Transformers Boxes, keep or throw out?

[Bugs]

Hi everyone.

I want to get some opinions on whether or not to keep any of the package boxes?

I open all my figures and of lately, a lot of my purchases are pretty much third party stuff. Most of the hasbro packagings I chuck but boxes like Masterpieces are 're-usable' so to speak and just feel like a waste to throw out. I don't intend to keep them just so I can repackage them for sale later.

What are your thoughts? Do you keep everything or chuck everything or..?

[CBratron]

Depends on whether or not I find the boxes impressive enough. Only ones I've kept so far were for Green Giant and MP Soundwave.

[Megatron]

If you have the extra space you could keep some of them especially the ones you like, and you never know, sometime in the future someone might be after a few of them to complete their collection and you could then help them out. But other than that and if you're not a completist type of collector, then there's no need to keep them.

[Omega Metro]

I don't buy Transformers for the boxes so once I open them, I throw my boxes away. They take up too much space also.

[Sinnertwin]

Boxes go, unless theyre MP's and the cardbacks stay.

[5FDP]

If I threw out the boxes I'd be throwing away the toy as well ;)

[MayzaPrime]

I have been debating this same problem for years.

I have been putting it off by putting the boxes inside plastic tubs, but now I am running out of shelf space for my TFs and I have had to fill up some other tubs with TFs (so far just DoTM and RoTF figures have been packed away) and now im running out of storage room for the plastic tubs.

[UltraMarginal]

I tend to keep most cardbacks of late. Voyager and Leader class boxes get cut up enough to fold flat. I like the artwork. though sometimes if there isn't much artwork, I keep the tech specs and bios only.

Fancy boxes get kept in most cases, especially if it's a higher end item as it gives me somewhere safe to put the figure when it's not on display. I have only a small percentage of my collection on display at any one time.

[MayzaPrime]

I tend to keep most cardbacks of late. Voyager and Leader class boxes get cut up enough to fold flat. I like the artwork. though sometimes if there isn't much artwork, I keep the tech specs and bios only.

Fancy boxes get kept in most cases, especially if it's a higher end item as it gives me somewhere safe to put the figure when it's not on display. I have only a small percentage of my collection on display at any one time.

I think I will end up flattening the boxes as well, with 4 kids I have very limited time. :D

[BigTransformerTrev]

I keep any part of the boxes that has their tech specs or character bio on it, and chuck the rest, unless an MP box. But after 1300 figures I have that many bits of box I'm actually building a storeroom on the back of my TF shed to house the crates of cardbacks :D:rolleyes::o

[Lint]

I usually ditch the packaging unless the toy can be put back in it and still looks reasonably good. As such, I usually keep more Takara packaging than Hasbro.

[liegeprime]

Card backs get thrown, unless they're really pretty I keep a few around. Boxes - it depends. MPs - yes, regular Hasbro releases - generations et al... I just read all the bios and then chuck 'em - the packaging as well the plastic parts are recyclable now so it's placed in the recyclable bin so I guess it's not so much of a waste. As for 3rd party stuff I usually keep most of 'em. I've gone sometime with a little purging as there's only so much space the cabinets can accommodate - boxes wise, and it's usually the Hasbro packaging that gets chucked.

I've made the mistake of chucking some old G1 boxes before - Pretenders/Micromasters to be exact... wasn't aware then that there is a market for it. So any recent acquired G1s with box I keep the box, until I've decided to purge them off as well - but these Ill most likely sell. Haven't done so, so far.

[GoktimusPrime]

I throw out most boxes into the recycling bin. If I decide to keep the box, then it's often flattened (and I throw out the tray). I'm increasingly running out of space to keep unflattened boxes.

[liegeprime]

That's something I should do with my boxes - flatten them, its coz I keep the inner trays and stuff as well in the ones I do keep. ... would make so much more space if I did....

[DELTAprime]

If it's a Takara box I keep automatically, if it's Hasbro it has to be something awesome to get me to keep it.

[Jetfire in the sky]

If you live in a house store your "unwanted" boxes in the roof instead of binning them. My brother and I were talking recently and said imagine the worth of G1 boxes just put into land fill!! As a massive box collector I know their value. Its hard to find a sought after item like the box for G1 Bluestreak, and if you could find it you could pay up to $100 for it on it's own!!
I keep every box but am lucky enough to have the space in the house and haven't put any in the roof space yet :)

[Bugs]

Thanks for all the input people!

