Moving, Lego, WWYD?

[Caraway]

Okay, we are in the process of staging our house so that we can put it on the market. I am totally overwhelmed by my son's room (age 8) and his Legos. There are so many (huge!) kits - some put together, some half put together, some mixed in with other kits. ARGH!!!

 

He likes to play with the kits when they are new, and he will put together and take apart the same kit multiple times. He will return to kits if the pieces are there. He will sometimes play and create without the kit, but giant bins of random Legos do no get played with.

 

Just tell me what to do.

 

Throw them away? Try to find all of the pieces for each kit and re-box them? I don't really want to pack them all scrambled together because then it is just delaying the mess until we unpack.

 

There should be some business that does this - run by a bunch of 10 yo boys. :tongue_smilie:

[AK_Mom4]

I voted Other... here's what I would do.

 

Get some Gallon-size ziplock bags. Take each kit apart to the point where the pieces will fit into a ziplock bag - so a large one might occupy 3 or 4 bags, but it won't take up too much time to disassemble.

 

Fasten them closed, label with the kit name and toss into a box. Pour the loose ones into ziplock bags, seal, and donate. Or if you just can't feel up to donating, toss the loose bags into the box too.

 

This keeps the pieces together and minimizes the mental anguish on all sides. DS16 still has some lego kits in ziplock bags that he puts together periodically.....

[NorthwestMom]

Pack them in the ease it way possible. They WILL get played with again, and if not, they are sellable on craigslist. Don't waste packing energy on this! Good luck!

[jewellsmommy]

Make him help you! Sit down with all the legos and sort them into their kits. Each kit goes into a labeled bag or clear plastic shoe box (dollar store box) with its instructions. Tell him this is the only time you will do this. In the future, let him 'check out' one box or bag at a time from your lego library.

[Night Elf]

I would also recommend putting kits in ziploc bags. We use gallon size and write directly on the bag 'name of kit #1 of 3' for example. My ds16 has a 6-ft table that has a Lego city layout. A few times a year he will take a building apart and store it, but then he takes one out of storage and fills the space on the table. I don't think he's ever going to give up his Legos completely.

 

Have your son help. If there are some kits where you have the directions and know what pieces should be in the kits, then have him reconstruct the kits. If he only plays with whole kits than this would make the most sense because you're still getting value from the purchase.

 

For the big container of loose bricks, ask friends if they are interested but ONLY if your son doesn't care. I don't know if you could donate Legos. I only donate to Good Will and they won't take board games or puzzles because they cannot verify the sets are complete.

 

When we moved, I packed some of my son's Lego creations in boxes in their whole complete state. He refused to let me take them apart. We didn't move too far so it was no big deal to transport the box in the back seat of the car.

[busymama7]

I will pay shipping if you want to send them to me. Even a jumbled mess. We never have enough and my kids love to play with the random pieces ans create. I am totally serious.

[stripe]

I am sure you could find someone to give them to, so certainly don't throw them away! I'd take any you feel overhwlemed by too!

[Parrothead]

Pack up the ones that are together in zipper bags. Put the rest in a large plastic bin. Put the zipper bags on top. Include any boxes, photos, papers, ect so he can sort the kits back out at a later date.

[Dmmetler]

Don't throw them away! Legos, even large lots of random legos, sell well and for quite good prices on Ebay. Specialty pieces and minifigs often sell for almost as much as a complete set, especially if they're pieces that were released in one and only one set. (I've said, half-joking, that DD's college fund is in her playroom). Just make sure you weigh them FIRST-Legos are dense.

[SonshineLearner]

You should send them to me :) Seriously, I couldn't throw legos away. I love them and pick them up whenever I see them. My son is 9yrs... I say that in a couple years he'll still be playing with them and the extra legos will be useful! :)

[Mommyof4ks]

I voted other.

 

Personally, I would take him in his room when you have some time to tackle this, and tell him he needs to put all of the sets together that he wants to stay together and put them in one gallon bags. Once you two have finished that, then take what is left and either dump them in a big bin or organize them in those rolling drawer carts by color or shape or whatever works for him. We have sets that are put together on shelves, and everything else is in those rolling drawer carts sorted by color. They take up very little space now and usually look neat (unless the pieces end up under the cart ugh).

 

If he refuses, then all the Legos get sold on eBay. :D

[SewLittleTime]

We moved this year, so I feel your pain. We packed the Legos away while our house was on the market. The boys just had to do without for a while. We put all of ours in one big, ginormous bin. How do they get so many Legos anyway?

 

I have recently gotten a 3-ring binder and put page protectors in it. Once my boys complete a kit, the instructions go in the binder. The binder sits on the shelf in our family room. Then, if ever they want to rebuild something, they can. I don't save boxes or try to keep kits together.

