Do you keep the boxes?

[nofeea]

Well, I admit that I tend to be a bit of a pack-rat but I usually like to keep the original boxes or packaging of things I order (in case I need info. from the boxes or to store the items in them if I ever put them away.) But what about all of the boxes from the "Baby Gear"? These items are all SO BIG and I really have no space to store the boxes but what do you do as the baby starts to outgrow the items? (ie.-bouncer, ultrasaucer etc.....) How do you put away and store these things? Don't they get dirty or damaged if they're put away without boxes? (And do you all own private little warehouses to house the tons of equiptment these babies accumulate? :) )
Just wondering....

[August Mom]

I keep almost all boxes. All our baby gear boxes are in the basement. You can flatten the boxes to save some space if you want to. I don't keep the boxes that toxes come in when the front of the box is open and the toy is attached to the back with wire (i.e. many FP toys). If I didn't have the boxes, I think I would store a lot of the baby gear in trash bags and label them.

[brubeck]

The other reason to keep the boxes is if you ever plan on selling the stuff on EBay. I got the Sit N Stroll and planned to use it for a couple of years but due to unforseen circumstances (another separate post) I ended up EBay-ing it and was glad to have the box!

I guess you may also want to have the box if you ever have to ship the items back to the manufacturer for repairs (eg: for Combi stuff).

[Marisa6826]

You guys must have GIANORMOUS basements!!! We keep the boxes for a week to make sure the stuff is working properly and then toss them.

Then again, we live in a condo with NO STORAGE SPACE (!!) just outside of NYC!

I'm worried about what to do with Sophie's stuff once she outgrows it, but hopefully we won't have to wait long till a sibling comes along. Either it will stay here in the apartment or temporarily take up residence in our rental storage place.

-m

[egoldber]

The only boxes I keep are the ones from electronics (stereos, computers, VCRs) and sewing machines. All other boxes, I get rid of, after using the items for a week or so to ensure it works properly. We do have a big basement but I just can't justify keeping them all.

Many toys (like the exersaucer type things) and gear break down for storage. You just have to do some re-assembly when you want to use it again. You could put it in a trash bag if you want to keep it dust free.

HTH,

[mama2be]

My mom urged me to keep my boxes of my European wooden toys...she claims they will be worth more one day (when I am very dead mind you)...the key there is "very dead as opposed to "dead"...

But those are the only boxes I am keeping and even then wonder if I will maintain that :)...

[sparky]

I keep the boxes for a couple weeks to ensure that everything works and we don't need to make a return. I started a three ring binder stocked with heavyweight sheet protectors to save/organize all paperwork related to baby items. One sheet protector generally holds the manual, warranty information, and anything I just had to cut from the back of the box. It's a handy way to organize similar information for general household items as well.

I was concerned about throwing the boxes away in case I needed to make a late return. However, we bought a swing that quit working after ~60 days. The company instructed us to return it to the store. Babies-R-Us took it back with no box without any problems.

Since moisture is a concern in our ancient basement, trash bags don't cut it for storage. Oversized plastic storage bins (the ones marketed for storing large Christmas decorations/lights and lawn items tend to be available in larger sizes) work well for some of the bigger baby items.

[Melanie]

We flatten the boxes that we do keep (like the car seat), but when we got most of our gear we had a tiny townhome and a small garage so we didn't keep them. We have since moved and I stored the huge baby gear in leftover moving boxes in our garage rafters. Some of those items were in SO many pieces when we received them, that they would not have gone back into the boxes without major deconstruction anyhow.

Home Depot sells big boxes as does U-Haul if you are in need. The other option is to put them in a huge yard waste bag.

[MinnieMouse]

If nothing else keep the boxes from your car seats. ESPECIALLY the infant seat. Dd outgrew her infant seat and I wasn't warm and fuzzy about putting it in just a plastic bag in the basement. We ended up putting it in the box from her convertible seat...but they we are stuck later on :-)

Christine

[egoldber]

Just curious, why do you say you especially need to keep the box for the carseat? I just have my infant seat stored in the garage. (I'll certainly wash the cover and clean it before I use it again.)

[flagger]

We are fortunate in that we have tons of storage here. We keep all of the boxes. We never know when we might be transferred again and having all of them sure makes the chance they will survive the trip seem higher.

Also since we plan on this being are only one, we figure a higher resale with the box.