Box Keepers?

[PhotoNic69]

Go on. Admit it. Who out there is a Box Keeper?

You know, when you buy something new, you keep the box and packaging "just in case"
I have to admit that I am. I have so many boxes of things I probably no longer have or even remember having.
Having a rather large clear out of the loft of slightly damp cardboard. No more room left in our recycling bag this week. it's chocker.

So what boxes do you keep things for, and why?

 

[classic33]

Boxes are kept until any guarantee on the item(s) has expired. Apart from the boxes for the camera kit, bought new.

 

[ColinJ]

Ha - I was thinking about that subject yesterday!

I kept the boxes for my TV and smart turbo trainer in case they ever need to sent for repair.

Those two are justified, but I also kept boxes for two tablets, two phones, an Apple TV, and a laptop.

There is some sense in keeping boxes if the items are ever likely to be sold, but I usually donate my old technology to family and friends.

 

[Webbo2]

I store some my smart shoes in the boxes they came in. I have the boxes that my climbing/ cycling shoes came in but they are just dumped behind the climbing wall in the garage. I also have the recharging lead for my Di2 in its box as well the charging lead for my Elemet Bolt in the box it came in. I also a box for one pair of Oakley sunglasses, the others came with a case so I didn’t need the boxes.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I decided to get rid of my Hornby model train stuff recently. All over 50 years old and still in original boxes. Must be worth an absolute mint, eh?

Actually not. Disappointingly cheap as chips. All in all worth only £100 ish. £200 tops.

I'm going to donate it to a local steam heritage railway for them to sell to raise funds.

 

[fossyant]

Some things yes. Felt a bit odd chucking all the cardboard boxes my Bosch power tools came in (some came in cases, many in a cardboard box). Bought decent tool boxes for them instead. We have a lot of Lego in boxes in the roof

 

[Dadam]

I am a box hoarder by nature, but I try to get rid of boxes for cheaper gadgets after I'm sure they are ok. Expensive items like laptops, phones, tablets will be kept until the item has gone. I find selling old things of this nature on eBay, especially Apple devices, having the OEM box is worth a few quid on the sale. For medium sized items like air fryers, bean to up coffee machines which would be a pain to return without a box, I'll keep those for 6 months to a year or so. Not TVs though; too bulky. I'll keep those for a few weeks until I'm sure they're ok.

 

[All uphill]

I am a dumper and a composter.

Boxes hang around until the item has been used for the first time, then dumped/composted.

 

[Gillstay]

GOOD boxes saved for e bay sales and moving guinea pig inside and out during winter. Rest get recycled.

 

[Profpointy]

I used to keep them as that's what was done when I was a kid, but then because of my father's pathological level hoarding I realised this was really a symptom rather than sensible, so mostly they are now dumped immediately. I have kept some camera equipment boxes, as these do seem to add value if you sell, and they are fairly small, and I still have the box for my Linn hi fi turntable, which I'm also about to sell, and is needed to move it safely.

 

[ColinJ]

I have just put the cardboard from 3 large cardboard boxes in the recycling container. I'll put the small gadget boxes in there later.

I really have to keep that big TV box though. I have a 5 year warranty on the TV which still has about 3 years to run. The TV screen is stupidly fragile** so if it ever has to go back for repairs the box will be an absolute necessity!


** Panasonic went for an impressively skimpy screen thickness I think solely because it looks good for marketing. The top half of the screen is less than 1 cm thick but that is completely unnecessary because the box containing the electronics of the set at the back sticks out 2 or 3 cm for most of the bottom half. If they had continued that box up the back of the set they could have protected the screen. Basically, if you pick the set up the way you naturally would by putting one hand below and another above you are very likely to snap the very expensive OLED panel!

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Apart from the boxes for the camera kit, bought new.

Over few new cameras I've been trading-in my existing camera and think having original boxes, bags, etc. add to the trade-in (makes everything look closer to "new" and thus easier for retailer to sell 2nd hand which means higher price). On paper they give a price subject to their assessment and after their assessment my trade-in value has increased.

 

[Gunk]

I’m definitely a box keeper, recently threw a load out from stuff I got rid of years ago. But can’t help myself, I have to keep the box!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I used to keep all the boxes, but when my grandfather passed they found a gazillion boxes in his cellar, everybody was complaining about it.
This made me think.
Now I don't keep boxes anymore, apart from a few very small ones, to keep the relevant spare parts in them, like bike lights that come with more than one fastening.
I do keep a couple of empty boxes on the floor for my cats to sit in. When they get bored the boxes go, till new ones arrive.
I think cats like the smell of new cardboard!

Boxes hang around until the item has been used for the first time, then dumped/composted.

I too compost cardboard: when I've got too much green material for the compost bin and not enough boxes from my household, I raid the communal recycling bins

 

[Accy cyclist]

I keep all my shoe boxes. I used to put the summer shoes away in their box till the following summer and likewise with the winter shoes and boots. Now I'm not so tidy and just keep 'unseasonal footwear on the floor with the in season ones. I won't bin the boxes as they are always there just in case and some decent shoe boxes can go for 10, 15 quid on fleabay etc. As for the boxes that came with clothes, If the item was expensive it usually means it'll be a nicely made box so I'll keep it, just in case I ever sell the clothing item. I also keep electrical item boxes, just in case the item defaults and has to go back to the seller. So yes, I have quite a few boxes around my flat!😉