[athomemom]

I would have your son sort and put them in order. My ds would never dream of letting *ME* touch his legos. I'd mess them up! :D

[Amy Jo]

Separate everything that is easy (fully or partially put together) - I'd use bags like a PP suggested. Put the mixed up ones together in a box or something to deal with later. Have your son help you (now and after you move).

 

My kids are the opposite. Especially the eldest. He NEVER follows a kit. So all our legos are stored together in a big plastic box.

 

And don't toss them - if you can't keep them donate them to a friend, a charity store, put them on craigslist or freecycle. I put some of the big legos on freecycle before Christmas a couple years ago, the mom who took them for her son was SO happy. Made my whole Christmas season!

[Alte Veste Academy]

We just moved and I faced this same problem! Here is exactly what I did. I am putting numbered steps to make my process super easy to understand and replicate. ;)

 

(1) At the old house, put all Legos into embarrassing number of giant cardboard moving boxes.

 

(2) Move.

 

(3) At new house, unload Legos from embarrassing number of giant cardboard moving boxes.

 

(4) Instruct DH that he and DS9 officially have a new hobby, aka "The Great Lego Sort and Match of 2012."

 

:D

[myfunnybunch]

Other: Give your ds a box of Ziplocs and let him pack separately as many kits as he desires. All others get mixed together for moving. :)

 

Cat

[Pixjen]

Kits? The only time our legos are in kits are when they are new in the box. :lol:

I make DS keep the minifigs and accessories in one box, but everything else is a jumble. I'd throw everything in a couple of rubbermaid/sterilite boxes and call it good.

[vonfirmath]

 

For the big container of loose bricks, ask friends if they are interested but ONLY if your son doesn't care. I don't know if you could donate Legos. I only donate to Good Will and they won't take board games or puzzles because they cannot verify the sets are complete.

 

They'll take donated Legos here. Dump them out of sets into ziploc bags and sell them as "Misc Legos" and make some kids' day!

[mom2abcd]

Never, EVER throw Legos away:o) Our Legomaniac is headed to grad school and he still loves Legos. (If you really don't want them, you can send them to him! LOL)

 

I would pack them all up and let him get into them when life settles down.

[ThisIsTheDay]

I haven't read other responses. I voted to mix them all together. Your ds is only 8. Those legos have many, many years left in them. My ds is 13 and still plays with them. He spent several years creating his own things with pieces he already has. As he got older, the creations became far more elaborate.

 

He does that less now, choosing instead to custom create figures. He's spent many dozen hours on that over the past year or so. He will still pick up his legos when friends come over, and he really enjoys reading through lego books just seeing how things can be made.

[chepyl]

Don't throw them away!! My 25 year old cousin still has his legs, some still in sets (the kits he got when he was older). He still puts the together for his nephews birthday parties and for fun. I am sure he plans to keep them for his little boy at this point.

 

We have sterlite shoe boxes and one bigger box. Some kits are sorted with the instructions in the box. Some boxes are just full of legos. DS will put together a kit sometimes, other times he grabs a box, dumps it out and starts building!

 

Legs are too big of an investment to just throw away. Your son will likely get many more years out of them, sorted or not. Otherwise, some other family would gladly take them off of your hands :)

[Hannah]

I agree with the previous posters who said to put everything that is already assembled in bags and then box them.

 

What works for us ito of managing the rest of the legos is transparent plastic office drawers and with organizer dividers in each drawer. The lego pieces are sorted by colour and then by general size. The drawers come out of the frames that hold them and can be put on the floor while playing. It makes it easy to find something for a kit and easy to put away when disassembling.

[marbel]

Oooh, I voted pack them away before the I saw the zip-lock ideas. Of course!

 

My 15 year old still brings out the Legos sometimes. I'd keep them, one way or another.

 

Certainly would not trash them.

[Mavis]

My son keeps his in plastic containers.He has some larger ones and small ones.He keeps projects in the shoe box sized ones,usually $1 each at Target or KMart. When we moved it was easy to put the lid on them and go. They also fit nicely on a shelf.

[Nestof3]

I would never get rid of Legos -- they are like a family heirloom to be passed down to his kids. Of course, this is just my opinion. ;)

 

Just box them all together and deal with it later. You could buy those really large ziploc bags and bag up what you can.

 

Many kids don't get really creative with Legos until they are older than that. Our eldest played until he was 16, I think. He made some pretty awesome designs.

[Rosy]

Give him a box of Ziplocs and tell him he has 24 hours to pack them however he wants. At the end of that time, take the rest of them, throw them in a box, and call it good.

[WTMCassandra]

If you are really pressed for time, I would offer to PAY HIM for each lego kit he can put in a gallon (or two-gallon ziploc). Then I would dump the rest together into a box with no guilt. However, unless you have a tote that latches securely, you might want to line the box with a clear trash bag so that individual legos don't keep falling out during the move process.

 

If I had a little time, I would sit with him and sort them, for as long as I could stand it. Then I would dump the rest in a tote.

