Do you keep your original boxes / styrofoam packaging?

[traycerb]

I've faithfully kept the original boxes and styrofoam / polystyrene packaging for my major electronics ( 24" monitor x 2, 42" LCD, computer cases, etc) on the premise that it would be useful when moving.

sure enough, it's great for the handful of moves i've had (especially since I usually move/pack by myself or just have day laborers help out, and I can be sure the packaging is adequate) but during a recent purge, I'm feeling it's not really worthwhile.

It feels like clutter, mentally and physically. Cost of buying adequate box/packaging money is a potential concern, but money is being spent anyway as a proportion of my rent related to the space it takes up. I usually buy for the long-term, so the possibility of selling my goods isn't reason enough to keep them either.

What do all of you do? Those of you who get rid of the packaging, what's the best way to move your CPU, monitors, TV, receiver, etc? Have you had any problems?

 

[tmillszero1]

Boxes break down pretty easy. I keep the major items like receiver boxes, but I toss the foam packaging. I figure if I have to sell the item packaging peanuts are pretty cheap. If I have to move, I'll use bathroom or hand towels to protect the items. I usually toss monitor, and appliance boxes etc..

 

[Deleted member 88227]

I hold on to my packaging as well. I stuff them in the garage, the bottom of my closet, under my bed, the attic, all full of various sized boxes from items I've bought.

 

[m715]

I save pretty much all my component boxes with their packing. But I'm pretty lucky in my garage above the ceiling there is a lot of storage space, I just can't put real heavy object up in the rafters, but boxes are no problem. It does make re-selling stuff easier once i'm ready to trade up.

 

[dandragonrage]

I've faithfully kept the original boxes and styrofoam / polystyrene packaging for my major electronics ( 24" monitor x 2, 42" LCD, computer cases, etc) on the premise that it would be useful when moving.

...

What do all of you do? Those of you who get rid of the packaging, what's the best way to move your CPU, monitors, TV, receiver, etc? Have you had any problems?

I used to keep all of that crap, but not anymore. Took way too much room. Now I only keep boxes for things I intend to resell "soon," else the box goes. Packing things well is not hard at all. Just buy some bubble wrap from Ebay or Staples or whatever, and for monitors and other stuff I like to use the foam bags they tend to come with first. And then bubble wrap, bubble wrap, bubble wrap.

I shipped a Marantz projector from the US to France. It was a VP-12S4 and these things are MUCH bigger and heavier than the typical home projector. Something like 16"x16" + lens and significantly more heavy than most. I put about 6" of bubble wrap around it, taped a couple small boxes around the lens to keep it from collapsing, and put that in box 1. Then I bubble wrapped box 1 and put that in another box. Of course it arrived perfectly. Bubble wrap is awesome. You don't need manufacturer's packaging.

 

[blackbeaSSt]

only until the return/warranty period is up. then i chunk it.

but i always love seeing folks taking shit into best try without a box!

 

[thefordmccord]

I keep the boxes for everything in the attic. It always makes it easier to ship something if I have the original packaging.

 

[Medion]

I generally keep everything that I can, so that if I need to sell it later, it helps with shipping, or makes it more presentable in person. One time I didn't do this with a monitor and shipped it in a custom box. The buyer claimed that I had packaged it poorly and that it was "destroyed" in the process. I informed him that I would issue him a FULL refund, so long as he shipped it back to me. I was paying return shipping as well. He flipped out and said he just wanted to use it for parts anyway. Made it sound like his mother was mad that he bought her a used monitor as opposed to a new one. So, barring no proof, it was buyers' remorse and not destroyed.

 

[sharknice]

I only keep the packaging for my monitors so I can pack my monitor into the original box when I go to a LAN.

Pretty much everything else can travel safely in generic boxes with bubble wrap.

Even for monitors you could probably just put a large non-abrasive towel or a blanket around the screen then bubble wrap around that and it would be fine.

 

[Tyler-Durden]

I keep boxes from items that sell well, like cell phones, graphics cards, mechanical keyboards. Most buyers like to have the original packaging regardless of whether it enhances an item's worth.

