When I was spring cleaning over the weekend, I found loads of product boxes – all empty. It made me wonder why I ever kept them in the first place. Was it due to some misplaced sense of order or pure laziness or just that packrat instinct that had me keeping product boxes or even products in their original boxes “just in case it comes in handy one day“.
So to declutter and just simply to allow everything to fit where it should, I got rid of the empty boxes and took products out of their boxes. Truly, I have no idea why I keep those boxes, some of which are made of pretty sturdy material. Or why I keep some products in their boxes still even after years of use 😛
I also realized that many product boxes are too small to be reused for anything else. Pity really. I don’t mind buying products that do not come in boxes. Its all part of that environmental drive no? 🙂 But I’m aware that products do have to come packaged in boxes for ease of transport – prevents them from moving around too much and smashing up. Perhaps there can be a way to prevent that and still reduce the use of packaging?
Tell me – do you keep product boxes too? Do you have a reason for it? I don’t so I tossed them all out! Ah it felt good to declutter 😀
Paris B
Update: I can’t reply to every single one but I had fun reading all your responses and to know I’m not alone in this 😀 Keep it coming!
I do!!! 😛 I keep them in a special box (ok, should be boxes now)! Yup, should be packrat instinct!! I just can’t bear to toss them out! 😛
I fill them with stones, I gather them up, wrap them up with wrapping paper and toss them under the Christmas tree to steady the tree 🙂
I wish we don’t have to have boxes with the products, it’s such a waste of resources!
I actually bin them… I represnet the utter ignorance and selfishness of mankond haihz… But they are biodegradable, so what the hey…
Sometimes I keep ’em product boxes because I tell myself I need to refer to the ingredient list or instructions that came with the product. 😛
LOL i have a habit of keeping those too! i just thought they might come in handy one day, but the fact is – they never did!
hahah I keep them! because some boxes are just too cute, like the P&J ones! but the rest of the boring boxes, I chuck them 🙂
I always keep them aside for the recycle bin but never end up going, the boxes keep on pilling, throwing them out makes me feel guilty.
I do the same! I keep them, then after a couple of months I find them and toss them!
It’s some sense of preciousness attached to them–especially these days when the packaging is all so sturdy and nice. At the end of the day I have no idea what to do with them. Actually I end up recycling the boxes–I’m not sure if it is the right material for recycling, but I throw it in the recycle bin anyway. And yes, there’s got to be a more eco-friendly way to pack these makeup items. It’s scary how much waste there is!
i love to keep them in their packaging. =) until it becomes really disgusting i’ll chuck them out. until then, i still do esp for makeup. i hate them being scratched!
Same here, i always think that a big part of the money i paid for the product went to the boxes too, so i guess that’s why I been keeping them..
hahah..i do also…since lastime before i started my biz..now they all are handy and good for u..just incase u girls anyone want to donate boxes to me..i don’t mind at all ya.:)
Me too !! I also keep the boxes thinking that maybe 1 day I have some uses for them but I never seem to. In the end after months of hoarding them, I throw them all away (uh, a portion of them).
Oh I keep them in a cabinet lol in case they come handy. I sometimes recycle the boxes for other stuff when I need to send packages for clients abroad 🙂
I keep boxes too! o: I always thought I was the only one who did this. I just can’t bring myself to throw them away…they’re precious momentoes of my purchases! *does not buy high-end makeup often*
I kept them too ! But at the end of the year, it end in the dustbin. Last week, just throw a total of 20 boxes!
I do too! my excuse/reason was because I might need them someday for wrapping gifts…but of course that never happens! I
m throwing them out big time too.
i did that too back then until i realised i got no more space and they’re a bunch of nuisance. so, i make it a habit to throw them away immediately after i take them products out. but recently, this habit has came back to me since my baby loves to play with the good quality, very attractive boxes. she started out holding tight to the box for my dior rouge serum and from then on, every other boxes can be seen scattered around the house ;P
hi juan. that dior rouge serum box is so nice! the right size for a toddler’s grip, nice shiny dark blue colour. u notice that the inside, unlike other lipstick boxes, is a crimson rouge colour? nice touch.
god yes I keep boxes. I’m so diseased. I’ve tried to ditch boxes that I know I can get again but LE stuff I keep in the boxes or cute boxes, special packaging, etc…I keep as well. But something like a standard black MAC box I throw out. I used to keep everything but it was getting absurd…:-D
Of course I do! I just have that “what if” feeling if I throw it away…. O.o I’ll have thoughts like “what if I need to refer back for the price?” or “what if they have all the information on the box and I need it?” or something like that….@_@
I used to keep boxes! But I don’t know for what reason…until one day when I was decluttering and I felt so fed up with the mess, I threw everything out. And it feels so good. =)