Overrun with boxes? When to hold them and when to fold them

Should you save the box from electronic purchases? There are times when saving the box from a purchase is necessary as some stores won't provide a full refund without the original packaging.

As more people shop online, boxed packages are being frequently delivered to their homes – sometimes receiving more boxes within those packages – posing the question of which ones to keep and which ones to get rid of.

While most of the boxes that come to your home will end up in recycling, there are some that are worth keeping at least for a while.

It can make sense to hold onto boxes for laptops, phones and tablets in case you need to return them repair them or resell them.

Tech Editor for Consumer Reports Chris Raymond has been buying electronics for decades and has the boxes to prove it.

“One of the first electronic items I remember buying is a clock radio with a cassette player built into it,” Raymond said.

Raymond says he has decades-old boxes, which are reminders of some of his bygone gadgets.

“You can probably go into any room in the house and open a closet door or look in one of the corners and you'll find a box tucked there for a laptop, or a speaker, or a telephone,” he said.

So, the next time you make a tech purchase, should you save the box?

If there’s a chance you might return an item, it might be worthwhile holding on to the box during the 14 to 90-day return window, since some spots will not offer a full refund without its original packaging.

Raymond says another reason to hold onto a box is if you are planning on putting the item up for sale.

“If it’s an item that you think that you might resell, people are much more likely to buy it when it’s in the box,” said Raymond.

You could also keep the box while the manufacturer’s warranty is in effect. It might make it easier if you have to send an item back, though most should accept an item for repairs in any box.

Raymond notes it’s also a good idea to save the box to store a device you may not use every day, or to keep track of its extra parts like a battery or a cord.

“That helps you, one, [when you] go back and find them, but it also helps you remember what that cord goes to,” said Raymond.

If none of these apply, you can get rid of that box. Also, to help you keep the boxes you're storing from taking over your home, consider the one-to-one rule – meaning the next time you get a new device and you need to keep the box, get rid of an old one.

If you don't have space in your home, you could also flatten a box or consider storing smaller boxes inside larger ones.