 

[brispuss]

Yes. I usually keep all packaging in case of moving to a new home, and/or in case I sell the corresponding items (and have to send the items by post or by courier).

I've been caught out before when packaging was needed for shipping, but the packaging had already been thrown out or lost (amongst my clutter at home).

 

[Skripka]

I keep boxes from items that sell well, like cell phones, graphics cards, mechanical keyboards. Most buyers like to have the original packaging regardless of whether it enhances an item's worth.

All of this.

 

[JTY]

I only keep it for a couple weeks in the event I need to take it back. After that, I recycle the boxes.

 

[Vexorg]

I have basically no room to keep anything here, so I get rid of it all pretty quickly.

 

[larrymoencurly]

I don't like storing large amounts of styrofoam because it's highly flammable. But I do keep a couple of hard disk shipping containers because manufacturers have been known to deny claims if regular boxes are used, and I keep about all the anti-static packing material because it's kind of expensive.

 

[conghelach]

I've faithfully kept the original boxes and styrofoam / polystyrene packaging for my major electronics ( 24" monitor x 2, 42" LCD, computer cases, etc) on the premise that it would be useful when moving.

sure enough, it's great for the handful of moves i've had (especially since I usually move/pack by myself or just have day laborers help out, and I can be sure the packaging is adequate) but during a recent purge, I'm feeling it's not really worthwhile.

It feels like clutter, mentally and physically. Cost of buying adequate box/packaging money is a potential concern, but money is being spent anyway as a proportion of my rent related to the space it takes up. I usually buy for the long-term, so the possibility of selling my goods isn't reason enough to keep them either.

What do all of you do? Those of you who get rid of the packaging, what's the best way to move your CPU, monitors, TV, receiver, etc? Have you had any problems?

I always keep the boxes form my graphics cards, motherboards, power supplies and monitors and sometimes printers. As mentioned these come in handy when moving, I find them especially handy when traveling for work, If im in a hotel for a month or two its great to pack my monitor in the box it came in for a safe trip.
The original boxes also make a great storage place for extras, instruction manuals, cables, cords etc., acessories that you might not need now but might need later OR when you sell that particular item. It makes for great resale value if you have the box and all the materials that came with your power supply graphics card or motherboard. Another advantage is that when I need the manual or some mobo accessory for example, I know right where it is and dont have to wade through drawers of computer stuff to find what I need, same goes for my power supplies.
For computers I generally throw away the case box unless I know of a pending move or its a system I will either be selling or handing off to a family member.

Then there's warranty and RMA, very hand to have the box instead of buying shipping material should you need to return and in some cases that may require original packaging to.

In short, if you can manager the space by all means save those boxes you wont be sorry when you need something or its time to sell.

 

[IronDoq]

ALWAYS. I switch out components fairly often and is pays to keep the boxes. It adds to resale value and shows that you care about your sale. If you have storage room, keep them.

 

[traycerb]

Boxes break down pretty easy. I keep the major items like receiver boxes, but I toss the foam packaging.

I used to keep all of that crap, but not anymore. Took way too much room. Now I only keep boxes for things I intend to resell "soon," else the box goes. Packing things well is not hard at all. Just buy some bubble wrap from Ebay or Staples or whatever, and for monitors and other stuff I like to use the foam bags they tend to come with first. And then bubble wrap, bubble wrap, bubble wrap.

only until the return/warranty period is up. then i chunk it.

but i always love seeing folks taking shit into best try without a box!

ended up getting rid of almost everything, except one large box for my TV, which flattened down to nothing. Got rid of 1.5 feet thick of flattened cardboard boxes and also styrofoam packaging taking ~1/5(!) of a dumpster. Felt so much relief to get rid of it, esp. knowing that others do too. Will only keep boxes/packaging now until return period is over, and for moves will invest heavily in bubble wrap.

Seems that the right move is to keep everything if you turnover/sell your components, or have an out-of-the-way place to store them, e.g. garage or attic. That's not my situation, but in a way I'm glad: visits to my parents' home reminds me that unless you're diligent about a minimal lifestyle, stuff expands to fill the space given.

 

[lazerxo]

I just keep a few boxes, ordered a whole new PC and put all of the spare parts inside of my Video card box, works perfectly.