Lego Storage Ideas

[HookdonWDW]

So nice to know I'm not alone with this problem! We have two red cubes with divided trays in them to store the loose pieces -- we got them from Lego years ago for about $20, and I just looked them up again -- they're on Amazon for $250!!! All the sets are in various storage bins that have taken over the toy cupboard in the living room. I keep threatening to take control of them, but I haven't been able too!

We have 6 of these that we also bought on clearance from Lego. Can't believe how expensive they are now. I also can't believe that Lego doesn't currently make anything similar, since these are so great for storage. DS sorts his Lego parts by size, color and part. He then stores all of his building instructions for the different kits separately. It works great for us.

 

[tres besitos]

I have 4 boys crazy for legos in my house an 8 year old, a 6 year old, a 4 year old and a 38 year old! DS's 8 & 6 share a room and therefore all of their legos. We have a great table and chair combo in their room that we got from the Lego store
http://shop.lego.com/ByCategory/Product.aspx?p=2853656&cn=13&d=443

It is a bit expensive, but we asked my parents to give it to the boys one year as their Christmas gift. It is kind of clover shaped, has 3 seats, 3 built in lego bases and a deep storage basket in the center, which is currently full of minifigures, heads, body parts, etc, etc. My kids have ALOT of Legos! We have the clear plastic bins stacked up on shelves in their closet, which are somewhat sorted by shape or type of brick. We also have their current masterpieces on display on the book shelf in their bedroom until ds4 tries to "play" with them while his older brothers are at school. Once it is broken beyond recognition it will just go into the closet bins. Once or twice a year the "boys" will have a lego day - pull everything out, get some extra Tupperware for subsorting within the larger rubbermaid bins and spend the day building new creations and sorting/organizing everything. It will literally take all day but DH gets it all super insanely organized and the kids will all have special daddy made creations (my sons call him a "lego professional"). It will stay pretty well organized until the next sleepover with a lego loving friend.

 

[katierae81]

My DS5 has become a Lego fanatic! Santa brought him this for Christmas, and I am in love with it. http://www.amazon.com/Lego-Activity-Table-1-playmat/dp/B003OUX7US You can barely see it on the picture, but it has an oval cut out on the table top, with a removable piece. When you are finished building, you can just sweep the remaining lego pieces into the drawer underneath for storage through the hole! He currently has a couple thousand pieces, mostly broken apart sets. He will sit and watch YouTube videos on how to create things and turn around and make his own creations, rather than follow the sets. From the looks of it, we have only scratched the lego surface.

 

[Kathi OD]

FYI...never too old for legos.

My highschool sophmore got out his Legos to build "Shakespeare's Theater". He used many of the castle type rounded ledge pieces. It was awesome. The teacher loved it and wanted to keep it....like forever to have in her class as examples of how to make it using different things.
Ummmm...sorry teacher, we still use those Legos.

Now my girls are playing with them building different things than the boys ever did. Its fun to watch.

Absolutely true! If you ever think your kids are too old, think again. My boys are 30 and 24. We have 3 huge Rubbermaid bins full of legos. They pull them out almost every time they are here and compete, just like they did when they were little.

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

I'm sure I'm repeating b/c I haven't read all responses and this isn't at all some unique solution.

We use a big Rubbermaid tub. In there, I keep the generic, non-set, just colored Legos/Knex in there loose. THen with the individual sets, I separate them by set and put each set and instructions in gallon Ziploc bags. DS and I spent ALOT of time after Christmas separating the sets and making sure we had the pieces for each in the right bag, and so far, he's kept them separated. (Granted, it's only been a few days )

DS has only recently gotten REALLY into Legos and wow...those things are just their own special kind of H-E-double hockey sticks, aren't they?

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

Ok, I just went back and read and all these neat tables and cool storage solutions are making me want to reorganize!

 

[Pembo]

We have two long tables in the basement for legos. One holds completed creations, one is for building. We also have an old changing table that is the home to creations. Loose legos are kept on the table or in a storage bins. I try and get the kids to keep loose legos off the floor when they are done building.

 

[natebenma]

We have spent some time this Christmas vacation break sorting our Legos by color, using Sterlite storage bins. We are down to this one last blue container of assorted Legos.

It is oddly theraputic and rewarding!

 

[Brancaneve]

We have had to segregate the Legos that are special by placing them on shelves screwed into the wall. It has been fun to theme them such as a Star Wars shelf, Indiana Jones, etc. We started collecting the mystery figures and those are also on a shelf as well. He can play with anything but he will need one of us to reach it and then it goes back up. This is actually to keep not just my son from reaching them, but also little cousins and neighbors!!!

 

[NotUrsula]

Well, it wasn't exactly cheap, but ... an antique cherry apartment-sized buffet server.

It's about 34 inches tall and again that wide, with 5 shallow drawers and a top shelf that pulls out. I've put a glass top on it to prevent scratches. I got it for him when he was 11, and he's 13 now. He builds on the top and on the pull-out shelf.

I bought it at an antique dealer, and it cost about $200. It dates from the 1930's. I got it because I just could not stand the plastic bins and carts for one more second; they were always cracking or breaking.

 

[natebenma]

A little off-thread, but not too much...

Legos Packing Tip:

When we visit Disney, a significant amount of my sons' soveinir dollars are spent on Legos. The large sets are bulky to get home in suitcases, so what we do is open the sets and transfer all of the smaller bags and instructions into gallon-sized Ziplocs. The boys like to keep the boxes, too, so we flatten them and put them at the bottom of our suitcases.

We finished our Lego sorting yesterday. The "Lego Room" looks awesome!

 

[DaniB]

A little off-thread, but not too much...

Legos Packing Tip:

When we visit Disney, a significant amount of my sons' soveinir dollars are spent on Legos. The large sets are bulky to get home in suitcases, so what we do is open the sets and transfer all of the smaller bags and instructions into gallon-sized Ziplocs. The boys like to keep the boxes, too, so we flatten them and put them at the bottom of our suitcases.

We finished our Lego sorting yesterday. The "Lego Room" looks awesome!

I would love to see photos of the final result.

And thanks for the tip about bringing home lego. We'll be bringing home more next Sept and it was hard cramming it all into our suitcases.

 

[lucyem]

We have a big under bed rubbermaid tub on wheels. All Legos go inside. When a new set arrives the kids start out really good keeping it apart in it's own box or bag but it all ends up in the big tub eventually. I keep all original instructions in another smaller bin on the book shelf.

 

[natebenma]

I would love to see photos of the final result.

And thanks for the tip about bringing home lego. We'll be bringing home more next Sept and it was hard cramming it all into our suitcases.

OK, here is the finished project:

This Lego table may have been my best purchase ever! I bought it the day after Christmas at Sam's Club, $15!!! Came with 1,200 Legos. Now, the triangle in the middle is filled with mini-figs and accessories.

 

[shortbun]

We did Legos and sold them at a yard sale. Now 15yo DS wants some again. We saved the three plastic tackle boxes we used to store the small color and shape groups as well as the unusual parts. But, I think it was genius on the part of my husband to set that up! Now, he's set up my SIL and her beading business with those boxes. I hope DS doesn't get too into building again. At least I can say 'pick them all up' and he actually does it. No more Legos in the foot at night!!! Good luck with storage. We also had a big blue bin made by Legos for the bigger, more common pieces.

 

[Promomx2]

when ds was a little and just started playing with legos, I remember sorting them in a baby wipes containers that looked like a big lego. I don't remember the brand of wipes. I wonder if they still make the containers.

 

[labdogs42]

I love that Lego table. What a score for $12!!!!