Boxes!

[MyenShi]

Most of the good folks here at Collector Freaks probably have collections that are far larger than average. I'd wager even the most disciplined among us have collections that are larger than most people think about.

But with that comes a price. Not the actual price, but boxes.

This has been discussed before, but I wanted to make a poll and ask specifically about personal experiences in dealing with, storing, or living with boxes which might help others.

To those few among us who have thrown away or sold off all their boxes, how do you feel? Do you have any regrets? Or do you just feel liberated? Are there some boxes that you chose to keep? Or is it a strictly no box house?

To others who keep all their boxes but have many, where do you keep them? Do you have a storage shed or locker? A spare room just for boxes?


I sometimes feel the call to purge all boxes, but I've saved hundreds of Hot Toys boxes with shippers and it's difficult to let go. I don't plan on selling most of the figures I have currently, but losing so much value from the figures is also hard to stomach.

Even if I did get rid of all those, I would still keep the boxes for numbered limited edition items like statues or replicas from EFX and Master Replicas. So I'd still be living with some boxes.

I have no problems throwing away boxes for some items like 3.75" or 6" figures and I've gotten rid of boxes for some unnumbered statues and replicas. But I know there are some folks out there who like to keep everything including all toy boxes and packaging even for modern 3.75".

There's no right or wrong of course. Just curious about how everyone is dealing with this these days.


Edit: A mod moved the thread to this subforum which doesn’t allow polls so it lost its poll. The overwhelming majority opinion at that time was towards not throwing away any boxes.

 

[VincentVegaFFF]

I hate the boxes! They take up so much space I don't have but I can't bring myself to throw them out. There's the resale factor for one but the boxes also house the accessories and other stuff and keeps them safe. Boxes for big statues and stuff get tossed, same with smaller figures like Marvel Legends but 1/6 I keep them.

 

[MyenShi]

I hate the boxes! They take up so much space I don't have but I can't bring myself to throw them out. There's the resale factor for one but the boxes also house the accessories and other stuff and keeps them safe. Boxes for big statues and stuff get tossed, same with smaller figures like Marvel Legends but 1/6 I keep them.

Me too. I know there are some people who love boxes, and there's an appeal to keeping certain items sealed in box. But I imagine most everyone hates storing boxes.

You throw out boxes for big statues? Does that include Sideshow, XM, or Prime 1 statues?

 

[Stryker2011]

I keep some to use for storage of extra accessories, but 90% end up going into recycling. I’d rather save the extra space for more figures and not just boxes. I don’t buy to sell — I buy to enjoy.

 

[mcautographs]

I find that the larger the collectible, the more likely I am to keep the boxes. I have all my boxes from my sixth scale figures, which isn’t much, about 50. And for my full size helmets and GG statues and such, I keep all those. If I ever move, I’d pack them all back in there. And I keep the extra hands etc from the sixth scale figures in there too, helps keep them organized. Now for stuff like Black Series, NECA, etc. I have most of the boxes. Since I’m an opener, if I find a fig I need and the box is beat up I have no problem throwing it away. And the few 3.75 figs I open i throw those away.

 

[VincentVegaFFF]

You throw out boxes for big statues? Does that include Sideshow, XM, or Prime 1 statues?

Yes. I never got too into statues, I have 2 Sideshow busts, 3 premium formats and a Smaug the Dragon from Weta but they came in enormous boxes. 2 of the PFs are over 3 feet tall and to keep the boxes I would have had to get rid things I actually wanted just to store them. It wasn't worth keeping them in the end so they got tossed.

Now, if I were buying $4000 Prime 1 statues I probably would keep the box but if I could afford statues like that I wouldn't be living in a small one bedroom apartment and would have space to store the box.

 

[MyenShi]

Yes. I never got too into statues, I have 2 Sideshow busts, 3 premium formats and a Smaug the Dragon from Weta but they came in enormous boxes. 2 of the PFs are over 3 feet tall and to keep the boxes I would have had to get rid things I actually wanted just to store them. It wasn't worth keeping them in the end so they got tossed.

Now, if I were buying $4000 Prime 1 statues I probably would keep the box but if I could afford statues like that I wouldn't be living in a small one bedroom apartment and would have space to store the box.

That’s fair. I used to collect a lot of Sideshow PFs but got out of it because I also didn’t want to store those boxes.

They were getting more efficient over time with box sizes but there’s a limit. Even the smallest ones took up a decent amount of space.

I recently got the Ahsoka PF and I love it, but I was not prepared for the enormous box it came in.

Part of me wishes everything just came in generic boxes that could be easily thrown away.

 

[BagginsOfBagEnd]

I keep some to use for storage of extra accessories, but 90% end up going into recycling. I’d rather save the extra space for more figures and not just boxes. I don’t buy to sell — I buy to enjoy.

