Do You Keep or Throw Product Packaging Away?

Do You Keep or Throw Product Packaging Away?

I never thought it would come to a time where I would actually keep useless packaging just to photograph them! πŸ˜›

The only thing I love about product packaging is when I get to rip the plastic off the box, open the lid of the box, take the product out, and then chuck the plastic wrapping and box away. That’s the best part, the unveiling of the product!

Now I keep the products in their boxes if I’m not digging into them yet. This way, I have the choice of giving them away if I like. For the products that I’ll be using, I take photographs of the box, descriptions, list of ingredients and whatever information I deemed prudent at the time, and then I throw the packaging away.

The only packaging I do keep are some of the boxes for my high end makeup. I have thrown a lot of my Chanel palette boxes away because they were taking up precious space in my makeup drawer, but I still left some in their original packaging.

Do you keep product packaging? Or do you tear into them like I do with glee and chuck the packaging into the recycle bin? πŸ™‚

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32 comments… add one
  1. K.

    I only keep packaging to skincare that I haven’t started using it, so I have the ingredients and all that info. But other than that, I literally rip the cardboard on packaging and throw it away because I’m so excited to get to the product on the inside πŸ˜€
    K. recently posted..Shimmery Purple Winged Eye LookMy Profile

    1. Tine

      K: Ahh fun isn’t it, ripping the plastic and paper away to get to the prize? πŸ˜›

  2. Paris B

    If its something for my personal use, I keep it long enough to refer back for ingredients etc then I toss. But generally, I toss unless its going to anyone brand new then it stays in the box. Friends and family have come to expect hand me downs without boxes by now πŸ˜‰ But you know those velvet pouches Chanel and Dior stuff come in? I keep those πŸ™‚
    Paris B recently posted..RMK 15th Anniversary Blush Palette: The one that might have gotten awayMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Paris: I keep those too! Too ‘sayang’ to throw the velvet pouches away. I think I asked this question once on Twitter, and someone said she threw the velvet pouches away as well as they collected a lot of dust. I just couldn’t do that πŸ˜›

  3. Tram

    No!! I don’t throw my box packagings away at all.. I’m not sure why I keep them really. I’d like to pretend that I do that just in case I don’t like a product and would like to pass it onto a friend πŸ˜› Hehehe..

    But I think I just enjoy collecting them! I think they’d become handy one day… just one day.
    Tram recently posted..Saturday/Sunday Steals #21 — A $5 HaulMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Tram: Haha good to know! In a way, when the items are still in their boxes, it does make them easier to stack and store away rather than awkward-shaped bottles and jars πŸ˜‰

  4. Cooper

    It depends. If the box is special or particularly pretty, I might keep it for a while. Or if the packaging contains information that’s not on the item itself, for example ingredients list, I will hold on to it a bit.
    Otherwise, chuck it all out, I say! πŸ˜‰
    Cooper recently posted..Sample Society Box – July 2012My Profile

    1. Tine

      Cooper: Looks like a lot of people keep the boxes for their lists of ingredients. That’s very good to know that you guys are educating yourselves well with what the ingredients can and cannot do for you. As for me, I photograph them, keep the digital copy, and chuck. The temptation of ripping into the boxes is too much for me πŸ˜›

  5. Jyoan

    I keep if I haven’t reviewed them. That way, I can remember what I need to review, and also photograph the details. But I definitely throw them away straight after reviewing.
    Jyoan recently posted..UNII Palettes – Worth the Price?My Profile

    1. Tine

      Jyoan: That’s exactly what I do as well. Boxed items means unreviewed items πŸ™‚

  6. Jennifer

    Hi Tine. If it’s a regular product that I am using, then I toss the box – I used to keep those boxes in my younger days so that I can stuff shapeless birthday gifts into it and wrap them up nicely…but alas, age and birthday gift novelty outlived each other, these days we just buy each other a meal or drink πŸ™‚

    If it’s a new product, for example the Hada Labo milk and cream that I recently bought, I kept the box for reference on how to use them. It can be confusing as milk is something new to my skincare regime. Of course, I sometimes keep the boxes thinking that one day, just one fine day I will be a beauty blogger and blog about the product, that’s when I’ll need the boxes for pictures right? Right…better tossed for now less my mum “toss” me πŸ˜€

    1. Tine

      Jennifer: Hahahaha very clever Jennifer! You just reminded me that I actually used to do that! Keep the boxes to stuff presents in in order to be able to wrap them up nicely. I completely forgot I used to do that as well πŸ™‚

      That’s true. These days, especially with imported products, description in English is usually just pasted on the box, and not the bottle/jar/etc itself. It can be confusing if the box is chucked and you have absolutely no clue what it’s supposed to do.

