The sole reason why I keep my boxes, is because some people won’t buy your phone unless you also have the box with it. Otherwise they’ll rightfully assume that you stole it from some random person and want to pawn it off.
But it’s better built than the phone is.
I literally have all my small device boxes in a reusable tote box in a storage location at my house, and larger boxes for TVs and stuff sitting next to it.
I keep this stuff for warranty, resale, and a place to store any unused or unneeded additional items that came with the device. Maybe a cable or power brick, since I have most of my power/charging needs already solved, or documentation like receipts or included user manuals or something… Depending on what came with the device. Whether it’s a cellphone box or something like a Google/nest home speaker thing or whatever.
This only serves as a reminder to go through it sometime. My SO sold her phone without me being involved (she’s a strong independent person, so I’m not upset about it at all), but I know the box for the phone she sold is still in there somewhere. If I had known she was intending to sell it, I would have fetched the box for her to sell with it, and honestly that’s the only part of that I’m somewhat disappointed with. Now I have to find the box and get rid of it.
Boxes for larger items like TVs are great to have on hand when moving, since I can care a bit less about what’s placed in/around the TV, since I just pack it in its original box which has plenty of protection for the screen.
I may discontinue the practice in the coming years since, a few years ago, we moved into a property that we own rather than one we are renting. Once I feel established enough that we’re not going anywhere, a lot of those larger boxes are headed for the shredder.
I’ve resold all my old phones (for cheap, but still). Handy for that, it is much easier to resell something with a box than without one.
No!
It’s always sensible to keep the boxes for the stuff you’re currently using. If you sell something, it’ll fetch a better piece with the original box. If you give it away, the recipient will also appreciate it more. Just make sure to throw the boxes from stuff you haven’t had around in ten years. Don’t ask me how I know.
But where will I keep my assorted lengths of wire, tiny drill bits, and interesting mineral formations?
This.
Also useful for warranty/returns.
For larger items like TVs, there’s specialized packing material, which if used correctly, can better protect the TV from damage during a house move.
There’s a lot of good reasons to keep this stuff… Just, put it in a closet somewhere and forget about it. Every time you add anything to the collection, go through what you have and throw out any boxes for things you no longer own. Maybe they were damaged, maybe they were stolen, who knows, but if you’re adding to the pile, something can very likely be taken away from the pile too.
Just, put it in a closet somewhere
Sure.
In the house I can’t afford
Is this even legal?
No.
goddamn these provocateurs!
Never!
Reselling old but functional deveices in the original box
Not a fan of of just throwing things away
Those boxes are VERY useful when you’re buying a new phone by trading in the old one. Keep them.
I’m poor, I will keep my phone until it breaks down
BUT WHAT IF I DO SOME DAY
the phone box drawer is the new sauce packet drawer
You say that, but then I throw away the box to my phone and suddenly my phone bricks itself and I need to find a box to send it back to the shop in.
I’m not sure about US, but in EU there is a law that makes companies accept products for warranty without original box. Saving every box is nightmare, so the law is basically common sense.
Yeah but I’d rather not be going to the post office to get a box to perfectly fit a phone when I have the original box.
“Saving every box”, is a hobby.
Are we hobby shaming now?
That’s called hoarding disorder
No. I’m using it to store spare cables, the plastic cover my sim came in (in case I’m forgetful…), some microSD cards, and the little sim removal pin.
Done! Now what do I do about the closet full of Amazon boxes?
Since I am Gen X I can safely ignore this and sit comfortably on my throne of old phone boxes.
Since I always keep stuff forever, I’m not sure I can comfortably sit on the 6 phone boxes I’ve accumulated in my lifetime.
You have a cupboard with every console of the 90s and 00s stuffed back into the box awaiting Ragnorak right? Plus maybe some original Game + Watches.
What a nonsensical stereotype.
They’re in the attic.
I got my GCON-45s back the other day. I’m honestly tempted to see if the CRT still works for a bit of Point Blank 2.