This. After several years of deliberation, I recently had a massive purge on my figure boxes and found it quite liberating! Kept a few of the HT figures ones that I liked plus boxes/inserts for any for statues that were fragile, but the rest I just binned...got fed up of having to find places to store them - it was becoming a real pain and taking away the enjoyment of collecting. Had a big collection clear out last year and sold off a lot of figures so everything I've kept I'm not intending on selling (and if I do need to I'll just have to take the loss). Loose figures and accessories are just so much easier to store than a load of empty boxes.

I really do hate boxes...one of the main evils of collecting!

 

[chrisstbh]

I keep my boxes, never know what may happen where I have to sell off some or all figures.

 

[Zurdo95D]

I just wish Pym's formula is real so we can shrink down our collections and move/store them more easily

 

[MyenShi]

I just wish Pym's formula is real so we can shrink down our collections and move/store them more easily

That would be ideal, but Pym Particles in the hands of the general public would be an absolute disaster.

 

[dblaze]

I keep all of my boxes for all collectibles in my attic. It's almost an unlimited space up there and it doesn't get too hot. All boxes go inside of other boxes and or totes for extra protection. No issues so far.

 

[Bgnyc007]

Yeah same I keep all my boxes. They’re also in the attic outta sight outta mind. I always said if it ever got to a point where I needed storage or had to box up a figure because of space, I would purge. If I can’t display it I don’t need it is my personal rule.

 

[potato]

What i know about folks in this forum: Discard boxes of their favorite figures they wont sell off. Keep the boxes of figures they may sell or statues that would be hard to move. I disagree from non financial pov.

If i like something i would keep it complete with box and papers. If i dont like something i would not mind the losing the boxes but this reduces the value so i try to sell them off. Coming from someone who lost all the boxes and packaging of old toys. It is always pleasant to find a card hidden somewhere and read them and wished i still had the packagings.

I prefer compact packaging. Love the old medicom boxes with a clear window and cardboard inserts. I could fold them flat and save lots of space. Even if i dot, they are still pretty compact. New boxes with plastic trays take up too much space. I hate hot toys, enterbay and blitzway for this.

 

[potato]

That would be ideal, but Pym Particles in the hands of the general public would be an absolute disaster.

Dont know about pym but i know capsule corps capsule technology. Or get a doraemon.

 

[potato]

This. After several years of deliberation, I recently had a massive purge on my figure boxes and found it quite liberating! Kept a few of the HT figures ones that I liked plus boxes/inserts for any for statues that were fragile, but the rest I just binned...got fed up of having to find places to store them - it was becoming a real pain and taking away the enjoyment of collecting. Had a big collection clear out last year and sold off a lot of figures so everything I've kept I'm not intending on selling (and if I do need to I'll just have to take the loss). Loose figures and accessories are just so much easier to store than a load of empty boxes.

I really do hate boxes...one of the main evils of collecting!

Usually inserts take up same space as with the boxes. I dont see any space saved from binning the box while keeping the foam/plastic inserts.

 

[potato]

That’s fair. I used to collect a lot of Sideshow PFs but got out of it because I also didn’t want to store those boxes.

They were getting more efficient over time with box sizes but there’s a limit. Even the smallest ones took up a decent amount of space.

I recently got the Ahsoka PF and I love it, but I was not prepared for the enormous box it came in.

Part of me wishes everything just came in generic boxes that could be easily thrown away.

My dream is some advance 3d printing tech that can reproduce anything you want or decompose them like some sci fi.

Or live in a virtual world where you can have anything you want (by paying dlc) so humans just need a small cubicle in reality.

 

[potato]

I find that the larger the collectible, the more likely I am to keep the boxes. I have all my boxes from my sixth scale figures, which isn’t much, about 50. And for my full size helmets and GG statues and such, I keep all those. If I ever move, I’d pack them all back in there. And I keep the extra hands etc from the sixth scale figures in there too, helps keep them organized. Now for stuff like Black Series, NECA, etc. I have most of the boxes. Since I’m an opener, if I find a fig I need and the box is beat up I have no problem throwing it away. And the few 3.75 figs I open i throw those away.

Am i the only person that decides on a fixed pose and accessories used and keep the rest in the box in a hard to access place? Usually i spend an hour or 2 on new figures to set them up and clean up the sewing lines.

 

[potato]

I keep some to use for storage of extra accessories, but 90% end up going into recycling. I’d rather save the extra space for more figures and not just boxes. I don’t buy to sell — I buy to enjoy.

Why not try to sell them on rbay. Some folks maybe lookin for replacement over their dented box.

I seen a youtube video of a guy in hong kong burning all his HT boxes.

 

[potato]

Me too. I know there are some people who love boxes, and there's an appeal to keeping certain items sealed in box. But I imagine most everyone hates storing boxes.

You throw out boxes for big statues? Does that include Sideshow, XM, or Prime 1 statues?

There are folks who literally display the boxes, usually behind the figures. Looks cool but requires more display estate.