Storage & Keeping Packaging

[Nigel]

In the old Hub, there was a thread called "what do you keep?" in which it was discussed what packaging people keep from their Transformers - the whole thing, just the cards, none of it etc.

I would have said that I kept the whole lot. I have now decided to change that policy. Starting with Beast Wars, I kept the whole of a toy's packaging, not because toys are supposedly more valuable with the packaging or some such idea, but because of a desire not to dispose of anything Transformers. If I had known then that the revival would be successful and realised how many toys I would end up with and, more to the point, how much space the packaging would take up, I wouldn't have started out on that road.

There is now a ridiculous amount of space taken up in the attic by empty boxes. There are that many that I'm never really going to do anything with them. So I've decided to have a cull. From now on, I shall keep just one whole example of each packaging type; for the others I shall keep the backing cards but discard the bubbles and inserts. I started last night, with some packaging from my recent additions, discarding their bubbles rather than boxing them up whole as I have in the past. It will be quite a task to do the existing lot, as it will mean getting them all down from the attic in one go and sorting them.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do with boxes yet. I shall have to decide once I’ve sorted the cards.

It’s a shame to see them go, as the packaging for each toy is unique, insofar as they have unique individual inserts. But it’s not practical to keep them all and perhaps not wholly worthwhile.

Hopefully one day I’ll have the space and the money to go back and get unopened examples of everything.

[Deleted]

I haven't got many TF toys but the ones I have I've managed to keep most of the packaging from them. I still have the boxes of my G1 reissues of Starscream and Hot Rod and I have the backing cards of all of the Classics toys I brought. I still have the box of the Classics Ultra Magnus and Skywarp set and the box of my Titanium Ultra Magnus. I threw away every other packaging of TF toys I brought mainly on the grounds that the backing cards don't have any information or pictures on them which I might find interesting at a later date.

[mellowshade]

I am reminded of moving into a flat a couple of years back where I had to face up to the fact that I couldn't keep every single box. It lead to a couple of excrutiating days of chopping and chucking, cutting off tech specs, box art and any other ineresting bits and pieces from boxes.

So what I do now is keep anything japanese in box. I keep all cards and instructions. Western boxes have the interesting bits cut out and the rest stored.

[legios]

I made a decision a while back that packaging had to "earn it's keep" so to speak. I wasn't going to keep boxes and cards except where I felt that there was a very good reason. And in general I haven't found very many good reasons in all honesty. (even Fire Convoy, my first import transformer, his box has been recycled). I jettison packaging into the recycling pretty much as soon as the toy has been freed from its plastic prison.

At one stage I was keeping most of the packaging from things, but I realised that my attic was filling up with empty boxes and chunks of cardboard. Between the Transformer, Zoids and Valkyrie boxes it was becoming somewhat absurd, so now it all goes out.

Karl

[Hero]

Wow Nigel, I remember seeing photos of your attic years ago and you had all the packaging well organised too.

I had to get rid of a lot of my packaging too but soon felt the liberation of making space so it was not so bad.

===KEN

[Andy Turnbull]

I pretty much just bin most packaging as I don't have anywhere near the space to keep it.

Occasionally I'll keep a box or two but that's the exception rather than the rule.

Andy

[Nigel]

hero said:

Wow Nigel, I remember seeing photos of your attic years ago and you had all the packaging well organised too.
===KEN

I have never taken photos of the attic. I think you are misremembering these photos from a couple of years ago, when I was reboxing the toys to try and make better use of space. They were actually taken in my parent's bedroom. (I took advantage of them being on holiday to do the reorganising.) The packaging was up in the attic, quite separate from the toys.


What's annoying is that I'm going to be gettig rid of all these bubbles and my local authority doesn't recycle plastics. My brother's authority does, though, so I shall have to see if he can take them off my hands.

[Shockprowl]

Credit to ya for tryin' to recycle Nige.

I rarely keep boxes. Prob 'cos any toy I buy, I plan to keep- for eeeeeverrrrr! I do keep some from fave characters/molds. But it just comes down to lack of space. Only in recent months have I, if opportunity and funds allow, bought extras of toys, with a veiw to trading them at a later date. These I keep MISB/MOSC obviously. I have also been known to buy seconds of my fave toys. I'll prob get (at least) two Classics Prowls, 'cos I know he'll be in action alot! I also, for example, have a spare Reissue Soundwave and Classics Starscream. I certainly cut all tech-spec/bios from packaging.

Ian.

[mabus1984]

I'm starting to get a unhealthy amount of TF packaging building up. Whilst i am keeping my Classics packaging, and any boxed sets, what should i do with all the rest?

I have more TF RTS and Generations en route to me and i really don't want to try to find somewhere to store the packaging as i'll fail.

Personally i would like to keep them for money-value, as a figure with its packaging is worth more... slightly, kinda. I would keep the cardboard and throw out the plastic bit, but the above makes me not want to.

Are they even worth keeping? Its not like original G1 stuff. The plastic blister bit on all of them has been sliced into a flap protecting the cardboard so its in good nick. I'm not even sure they'd be worth much to sell at the moment either.

[Stomski]

I think I asked this on the old board.

