To keep the boxes or not?

winger · Aug 17, 2016

I still have the boxes for much of my photo stuff (cameras to lens to darkroom stuff). I'm in "clean it out" mode so I can get things more organized and make enough room for my parents' baby grand piano. Is there a real reason to keep all these boxes? I'm not likely to sell any of this stuff. Help me stop being a packrat and tell me it's OK to dump them.

AgX · Aug 17, 2016

If for you as user your own stowing system is more practical, the get rid of the original boxes.

Even for my collection I only save boxes if I find them interesting or if they do not take more space anyway. Sometimes I through out the inner cushing and save the outer cardboard laid flat.

Dan Fromm · Aug 17, 2016

Bethe, I used to tell myself that when I sold camera gear it would bring more if I offered it with original boxes. I don't know whether I was wrong about that but its moot because I haven't sold any of the treasures I bought new and am not likely to. A couple of spring cleanings ago I tossed the empty boxes, still haven't sold the gear that came in them.

I have indeed sold off lenses and such but all of the gear I've sold was bought used and (surprise!) came without original boxes. I do have some process lenses with their original wooden boxes but they're on the keep forever list. Even with boxes few of them will sell for enough to be worth the trouble of selling.

Theo Sulphate · Aug 17, 2016

winger said:
... Help me stop being a packrat and tell me it's OK to dump them.

Like you, I have almost all my boxes - maybe 120, in total, of various sizes. Aside from a few which may be special to me, I plan to recycle them.

winger · Aug 17, 2016

Thank you! The boxes will be gone (none have sentimental value - those cameras don't have their boxes).

Old-N-Feeble · Aug 17, 2016

I save all boxes to anything of reasonable value. Even if I never intend to sell certain things... that always seems to change... and original boxes always add resale value. Hypothetically: A lens may be worth $400 without the original box but $500 in the box. Yes, it can easily add that much value. The same is true for a camera, quality enlarging lens, etc. So ten small lens boxes can easily be worth at least $1000. Boxes to more mundane things like a printing easel or other inexpensive goods... trash those.

David A. Goldfarb · Aug 17, 2016

I save the boxes, if I have space, of things that I might sell in the future.

Once when I was in high school, our house was burglarized, and my fairly new Canon A-1 system was stolen along with some other cameras. I had the boxes, so I had the serial numbers, and that was helpful in catching the thieves and claiming the insurance. The cameras were long gone by the time the guys were caught, but they still had some other things that were returned to us. The insurance adjuster was sceptical about the idea of a kid my age having such a nice camera system, but the boxes and working darkroom were solid evidence.

Now I keep an inventory list with all my serial numbers, and to keep track of what I've bought and sold and forgotten that I've sold when I've gone looking for it after the fact.

paul_c5x4 · Aug 17, 2016

winger said:
Help me stop being a packrat and tell me it's OK to dump them.

Now't wrong with being a packrat.

If you must get rid of them, try flogging 'em on ebay - Some boxes appear to command a high price going by some of the BIN numbers.

Old-N-Feeble · Aug 17, 2016

Paul's right. if you MUST be rid of them then they may be worth a few dollars each on eBay. The 'right' ten boxes could be worth $200... or much more.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Cameras-Photo/625/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=empty box&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

Theo Sulphate · Aug 17, 2016

About two years ago, this shows a third of what was there:

...since then, I've cleaned it up into a fraction of the space, but my intent is to recycle them. Didn't think about ebaying them though...

Old-N-Feeble · Aug 17, 2016

TS... If you have 100 boxes worth an average of $20 each then that's $2000 worth of boxes.

Rick A · Aug 17, 2016

Old-N-Feeble said:
TS... If you have 100 boxes worth an average of $20 each then that's $2000 worth of boxes.

True, but an awful lot of work for that quantity of boxes. If you do decide to sell them, carefully break them down so they ship flat. You will save a bunch of money and grief shipping that way.

Old-N-Feeble · Aug 17, 2016

Rick A said:
True, but an awful lot of work for that quantity of boxes. If you do decide to sell them, carefully break them down so they ship flat. You will save a bunch of money and grief shipping that way.

Some yes, others no. First, that's worth my time these days and it's something I can still do. Second, most boxes have internal packing so they can't be shipped flat. Third, I do understand that others' time is more valuable than mine these days.

John Koehrer · Aug 17, 2016

There's an assumption made here that a box is worth $20.00 either in cash or an addition to
the price of a used camera.
Once in a great while maybe, with a mint camera thingy. As a general rule I doubt it.