[vonfirmath]

I would never get rid of Legos -- they are like a family heirloom to be passed down to his kids. Of course, this is just my opinion. ;)

 

Mine too! I am eagerly awaiting my oldest to be old enough to start bringing out my Lego from growing up. I've got at least TWO huge boxes of them (the size of box a computer monitor used to come in back before they were flat monitors.). He'll have too many Legos before we even start buying him any new in boxes! I'm trying to decide whether to dole them out over time or dump them all on him at once!

[jennsmile]

Kits? The only time our legos are in kits are when they are new in the box. :lol:

I make DS keep the minifigs and accessories in one box, but everything else is a jumble. I'd throw everything in a couple of rubbermaid/sterilite boxes and call it good.

 

Yep. We have a few kits today as we had a birthday. Tomorrow they will be random pieces and I never know what will come of them. It is amazing.

[kricau]

:iagree:I like this idea. But do you think he will actually do it???

Make him help you! Sit down with all the legos and sort them into their kits. Each kit goes into a labeled bag or clear plastic shoe box (dollar store box) with its instructions. Tell him this is the only time you will do this. In the future, let him 'check out' one box or bag at a time from your lego library.

[kricau]

:iagree:My DD's are currently playing with their Dad's from when he was a kid :)

 

I would never get rid of Legos -- they are like a family heirloom to be passed down to his kids. Of course, this is just my opinion. ;)

 

[kricau]

I agree with all the people who said just mix them together. My DD's create their own "kits". It is nice to have bricks seperate from people though. But for them that is part of the fun, digging to find the treasure "ooh, there's girl hair"!!! LOL :)

[swellmomma]

all legos end up in the main bins whether they were parts of kits or not. I just toss the construction booklets into the bin too and they can sort through for the peices they need if/when they want to rebuild it. Makes it super easy for clean up and and when we moved we just had to put the 2 big rubbermaids into the moving truck, no packing necessary.

[mom4him]

You didn't have the choice, "ship the legos to us" I will pay shipping.:D

My son has a few sets that he has kept together but most are in a big dresser, plastic drawer bins, etc. He has a lot of them. I wouldn't just through them. In our town the library has a lego club that meets once a month and they are always in need of more legos.

 

I would keep the ones together that are sorted in sets, put the rest in a big bin and pack them into the garage out of site.

[ereks mom]

I voted Other... here's what I would do.

 

Get some Gallon-size ziplock bags. Take each kit apart to the point where the pieces will fit into a ziplock bag - so a large one might occupy 3 or 4 bags, but it won't take up too much time to disassemble.

 

Fasten them closed, label with the kit name and toss into a box. Pour the loose ones into ziplock bags, seal, and donate. Or if you just can't feel up to donating, toss the loose bags into the box too.

 

This keeps the pieces together and minimizes the mental anguish on all sides. DS16 still has some lego kits in ziplock bags that he puts together periodically.....

 

:iagree: This is what we did with ER's many, many LEGO sets when we were trying to simplify. I assigned him the task of putting each set together, and he enjoyed it immensely.

 

FWIW, he is 22 yo and still has every LEGO set he ever got. He graduated from college in May and moved back home. He had a lot of dorm room stuff he wanted to move into his room, which meant getting rid of a LOT of childhood stuff. His girlfriend came over to help him sort through it all. ER was horrified when she suggested that he pare down his LEGO collection. She helped him organize all.those.bins. of LEGO sets in his closet. ;)

[sourpatchbaby]

We moved this year, so I feel your pain. We packed the Legos away while our house was on the market. The boys just had to do without for a while. We put all of ours in one big, ginormous bin. How do they get so many Legos anyway?

 

I have recently gotten a 3-ring binder and put page protectors in it. Once my boys complete a kit, the instructions go in the binder. The binder sits on the shelf in our family room. Then, if ever they want to rebuild something, they can. I don't save boxes or try to keep kits together.

 

My theory is that the legos just keep on having babies;)

 

I'd have HIM put into ziplocs the kits he wants to keep together and then put the rest into a bin or two. Preferable a bin that fits neatly under his bed so that they're hidden out of the way during the walk throughs.

[Scarlett]

Okay, we are in the process of staging our house so that we can put it on the market. I am totally overwhelmed by my son's room (age 8) and his Legos. There are so many (huge!) kits - some put together, some half put together, some mixed in with other kits. ARGH!!!

 

He likes to play with the kits when they are new, and he will put together and take apart the same kit multiple times. He will return to kits if the pieces are there. He will sometimes play and create without the kit, but giant bins of random Legos do no get played with.

 

Just tell me what to do.

 

Throw them away? Try to find all of the pieces for each kit and re-box them? I don't really want to pack them all scrambled together because then it is just delaying the mess until we unpack.

 

There should be some business that does this - run by a bunch of 10 yo boys. :tongue_smilie:

 

Put them all in a box and mail them to me. I will take them off your hands. ;)