If space is an issue, people may be interested in the backing card/box and instructions only. So for carded items, you could throw the bubble away and boxes, flatten them out.

Personally, I've still got all packaging and yes, takes up way too much room.

[blueshift]

I keep any 'special' or interesting packaging, everything else goes in the bin

[Shockprowl]

I concure with Blue' above, 'Tis what I do. Also, it depends heavily on if you have a Woman or not. My Woman fights any keeping of packaging whatsoever, TRANSFORMERS HATER that she is. Huh, good job she's the mother of my children.

[Philip Ayres]

Bubbles are recyclable plastic now! I just keep the cards and paperwork.

[Deleted]

I keep all the cardboard backs and box art in a box in my wardrobe, but I throw out all the plastic, flaps, twistie ties etc

[legios]

Plastic packaging goes in the recycling, any card or box without a bio on it joins them unless it happens to be a very striking piece of packaging (Dark Skyfire's grey box has been kept for example. I don't have room to keep packaging for the sake of it so out it goes

Karl

[Deleted]

Feb 10, 2011 21:14:20 GMT legios said:

Plastic packaging goes in the recycling, any card or box without a bio on it joins them unless it happens to be a very striking piece of packaging (Dark Skyfire's grey box has been kept for example. I don't have room to keep packaging for the sake of it so out it goes

Karl

Oh! I also keep the nice looking boxes intact too btw, like my Universe Special Drag Strip and Overkill box, the TFCC stuff and a couple of reissue stuff

[The Doctor]

Most packaging is disposed of or repurposed to be used for storing other things in (if a sturdy enough box). Don't have the space.

-Ralph

[Jaymz]

I cut off the plastic bit and keep the card, but I currently have the luxury of using my parents house as a storage facility, if they decide to move then it's clearout time.

[Dezzeh]

I have at present an entire loft AND a bulk storage shelf full of boxes and cards and bubbles, I very much sympathise with your lack of space, yet I still cant bring myself to throwing out the plasticy useless parts.

[grahamthomson]

Anything prior to Beast Wars, I chucked out the inserts but kept the outer boxes and flattened them down. Anything newer and I dispose of all packaging.

[mabus1984]

Thanks for the many responses! Yes i do have a girlfriend and she says when we get our own place they aren't coming over. I;ve moer chance of twisting her arm if i don't have a wagon-load of packaging coming with me lol.

I think i'll keep the cardboard back and throw the plastic out, i still have some of my original G1 cardboard backing from a few figures, so why break a childhood habit. Need to find a local plastic recycle point now.

Many thanks all.

[Shockprowl]

Don't trust her!!! Don't believe her!!! First the boxes, but then it'll be the toys as well!!!!!!
Aaaarrrrgghhh!!!!

[mabus1984]

Feb 12, 2011 19:59:54 GMT Shockprowl said:

Don't trust her!!! Don't believe her!!! First the boxes, but then it'll be the toys as well!!!!!!
Aaaarrrrgghhh!!!!

Oh i've made sure she won't be making me get rid of them lol. She offered to buy me a wave 2 RTS figure today for Valentines, however i couldn't find any anywhere here yet. Grrr!!!

[Shockprowl]

Feb 13, 2011 19:19:51 GMT mabus1984 said:

Feb 12, 2011 19:59:54 GMT Shockprowl said:

Don't trust her!!! Don't believe her!!! First the boxes, but then it'll be the toys as well!!!!!!
Aaaarrrrgghhh!!!!

Oh i've made sure she won't be making me get rid of them lol. She offered to buy me a wave 2 RTS figure today for Valentines, however i couldn't find any anywhere here yet. Grrr!!!

That's it. I demand we swap Women.



No wait, mine's carrying my unborn! Damnit!!!

[mabus1984]

One day she will crack and do what every woman wants to do with their fellas stash of Transformers.... doesn't bear thinking about lol

[grahamthomson]

Today of all days, ask your partner if they love you unconditionally?

If they say yes, which they should. Then reply, gently, with: ACCEPT MY FUCKING TOYS THEN, BITCH!!

[Philip Ayres]

Feb 13, 2011 19:19:51 GMT mabus1984 said:

Oh i've made sure she won't be making me get rid of them lol. She offered to buy me a wave 2 RTS figure today for Valentines, however i couldn't find any anywhere here yet. Grrr!!!

Not out over here yet, save some comic shops who got them through Diamond last week and the obvious imports.

[mabus1984]

Hmm getting mislead by some UK Toy Sighting threads then lol where people have bought and opened them. Glad to see they're not on general release yet. Wish Argos would hurry up and get them in - they still have the 2 for 15 pound ones made up out of Movie figures as far as i can tell.

Feb 14, 2011 9:51:21 GMT @grahamthomson said:

Today of all days, ask your partner if they love you unconditionally?

If they say yes, which they should. Then reply, gently, with: ACCEPT MY FUCKING TOYS THEN, BITCH!!

I've already made it clear to her several times that whatever she does to my Transformers i'll do to her for each and every one lol.

[Deleted]

This could get messy....

[mabus1984]

Yeah and involve a lot of jail time lol