      “better tossed for now less my mum β€œtoss” me”. Man, Jennifer, you crack me up! πŸ˜€

  7. Jue

    For perfume always because I tend to leave mine halfway finish and they goes into the boxes after that.

    For the more expensive brand…they linger for a bit before I chuck them.

    1. Tine

      Jue: That’s a very good idea. When perfumes are left in their boxes and away from the sunlight, they tend to last a lot longer.

  8. Annabella Freeman

    I used to keep mine so I could photograph it but it became such a pain slowed my blogging down. I wanted it to look pristine and then I didn’t use it waiting for the best light to take the photo.

    Now I just rip the sucker open, use it then take photos. Unless the packaging is really beautiful like Sara Happ lip scrubs I don’t care!
    Annabella Freeman recently posted..James’ review – Noble Isle Whisky & Water Hand wash and lotionMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Annabella: Haha I think that way too! Want to keep the packaging to photograph it with the product, etc etc but it’s so much more fun to just rip the sucker open and then only photograph them. After a while, I figured, hey people want to see what the actual item is, not the box! πŸ˜›

  9. Tegan @ Teganias Thoughts

    I, like you, relish throwing them away! I only keep the boxes of really high end “first purchases” like my first chanel lippie. These get put into my memories box πŸ™‚
    Tegan @ Teganias Thoughts recently posted..RetroMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Tegan: Haha love the idea of a memories box! πŸ™‚

  10. Cat

    Definitely recycle boxes stat. Don’t have space for them and also feels so good to get rid of them and declutter πŸ™‚

    1. Tine

      Cat: That’s true. Makes me feel good to throw them into the recycle bin πŸ˜€

  11. fatima

    I don’t know why I do this, but I always keep the box of the product until it finishes and then put it back in the box and throw it. It’s crazy but I always do it. >.<

    1. Tine

      Fatima: Wow that’s something new. I guess it’s best to throw them as how you got them? Together? πŸ™‚

  12. Bun Bun Makeup Tips

    I keep! I’m a hoarder! I did a post a while back, asking readers what do they do with their boxes coz my stash was getting crazy. Now it’s twice the amount I showed in the pictures. Goodness! Tell me what to do… Can’t bear to throw, no space to keep. XD
    http://bunbunmakeuptips.com/what-do-you-do-with-empty-cosmetics-boxes/
    Bun Bun Makeup Tips recently posted..Makeup Tutorial: Golden Green, Lavender, Bronze And Life Of A Bun!My Profile

    1. Tine

      Bun Bun: Haha I remember that blog post of yours! Bite the bullet and chuck them. You’ll feel a bit sick in the stomach at first, but soon after, relief at the decluttering πŸ™‚

  13. Issa

    I thro the packaging away because it’s taking too much space on my drawer … except of course if it’s too cute to throw away, hihihi…

    1. Tine

      Issa: Hee hee, you gotta keep the cute one, that’s for sure! πŸ™‚

  14. plue

    i throw them away once I photographed them or took the details down, i only keep those that look pretty, but even then i throw them away after a while.

    those i keep longest are those from high end brands, the rest out you go!
    plue recently posted..This Is How It All Began…My Profile

    1. Tine

      Plue: Me too. It’s a bit difficult to throw Chanel into the bin, even if it’s just a box πŸ˜›

  15. kerker

    I’m a hoarder so I keep everything lol I always think one day I might need it even after 10yrs lol
    kerker recently posted..Review: Dior Long Wear Eyeliner Waterproof #94My Profile

    1. Tine

      Kerker: Hahaha err I don’t know how these small boxes would do you good after 10 years, but okkkaaaayyy πŸ˜› πŸ˜›

  16. FASHION TALES

    I don’t usually keep it unless it’s expensive product that I’ve purchased and want to remember to buy it again by the box,etc. But I’m always trying to save space so I throw most of it out.
    FASHION TALES recently posted..Plaid PlacementsMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Fashion Tales: A lot of brands change their packaging after some time, so even if we keep the original packaging in order to know which one to get in future, it might be different some time down the road. I reckon it’s best to declutter, chuck them and start afresh πŸ™‚

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