Used to try to at least keep the card backs but even that is getting too ridiculous with the limited space I have now. No roof top storage and even the balcony is stacked with boxes already.

Guess I just have to make a decision and go with that!

[UltraMarginal]

If it's not practical, then it's not practical. when it comes down to it, keeping the boxes is a bit of a luxury. perhaps conider taking photos prior to throwing out, or offering them up for sale here, some people might want one or two. alternatively, get rid of some instructions. most of them can be found online these days.

[Jay-Tron]

I keep all G1 reissue boxes for my own nostalgia. As for all other boxes they get cut up and thrown into the bin. I just think the style of the G1 boxes, old and reissue just look cool.

[Jay-Tron]

Having said that, if I had the room I might hold onto some Generations boxes if I thought they'd be worth something oneday but I've got to be picky with what I keep at this stage because of room restraints...

[Magnus]

I keep MP, Takara, and HA boxes. At one point I was keeping everything I could, but I too was running out of room, so most of my figures bought at retail don't have boxes anymore.

The only piece of 'vintage' packaging I have is the foam tray for my G1 Metroplex, but if I had G1 packaging, I'd likely keep it or sell it.

[Trent]

I don't have the room. It was a choice of get rid of boxes or stop buying TFs.

Easy choice ;)

[iscreamonstars]

I used to keep boxes and cards whole with the belief that if i ever sold my tf's i had the boxes n instructions pfft like i'd ever sell em and living in a small room for awhile had boxes full of boxes.
So only keep tak boxes now

[Bidoofdude]

I've kept all mine, though most are now in a box on top of my wardrobe. I keep the Platinum and Encore stuff out though, 'coz they're both really purdy. :D

[Zommael]

I keep if the toy is "special" in some way, throw away if it's just a general release. Window boxes are more likely to get chucked than just cardboard boxes.

[Kazza]

I keep all my boxes, but I'm running out of space rapidly.:rolleyes:

[Hursticon]

Well, it's that time of year for me again - "Box Sorting/Culling Day"...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BYmN4ziCAAAKApj.jpg:large

[Ultra Mackness]

:eek: Yeah, good luck with that hursti, though you could probably fold most of them flat and keep them inside the only a couple of the bigger boxes.

[jazzcomp]

Nice boxes. :)

[Hursticon]

:eek: Yeah, good luck with that hursti, though you could probably fold most of them flat and keep them inside the only a couple of the bigger boxes.

True, but my issue with that approach is, what do I do with all the internal bubbles etc? :o


Nice boxes. :)

May have a couple that I'd consider offering to people before turfing them; weren't you after a Classics Jetfire/Skyfire box?

[Ultra Mackness]

Yeah, I didn't think of that :o

I guess you need a purpose to keep the boxes, like if you really like the art work, maybe cut that out and keep it, turf the rest. But if you've no definable purpose in keeping them then expel them from the Hurstiverse :)

[jazzcomp]

May have a couple that I'd consider offering to people before turfing them; weren't you after a Classics Jetfire/Skyfire box?
Not really, my skyfires are still boxed. Do you have a classics megatron box?
If you are giving them away, I'd like those MP-4 and MP SW boxes and maybe Predaking, Trypticon, Scorponok :) If you have any Alts or BTs and a Hasbro MP Seeker box (TC, SS or SW) and Henkei Thundercracker box, it would be much appreciated.

[Hursticon]

Yeah, I didn't think of that :o

I guess you need a purpose to keep the boxes, like if you really like the art work, maybe cut that out and keep it, turf the rest. But if you've no definable purpose in keeping them then expel them from the Hurstiverse :)

Predominantly, it's for sentimental reasons :o; Be it the art, the type of figure or the circumstances that lead to a purchase ;)
(Takara's Masterpiece packaging is too damn nice to turf! :p)

I often find in the back of my mind, though, resides the feeling that I should keep 'em just in case I should ever need to sell them - this is especially the case for 3rd Party figures. :rolleyes:
I've practically purged all of my "Classicsverse" boxes though, so the Hurstyverse has experienced the odd expulsion before. :D

[Hursticon]

Not really, my skyfires are still boxed. Do you have a classics megatron box?