I recycle! Well, I haven't bought anything new for years though. Somehow the edges get
kinda brassy. bottoms get scratched & dinged and sometimes even dented.

winger · Aug 17, 2016

John Koehrer said:
There's an assumption made here that a box is worth $20.00 either in cash or an addition to
the price of a used camera.
Once in a great while maybe, with a mint camera thingy. As a general rule I doubt it.

I recycle! Well, I haven't bought anything new for years though. Somehow the edges get
kinda brassy. bottoms get scratched & dinged and sometimes even dented.

Yeah, my stuff is probably not in $20 boxes. Some of my cameras are lucky if they're worth $20. The boxes I have are from my Pentax 645N and its lenses, a flash or two, a darkroom timer, a couple of non-APUG cameras, some Sigma lenses. I really doubt they're worth the time to pack them off to someone. There might be 15 boxes. It isn't like they're taking up that much room, but this house is very low on storage so every cubic inch counts. And I might score some bonus points from Ken for cleaning out some "extra stuff" I don't use. Never mind that the Windows95 computer is still around here somewhere, too. Like I said, help me stop being a packrat.

MattKing · Aug 17, 2016

Some people buy boxes so they can give the impression that the equipment they are selling is "like new - just out of the box".

I keep a couple of the boxes I have because they include excellent, custom fitted packing material.

The others I keep because I like to remember when I actually bought new things.

And some of them are purrrty.

trythis · Aug 18, 2016

I always use the rule when cleaning stuff out:
Would I pay $20 for something if I didn't have it? If my answer is no, its garbage, donated or recycled.
Life is not the material stuff we sit on its the experience and accomplishments we create.
I wouldn't pay $2 for an empty box. Actually, I am glad I only buy used and never have to worry about the boxes. I would hate to have to spend time concered about the value of a paper box.

Good luck!

benjiboy · Aug 18, 2016

The only reason to keep the boxes as far as I'm concerned is in case you need to send the the equipment in the mail or by carrier for repair or servicing, the original box and the original polystyrene internal packaging is one of the best protections against transit damage.

Ko.Fe. · Aug 18, 2016

I'm keeping the boxes because it is much more easy to sell and at the higher price. I also prefer to buy in the boxes. Also, for me, if it is too many boxes, it is time to sell.

railwayman3 · Aug 18, 2016

Ko.Fe. said:
I'm keeping the boxes because it is much more easy to sell and at the higher price. I also prefer to buy in the boxes. Also, for me, if it is too many boxes, it is time to sell.

My late Father had kept every single original box for all his Exakta and Rollei gear.......when we helped my Mother sell this after hie passed away, it sold instantly at top prices, mainly, it seemed, because of the boxes, instruction brochures, and even guarantee cards and receipts. I don't think he ever intended to sell it himself, but, in the event, his hoarding of the extras certainly benefitted my Mother, and pleased the collectors who bought the gear.

pdeeh · Aug 18, 2016

I keep the boxes if I got them.
if I don't got them I don't keep them.

Theo Sulphate · Aug 18, 2016

APUGuser19 said:
... A baby grand piano is a big thing taking up a lot of room in say, the typical ranch or bungalow, especially if nobody can even play it.

Not only that, señor, even bigger is the piano's box.

AgX · Aug 18, 2016

But that box then could house all those photo boxes...

Andrew O'Neill · Aug 18, 2016

Last month I recycled hundreds of photo related boxes that I had piling up in the garage and attic over the past 14 years. I felt like those hoarders on TV who have great difficulty parting with junk... Feels good to clear up all that space!

winger · Aug 18, 2016

APUGuser19 said:
It was never stated in the OP if anybody in the household can even play the piano. If not, then get rid of it and keep the boxes. A baby grand piano is a big thing taking up a lot of room in say, the typical ranch or bungalow, especially if nobody can even play it.

Oh yes, I can play. I'm out of practice now, but would also like it if my son would play, even a little bit. And the piano has been in the family for longer than my camera boxes. The house is big enough for it and this is a good reason to do some organizing (some stuff is still in boxes from the move back to PA from IA last year).

To keep the boxes or not?

winger

AgX

Dan Fromm

Theo Sulphate

winger

Old-N-Feeble

David A. Goldfarb

Moderator

paul_c5x4

Old-N-Feeble

Theo Sulphate

Old-N-Feeble

Rick A

Old-N-Feeble

John Koehrer

winger

MattKing

Moderator

trythis

benjiboy

Ko.Fe.

railwayman3

pdeeh

Theo Sulphate

AgX

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

winger

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