered A Vintage, Unused Version Of The Same Shaving Brush He’s Been Using For The Past 30 Years. Here’s The Difference Between The Old And New One

#24 M&ms Have Been Sitting There For Over 10 Years

Are you enjoying these fascinating photos of items that have lived long, eventful lives, pandas? Keep upvoting the things that you imagine have plenty of stories to tell, and let us know in the comments below what objects you’ve been holding onto the longest. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another article from Bored Panda featuring similar photos, look no further than right here!