Ah! - Actually yes, I do still have the original '06 Classics Nerf gun-inspired Megatron box and it is one that has entered the purge pile. :)


If you are giving them away, I'd like those MP-4 and MP SW boxes and maybe Predaking, Trypticon, Scorponok :) If you have any Alts or BTs and a Hasbro MP Seeker box (TC, SS or SW) and Henkei Thundercracker box, it would be much appreciated.

Sorry, I should've been more specific :o; I meant boxes that I've set aside as no longer being required, otherwise, the vast majority of boxes I intend to keep. ;)

[jazzcomp]

Ah! - Actually yes, I do still have the original '06 Classics Nerf gun-inspired Megatron box and it is one that has entered the purge pile. :)



Sorry, I should've been more specific :o; I meant boxes that I've set aside as no longer being required, otherwise, the vast majority of boxes I intend to keep. ;)
Hahaha!!!! Thanks, hursti!

How about classics Acid Storm? :)

[Hursticon]

Hahaha!!!! Thanks, hursti!

I'll send you a pic in a PM, won't be immediate though as I've still got a bit to do. ;)

[Hursticon]

...and people used to give me crap about how much time I spent playing Tetris! ;)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BYoMfPLCcAAdZVs.jpg:large


It was a favourite and it gives you life skills! :p:D

Also found a bunch of "bips & bobs" that I'd left in their packaging at one point or another :eek::

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BYoM87dCUAEZ0Bq.jpg:large

[Magnus]

I decided to resurrect this thread rather than make a new one and duplicate a thread on a pre-existing subject.

Back in 2013, I had typed


I keep MP, Takara, and HA boxes. At one point I was keeping everything I could, but I too was running out of room, so most of my figures bought at retail don't have boxes anymore.

The only piece of 'vintage' packaging I have is the foam tray for my G1 Metroplex, but if I had G1 packaging, I'd likely keep it or sell it.

Since then, I've held on to this, keeping my Masterpiece (which includes the new Movie Masterpiece figures) and Takara boxes. I was throwing away my retail-bought boxes from Generations lines, but over the past few years I've found myself keeping more boxes than I thought I would. I now have a fair few from Studio Series, War for Cybertron, and Legacy, and now I'm wondering which ones to keep. The only ones I'm seriously inclined to keep are the Studio Series Wreckers, my commander class figures, and the Legacy Stunticons, but for some reason I can't seem to let go of boxes for figures like Studio Series Dino, Hot Rod, and Crosshairs, the Studio Series '86 Dinobots, and Kingdom Galvatron and Cyclonus (I bought Cyclonus second-hand and the previous owner had collapsed that box).

Are other people keeping their boxes or throwing them away? Any ideas or recommendations?

[JJJ]

Throw them, always. Sure, some of the artwork on them can be quite pretty, but they exist solely to convey the toy to me. After that they are rubbish to be disposed of. I don't buy things that I don't fully intend to keep forever, so the whole selling a toy with its box thing means nothing to me (and I won't even go near my thoughts on keeping things - sealed or otherwise - in boxes...).

And yes, even my very pretty Missing Link box is going. I've now done the "hey, when did you last hold a box with that picture on it" thing, so it's time for it to go too :)

[Skyfire]

Make room by throwing away the toys. Be a TRUE box collector!

I keep all my boxes and I collapse them and store them in under-bed plastic tubs (one for Studio Series and one for the rest) - they have large width and length but I don't need so much height and are stackable. They sit in a corner of the room. The SS backdrops I'm not using are untabbed, flattened and kept with SS boxes. The only boxes I don't collapse are G1-style boxes and Masterpiece, because I keep the inserts to store accessories and the G1 boxes give me pleasant memories (see below), and boxes that are too large for the tubs. I keep the boxes in shelves or cupboards and they do take up space but that is a price I will pay (see below).

If you are happy doing what you are doing (whatever selection system it is) then I say fine. I keep all my boxes because when I was a kid, I loved the G1 boxes. It was part of the toy experience and part of the gift receiving experience (from relatives or using my pocket money). I had to store them as a kid and had had limited space, plus I cut out my tech specs, so I cut some of them up, keeping the images and logos and tossing out the filler space and the plastic windows. I now have pieces of boxes that just look ugly and I've always regretted cutting them up (and cutting out the tech spec). And that's why I do what I do with my current boxes.

