Long Hangers and Toilet Seats

... really have nothing in common! Except... In September, 1937, Better Homes & Gardens included them both in the "It's News to Me!" column. I often spot items like this in old magazines and books that look so useful, I really do ask, "Why did we stop doing that?"

Check out the page:

Among the numerous goodies to help folks make their lives easier is one thing I sure could have used about seven or eight years ago, and another thing I sure wish I had right now.

First, number 2... really, no pun intended! The description reads: "'A clever idea,' says Gladys Denny Shultz of the toilet cover, designed for the home where there's a baby. Its second hinged seat, built in to rest lid-like on the adult's seat, fits the child. Thus the unit has permanent, swinging seats in two sizes, and a lid..."

How brilliant! If you've also struggled with the various potties for training, you know how handy -- and clutter free -- this beauty would be. And it would still be around, presumably, for when child-sized visitors need to visit the bathroom...or maybe even grand kids.

The second item, I'm sure is still made somewhere. But I've never come across them, and I'm sure if I did, they would be out of my price range. Our bedroom closets have two shelves above the rod. I can't get to them, nor does anything really fit on them that I would like to store. What I would really like to do is take them out, drop the existing rod, and put another rod up near ceiling height. If I had some of these hangers, that would make my closet twice as large, and I wouldn't even need to stretch to get to stuff up out of the way.

The description: "It it's top hat and tails for the big time, just reach your clothes from these long-handled hangers. hanger at left (No. F), hooked on a high closet rod, keeps an evening gown from trailing. The other (No. 0), placed high, saves a man's dress suit from the closet crush of the hoi polloi!..."

Or... my winter things could pop up to the top rod, along with my special clothes, and my current rotation of clothes could reside below.

Don't these things just make sense? Why'd we stop doing that?