For anyone seeking armor tracks, here is a neat imitative started a few years ago: Track Exchange Spreadsheet
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I used to keep boxes s a sign of accomplishment for the kits that I have completed, but as I got older, I don’t usually. For some of the rarer kits, I do keep the box depending on space.
Instructions I usually throw out. Most of the kit figures are relatively easy to figure out on how to assemble so I don’t keep the instructions, not that (most) figure kits come with instructions anyway.
Decals…yes, I keep all spare decals although some of the poor-quality ones have a tendency to yellow and then I throw them out. Figures normally don’t come with decals so I buy quality aftermarket ones.
I try to keep spare parts as I never know when they will come in handy.
I also tend to keep all my built kits now, storing them in boxes. I used to throw away the terrible ones I built as a kid, but I no longer do that because with pigments, weathering products, and washes, one can usually cover up the bad paint jobs with weathering and hide the defects, errors, and horrible paint jobs. While I seldom display the kits that I do store, it is preserving “time in a box” and chances are I will not build that kit again a second time.
If the box is a good one. Decent size and solidly constructed, I’ll keep it to act as an bench storage.
Almost always cut out the box lid and keep it on a drawer. Makes a nice little box art collection at the end.
Box normally goos into the recycle bin with the exemption of a really nice box art this will be framed on the wall or if the boxart is from a comic book autor like Francis Bergèse (made some Heller box art’s and is famous for his Buck Danny contribution ) that will be kept compleet (without the heller plastic) and i more or less do also the model box sharing so in model boxes i have multiple set’s if it fits i also try to have the decals or PE in that box so it will reduce space
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Have to admit, my closet is completely packed with boxes. Tamiya in particular has really nice art.
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So’s mine - but they’ve all got kits inside, waiting for me to build them if I live to be 300 years old…
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Concur. This is still one of my all-time favorites of theirs, even thought the model has been gone from my shelf for decades.
I realized recently that it has been damaged by the sun in a couple of places, but it is still a great images.
One of the popular artists used by Tamiya and others is Yoshiyuki Takani. There was a good article about him at the end of 2019 but I can’t find it now.
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I recently had the thought of keeping the box art, as up till now I’ve been chucking them. My dad came upon a bunch of printings from some early American artist and filled in the stud bays in his garage with them. Maybe when I build a proper workshop I’ll do the same, but with the box art of kits I built.
I used to, but needed the box space for stash space so out they went
Yeah I think that almost any box art is findable on the net and can be made into framing easily if needed.
Tomorrow It all gets thrown out. I think…
Empty boxes - kept a few for storing parts. I like to use the boxes for Christmas present boxes. The rest are tossed in trash.
Instruction sheets - used to keep them as they were often needed for IPMS contests. Threw them all away after after the contest run.
Decals - keep unless they are low quality
Spare parts - keep Panzer IV, Panther , Y-34 and Tiger 1 spare parts all others go in garbage.
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I can just imagine the disappointment if your nephew/son/cousin (whatever) receives a present from you and rips off the wrapping of a Takom 1/35 Tiger ll full interior box, only to find a sweater inside!
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LOL More likely an empty box that had a Tamiya Panzer IV or 1990s FW190. Takes too many pairs of socks to fill a double size Takom box for models with an interior.
There’s typically a horrified look of OH NO A SCALE MODEL then great relief when two pairs of socks are found inside.
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That IS nice looking box art. I keep the box tops for the art.
Great idea, the refrigerator. That’s where I can find more space for my model stuff! 
just finished this. Got rid of 13 boxes. So more room?
kosprueone, I have a few of them. I wish I had kept more. There are several that have a particular meaning to me for one reason or another. There are easily scores of illustrations that I would like to have on my walls.
Thankfully, The Box Art Den is there for us!
Here are just a couple that appeal to me:
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Nice! Thanks for the spectacular rabbit hole to wander down into. Bookmarked
I bin boxes unless useful.
What I want to know is, does anyone build and photograph the model, then bin the model?
There must be someone.