So, it really depends on what motivates you personally. If they have no real meaning, then do a JJJ. I did read somewhere that a trick to decluttering is to take photographs of what you have then dispose. But again, it depends on what the item means to you.

[Seraphim Prime]

Since then, I've held on to this, keeping my Masterpiece (which includes the new Movie Masterpiece figures) and Takara boxes. I was throwing away my retail-bought boxes from Generations lines, but over the past few years I've found myself keeping more boxes than I thought I would. I now have a fair few from Studio Series, War for Cybertron, and Legacy, and now I'm wondering which ones to keep. The only ones I'm seriously inclined to keep are the Studio Series Wreckers, my commander class figures, and the Legacy Stunticons, but for some reason I can't seem to let go of boxes for figures like Studio Series Dino, Hot Rod, and Crosshairs, the Studio Series '86 Dinobots, and Kingdom Galvatron and Cyclonus (I bought Cyclonus second-hand and the previous owner had collapsed that box).

Are other people keeping their boxes or throwing them away? Any ideas or recommendations?

I suppose it goes down to why are you keeping the boxes.

I ran into this same issue when I got married last year and moved houses. I had all the MP boxes, Takara Legends boxes, Studio Series boxes and cutouts of the Generations box art because
1 - I like the art
2 - Takara releases felt like a more premium item
3 - The Studio Series box had a certain collectable appeal


Given I would have less space and my wife is a bit more cutthroat on keeping things than I am, I limited my box keeping to the Masterpieces and Alterntors - which I still use to keep the figures stored away in. (Although I'm taking an eye to getting rid of my Alternator boxes even.)

With Studio Series, fortunately by last year the changes in packaging meant that the Studio Series boxes were no longer uniform, so there was less impact of having them all together.

With the Takara Legends boxes, I was keeping them partly because it felt more collectable than the Habro stuff, but also because I had the idea that it would be easier to sell off with the box if I wanted to sell down the track. However, having decided I would be keeping pretty much all of what I had (and having bought a couple of Legends figures second hand without their box, I was again less attached to needing the box.

With the art that I enjoyed, I took the time to scan/photograph all the art and ultimately threw out the boxes. I'm feeling a lot happier without all the clutter, and any new figures have been easier to deal with by just photographing the art and throwing the box away. The other factor with the Studio Series was the "display stand" which I ultimately decided was not part of what I collected for and happily threw out.


Long story short where I am now is:

1 - Only Masterpiece & Alternators (and their equivalents) have the boxes remaining
2 - All other toys have the art photographed/scanned and then the packaging is thrown out / recycled.

[Magnus]

Thanks for the input, everyone!

I must admit I'm keeping the boxes to try and add to their figures' resale value. As much as I like to think I'm buying figures to keep for a long time, I know that some will have to go to make room or money, or even just because I don't feel the same way about them anymore, and I'm thinking that boxes will not only add to resale value, but will help to protect a figure on its journey to its new owner. Still, people buy loose figures all the time, and I have personally bought loose Masterpieces, so...

[JJJ]

I've bought a lot of transformers second-hand. Having the box isn't an asset. Knowing that the toy is complete and in good condition is what matters (and you can't even guarantee that in a sealed box).

Sometimes I think there's a group of mint-in-sealed-box people endlessely circulating stuff amongst themselves...

[GoktimusPrime]

I try to keep samples of packaging styles rather than collecting every box. Because individual box art aside, they're pretty much the same. Keeping card/box art was more essential when I was collecting G1 because the internet didn't exist, but now it does and you can always look up clear scans of packaging artwork online.

So for example, I've kept my Legacy Cosmos' box as an example of a Legacy Deluxe Class box, but chucked out the rest etc.

[DELTAprime]

How do you guys feel about throwing the backgrounds from the SS line in the recycling?

I got rid of a bunch a couple of years back, now I'm looking at the ones I have accumulated since and I'm thinking I need to do the same again. As someone who normally never keeps boxes they would go straight into the bin, but TFWiki says those cardboard backgrounds are an accessory for the SS figures.

[Seraphim Prime]

I kept them for the longest time, but decided that they aren't an accessory that is integral to the figure itself or takes away from the functionality of the figure beyond being a display backdrop.