another Lego storage question

[ProudGrandma]

I know there are always many lego storage threads here...and if you can link me to one that would answer my question, that would be fine by me....but this is my question...

 

if your kids like the lego sets...the 3 in one....or the Stars Wars...or whatever the theme...do they:

 

1) store each set indiviually in it's orignal box or a different box

 

OR

 

2) just dump all of the legos together in one box

 

OR

 

3) sort the legos in another way?

 

AND....if you have more than 1 child who likes legos...

 

do they EACH do whatever organizational system....or is there only one system in your family?  (did that make sense??)

 

We have 3 kids...2 boys and a girl...all of them have numerous lego sets.  Right now we tried to keep them separate...each set in it's own plastic box with lid. (plus a big box of misc. legos)  For the most part, it works....but we have so many boxes, and then I end up finding pieces here and there and I have no idea which set they go to (unless it's a very unual piece)...so it ends up in the big box. 

 

So I am trying to fgure out if there is a better way.

 

thanks.

[Beth S]

Our 4 boys have LOTS of Legos, and display their assembled sets on a bookcase in their room.

The Lego sets that they do not care about are disassembled and the pieces are all mixed together in the drawers of their Lego cart.

 

We have this Walmart plastic 3 drawer cart (without the wheels).  $18

http://www.walmart.com/ip/17331752?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227015421075&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40343572472&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=78306784112&veh=sem

Regular pieces in one drawer, Weird pieces in one, Big pieces in one.

 

Each keeps track of his own instruction books, and each has a small clear plastic craft box (with compartments) with mini-figure body parts in it.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Plastic-Storage-Box-10.5-x-6.5-x-.875-21-Compartment/24741921

When they want to assemble a set, they get out the instruction book and dig in the drawers for the pieces.

 

It is important that the boys feel like they can assemble whatever set they want, but it would be a pain to store the unassembled sets separately.

But a large part of their Lego play is creating NEW things from the Lego bricks in the drawers.

 

It's fun to be a mom of Lego Maniacs.  :)

 

ETA:  You can buy Pick-A-Brick pieces, if needed, on the Lego website to replace missing pieces or to enhance their building.

We throw away the boxes. 

The kids have 600 minifigures--no way we could keep them all stored with each original set, and it would reduce play-ability as well.

 

[Upward Journey]

After the initial excitement of a new set wears off, the real fun/benefit of lego starts when they all get mixed together.

 

We go through sorting phases here. Maybe all the people will get put into their own bin, or all the "special" pieces (whatever is considered special that week/month ;) ), sometimes they get sorted by color or brick type, but mostly they live on the floor and in large bins all mixed together :)

 

*This is my experience coming from a family of origin that started collecting legos over 30 years ago, and has continued with the next generation. That's A LOT of legos.

[Btervet]

We have a lot of Legos, so there is no way we could store each set individually. All Legos are stored by type of piece, not set. We save the instructions so older sets can be rebuilt at any time. How would the kids build their own creations if the pieces are stored by set? We also have a lot of adaptation of sets by having all types of pieces available.

[Jen in NY]

We have a lot of Legos, so there is no way we could store each set individually. All Legos are stored by type of piece, not set. We save the instructions so older sets can be rebuilt at any time. How would the kids build their own creations if the pieces are stored by set? We also have a lot of adaptation of sets by having all types of pieces available.

 

Yes, this exactly.

 

Lots of storage bins...storage drawers.... wire shelving... tables....and a light box for the blogging (see sig)... all in my son's room. Pretty much Lego and a Bed. Good thing we do school here on the main floor.

:)

[blondeviolin]

We have this (that I did NOT pay $300 for - that's ridiculous!). And my kids have them sorted by color. We have another big, long box in which they store current creations.

[Baseball mom]

New set -- dumped in Ziploc bag or box until built.  Once built it can be displayed or taken apart and dumped in the big box of logos.  We have big clear storage box that all the logos are dumped in.  All building instructions are in a binder (with pocket folders) on the shelf. 

 

 

[Dory]

New set is kept in a separate ziploc bag until it has been built by everyone at least once. Once the newness wears off, the set gets dumped in the swoop bag with the other lego and the books get put in the box we have for books. If they want to build that set again, they just dig out the instruction book from the box and go for it. They'll just have to sort through pieces a little more.

 

A Lego swoop bag is only $48 and opens up flat so the kids tend to build right on the mat. It is a rarity for Lego to be missed during pick up because it's all on the bag and I just pull the rope and it cleans it all up. We are big into Lego around here and I needed a quick easy way to deal with it.

[StephF]

New set is kept in a separate ziploc bag until it has been built by everyone at least once. Once the newness wears off, the set gets dumped in the swoop bag with the other lego and the books get put in the box we have for books. If they want to build that set again, they just dig out the instruction book from the box and go for it. They'll just have to sort through pieces a little more.

 

A Lego swoop bag is only $48 and opens up flat so the kids tend to build right on the mat. It is a rarity for Lego to be missed during pick up because it's all on the bag and I just pull the rope and it cleans it all up. We are big into Lego around here and I needed a quick easy way to deal with it.

 

We use Swoop Bags too.

 

[PrairieSong]

My dh once bought an enormous rubbermaid tub of Legos for $5 at a garage sale, and we already had Legos! So we ended up with a LOT but they were played with all the time. My kids kept them all in one container except for Lego people and special pieces like tires, accessories, etc. They put those in a smaller container.

[Cera]

My kids have a twin over full bunk bed with the drawers underneath.  Both drawers are full of legos 6-8" deep.  I tried all sorts of methods but this wound up being the easiest.

[BlessedMom]

We have lots of Legos.

Sets are assembled & displayed.

Then when they are done being displayed they are bagged, as a set, into ziplock bags (with their instructions).

Those are store in plastic containers with lids.

We also have a few sets that remain together & are stored in a long under the bed storage box.

 

Mini figures are assembled and stored in a craft container that is divided so each one has its own space.

 

We also have a couple of large containers ( with ids) with loose Legos to make your own creations.

[wintermom]

My boys usually assemble to new set, play with it for a while, then take it apart and add it to their big bins to build and play with new creations. They don't sort any pieces. When building is happening they dump out an amount of bricks and build, then clean up the left overs - usually mom has to get this step going! ;)