I save bags, both plastic and paper, and give them to a resale shop to use. Since she also mails things out ( online listings), I save the packing papers, etc. for her to use for mailings.

Our cat's favorite place to sleep is in a Banana box from Costco. We had an old wheeled desk chair from a thrift store. DH removed the seat and replaced it with a plywood platform, put an edge on so the box would not slide off. Put an old bed pillow in the box, adjusted the height and rolled it against the wall under a large window. He leaps into the box, then goes onto the window ledge.
Outside the side entrance door is a small patio table of the type used to set drinks or potted plants on. Under that table is just enough room for a cardboard box that is a snug fit for the cat. He likes to curl up in that box if there is no one available to let him into the house. The box protects him from rain and wind. He also uses it as a refuge from unwelcome visitors, such as feral cats that show up around the time that people in the area are setting off fireworks. There will often be a showdown to decide who gets the box.
I use a medium to large sized box to store flattened cartons and boxes in until they can be taken to the recycle pickup in the next town, a distance of about 7 miles from our house.
I do save the pretty bags for gifts, storing them in a large sterilite plastic box along with wrapping paper and gift tags.

Banana peels, potato peelings, egg shells, and coffee grounds all get composted and returned to the flower beds. I even scrape out the keurig cups and throw the coffee grounds into the flower beds. I do a lot of things that other people think is silly. I figure that is their problem, not mine.
A very dumb thing I did in "saving" was to put wood ashes from the stove onto the ground around a huge red rhododendron. That killed the plant. I just can't get the difference between acid and alkaline straight in my head.

Bearisgray, you verbalize some very interesting thoughts.

since I sell online, I do save boxes and padded envelopes. My neighbor bought a couple pieces of furniture recently and I scored Huge pieces of bubble wrap!!

Most of what I use for shipping, I buy new though - poly mailers -- and get free PM boxes from the PO. Big pile of them behind my door at all times.

I used to be the kind of person who never threw out a twist-tie. Then in a move, I got rid of them all and found myself needing one and I didn't have one!! My worst nightmare. I also switched to all plastic clothes hangers and had a hard time getting a wire one when I needed one.

Me, too, institches33!

I thought I was the only "box hoarder". Glad there are so many others .... now I don't feel so bad. I moved several years ago and it killed me to take some of my smaller boxes to the recycling center.

Do you think this type of saving is a result of "age?"

Clear plastic salad/fruit/egg containers work great for..
 

I save the clear plastic containers from the grocery store. They work great for storing fabric and thread. The smaller ones like tiny tomatoes come in, work well for organizing thread I am using for a certain project. Larger salad containers hold fabric for a work in progress or fabric scraps of a certain color/size. (charm squares or candy squares). The egg containers hold my embroidery thread spools and stack well. The storage ideas are unlimited. I sometimes bring them to my guild meetings to give them away.

No boxes but gift bags here.

There are certain boxes that I do save. Mostly the very small and then there are the boxes that are just right to package a quilt in when giving it as a gift. Those boxes are like striking gold to me. I also save boxes that are the right size to store odd canning jars in for storage. I find I am discarding all the rest after awhile, especially after the holidays.

I do have some small and medium boxes saved and I do save gift bags if they are in good condition. The boxes i use to send gifts to my sisters who live in another state. It is ok to save this things, but within limits. But please, do not store your fabric in cardboard boxes, actually anything. Use bins. If, Heaven forbid, there is a fire, cardboard and paper, it all goes. A plastic bin will smolder and you have a better chance of saving what you have stored. I don't have anything stored in the house. It is in the storage shed.