Question Lego Storage Solutions? Anyone used the Portable Cases with Sorting Trays?

Athena

Well-known member
Has anyone used the Lego portable storage cases with the sorting trays?
This -- http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Portable-Storage-Case-with-Baseplate-2856206
With this -- http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Sorting-Trays-5001261
If yes, how do they work together? Do the trays fill the case or do they all get mixed up if you don't hold the case just right?

We need new storage for a bunch of new Legos, from platforms to tiny pieces, lots of general building pieces and some sets, so I'm exploring our options. We have some empty shelves we can store containers like the above on or we could go with a complete storage system if we could fit it in somewhere. I'm considering the Lego storage cases or their drawer units, separate storage containers with lids from Target (e.g. Sterilite), or possibly some smaller Trofast bins with frame (would be fun to mount platforms on top for a Lego table, but I'm not sure if we have space for this and would like some divided options for the tiny pieces).

We don't want one it all mixed in one large container and I've ruled out this type of storage too. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Akro-Mil...-Storage-Cabinet-10124/203538887#.Uc3mwvmmiAg

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Thank you!
 
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Athena

Well-known member
Bumping ... anyone?

Any other storage solution suggestions you've found work well (with links to where to buy them would be ideal). Thank you!
 

Kegracin

Active member
Another option for u is look at fishing tackle/craft boxes made by plano. Ds2 keeps his playmobil in them ds1 won't keep his legos organized. (I happen to live not far from plano il so they happen be my favorite.).
 

Athena

Well-known member
Thank you! I'll add that to my list of options to explore.

I'm realizing some shallow boxes that allow them to still find what they need with minimal sorting might work best at their age. I may be expecting too much of them with so many little pieces. It's a lot harder then sorting our Duplo Legos.

Although looking on Ikeahackers.net has me wanting to make some cool Lego table with storage. :D Anyone here done that?

In case anyone else was wondering about the answer to my initial question, today I found a store with both the sorting trays and portable cases and gave it a test. I was very disappointed with the answer. You can fit only one tray in each portable cases and it leaves space on top of the tray, meaning that if not carried perfectly, the sorted bricks all mix and that extra space is unusable space. :( I won't be going with this option. I might still use the cases alone, but I think I can find a better option.
 

ntrenary

Active member
We use this [ame="http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Sort-Store-Orig-Face/dp/B004E7T2SQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372602577&sr=8-1&keywords=lego+sorting+head"]Amazon.com: LEGO Sort and Store Orig Face: Toys & Games[/ame]
It's a lego sorting head that sorts by size. My kids seem to like it. It doesn't sort them perfectly but it helps.
 

Athena

Well-known member

ntrenary

Active member
My youngest has just gotten into legos, so we only have maybe 500, I plan to get him more for his b-day next month.
Im not sure how many it will hold, but there's still tons of room in ours. It would probably hold at least 1000.
We just keep the legos in the head and store it on a shelf in the boys room.
 

dneul

New member
Sorry I'm late to the discussion... I was waiting for pictures from my phone to upload.... http://pinterest.com/dneul/lego-storage/

Yeah, My method for Lego sorting has/is constantly evolving to continue to fit in my space/area. I find that it is difficult for the kids to clean up if it involves opening a bunch of containers or drawers just to find the piece. Right now this is what I have....

My drawers I purchased from walmart for $12.88 a piece and then I stacked them by removing the top and connecting them together. I used glue dots and some extra plates to show what is inside on the front. This way I can change things around if that piece grows in volume. I do not care for stickers because then they leave a residue and it is hard to change contents. Most of my Lego is sorted into this drawers. I made some little boxes to divide the contents further and also used small bins from the dollar store. This way I can take out a part from the drawer if I need a few parts but not everything from the drawer.

I have most of my regular 2x bricks in larger drawers (like 2x2, 2x3, 2x4 and larger). The cart was $13.88 I believe. I also have technic bricks and larger technic pieces in its own cart. My plates also are seperated from 4x plates (anything that is 4 studs across) and then 6x up to 12x plates have their own drawer) 16x8, 16x16, and baseplates have a seperate area.My smaller pieces I have in hanging bins off the side of the shelf. These can be removed from the rack and then rehung with not much effort. I got these from Harbor Freight for $8 for 12 bins and it included the back piece to hang the racks on. These also stack on top of each other.

