Search Google or Pinterest for “Lego Storage” and you’ll get about as many answers as there are Legos. I found it both inspiring and frustrating: SO MANY OPTIONS! and yet, soooo many options. Our Lego collection has grown significantly over the years. Elena was never really into them, so we had a mangeable collection that fit nicely into a Box 4 Blox. Eli, on the other hand, loves Legos of any kind. After a Lego explosion last Christmas, I found the situation unbearable. They no longer all fit in the box. Legos were in every room, under foot (that’ll teach your kids some colorful language to go with the colorful blocks), and forever getting lost. I spent some time searching solutions before my own lightbulb went off: there is no perfect Lego storage solution. The reason there are so many options is part of the joy of Legos – there are many different ways they can be played with. And until you understand how your child plays with Legos, you run the risk of organizing them in a way that won’t work. Does your kid like to build complete sets by plan over and over again? Then you’ll need to organize them somehow by sets. Does your kid prefer to pick and choose bricks by color? You’ll have to sort and store them that way. Eli likes to build from plans, but he’s not married to them. He’s very good at searching for the type of brick he needs and piecing together models that way, or building his own creation. He also enjoys playing with just his minifigs, especially his Ninjago guys. Based on that, I knew I needed to come up with a system that:
- Sorted and stored Legos by type, not color.
- Would allow him to access building instructions easily.
- Seperated Ninjago pieces and other minifigs into a portable solution that he could take anywhere.
It took some serious time and effort to get our mess-of-a-Lego stash sorted and organized, but I’m so happy with my solution I just had to share it with you!
Solution #1: Sort & Store Legos By Type
I had an idea of what I wanted, but had yet to find it anywhere. On a trip to IKEA I came across these Vessla storage crates and Glis boxes – they were perfect! Here’s why they are perfect for your Lego builder that prefers to build by type of brick:
- The small Glis boxes are the perfect size for a collection of a certain brick type.
- The larger Glis box has dividers inside that can be customized. They’re great for holding the larger bricks sorted by color or storing the smaller bricks sorted by type.
- The Glis boxes stack and fit perfectly inside the Vessla crates.
- The Vessla crates stack as well, or can be easily moved around by casters.
I sorted every single Lego by type and then gave it a home in a labeled box. I recommend wine and a good soundtrack to help you power through.
Solution #2: Easy Access to Building Instructions
It doesn’t take long to amass a stack of building instructions with your Legos. I wanted Eli to be able to find them and put them away easily and neatly. I found that a binder works perfectly for this. I purchased some 8 1/2″ x 11″ page protectors for the building instructions as well as some sports card storage pages for his Ninjago battle cards. The binder also fits inside the storage crates. Problem solved!
Solution #3: Separate and Portable Minifigs
A hobby or tackle box is ideal. You want it to have some divided compartments inside, a lid that snaps and stays shut, and a handle for portability. I found this small hobby box at The Container Store (of course I did!) and it’s perfect. Eli can store the minifigs and their accessories/weapons on top, and he can take along Ninjago battle cards and spinners in the larger bottom section.
It’s been over 2 months now that our system has been in place and it’s a keeper! Eli still needs some assistance locating the right box for his building or sorting bricks back into the correct box, but it’s so much easier than sorting through every single Lego to find that one brick he was missing. He loves being able to spread all the boxes on the table or floor and build to his heart’s content. An added bonus is that I’m more aware of specific bricks we could stock up on. Most importantly, though, it’s given him the ability to build with more independence , which in turn is building his confidence. No more missing pieces. No more swearing. More building. More Lego love.
Have you found a good method to organize Legos based on your builder’s preferences? Please share! Looking for more ideas and inspiration for home organization? I’ve created a Pinterest board with the best tips and resources I’ve found so far!
Follow Angie Six {just like the number}’s board For The Home: Organization on Pinterest.