My even smaller pieces like technic pins, axels,connector, tiles, round studs, 1x1-1x3 plates, minifig accessories, and small amount of specialty pieces are in a portable drawer like the Akromills drawer cabinet. I put plates on the front of each drawer also to show what is inside. I bought mine from walmart and it has 30 little drawers. I believe they were $13.88 a piece.

My piece count around the beginning of the year was a bit over 230,000. I have added quite a few more small pieces so it is probably around 300,000 now. :eek: All my kids friends know me as the Lego mom. There are over 315 sets but I still have more that are sealed in other rooms.

As far as the containers like this http://shopirisusa.com/index.php/lego.html are made by a company called Iris and are available in clear. http://shopirisusa.com/index.php/project-case-pjc-300-3-pieces.html The benefit of the official Lego containers are the baseplates. The containers from Lego are $12 a piece but then you figure in the divider trays and it comes to almost $20 a piece after tax. These would be practical for a small amount or for minifigs. The clear ones can be purchased at hobby lobby, container store, and bed bath and beyond I believe. It really comes down to how much you have, the time you are willing to invest into getting it sorted (I have tricks if you are interested) and it being easy for the kids to continue to keep sorted. My friend purchased a few of these and her son found them annoying to constantly needing to open the lid that now they hold hot wheels and match box cars. If you have shelf space then you might consider the clear plastic shoe boxes that stores sell for $1 a piece to at least start the sorting.

The sorting is better done by piece and not color. It is easier for kids (and me) to find a red X in a bin of all Xs then to find a specific piece in a bin of all reds.

More information:
http://www.brothers-brick.com/2009/11/08/sorting-organizing-and-storing-your-lego-the-second-hobby-essay/
 

brightredmtn

Well-known member
Thank you so much dneul! I have no idea how many Legos we have but to sort by type, how many different types would you recommend I get containers for? I suppose this depends on how detailed I intend to organize, I don't know that I need to sort out every single type of brick but if one were to generally sort out by type how many containers would you start out with?

Thank you! (And thank you OP for this thread!)
 

dneul

New member
Thank you so much dneul! I have no idea how many Legos we have but to sort by type, how many different types would you recommend I get containers for? I suppose this depends on how detailed I intend to organize, I don't know that I need to sort out every single type of brick but if one were to generally sort out by type how many containers would you start out with?

Thank you! (And thank you OP for this thread!)
To start I would get one for
Wheels and car parts
1x1- 1x2 bricks
1x3- 1x4- 1x6 and up
2x2- 2x3
2x4 and up
Large plates
Small plates
Very small plates
Modified plates and bricks
Round bricks and plates
Minifig and animals
MF accessories and animal accessories


It all depends how much you have, how much you want, how much time you want to get it started, and how detailed you want. You also want it to be easy for kids to put away.
 

valleyfam

New member
I'm not sure our collections is quite as big as yours but we have had success with the Plano tackle box trays as well. I first bought a huge tackle box with the individual trays because I was thinking travel but truthfully it is just way to heavy. It's better to just buy the trays separately and stack them on your own shelves. On a side note we use tackle boxes and trays for Polly Pockets and hair accessories also. They are quite versatile and if you go to Academy or some sports place and buy them from the fishing area they are cheaper than in the hobby sections.
 

JOII

Active member
We just did an Ikea "hack" of a lego play/storage area for my son. There really wasnt much hacking involved though.

We got two of these: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30091452/
and a piece of scrap wood for the desk top from the as-is section. Cut a hole in the desk top so he can have a bin with parts he is currently working with (the blue bin) and then used brackets to attach it all together. We didnt glue or permanently attach base plates to the desk top because he generally doesn't use them.

This is perfect for us but we do NOT organize. The larger red bins are for his hero factory/bionicle parts, but other than that its a mess. He likes it that way though :)

(he wants us to add some sort of dry erase, magnetic or cork board right above the desk top so he can sketch out idea or print out pictures for inspiration and place them on the board where he can see them. we will probably add that soon).
 

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brightredmtn

Well-known member
To start I would get one for
Wheels and car parts
1x1- 1x2 bricks
1x3- 1x4- 1x6 and up
2x2- 2x3
2x4 and up
Large plates
Small plates
Very small plates
Modified plates and bricks
Round bricks and plates
Minifig and animals
MF accessories and animal accessories

It all depends how much you have, how much you want, how much time you want to get it started, and how detailed you want. You also want it to be easy for kids to put away.

This is a perfect starting point. Thank you!!!
 

dneul

New member
Wow, thanks so much for the many ideas! It's going to take me a while to get through these. 230, 000! :eek: Dneul, you must have a whole room for Legos! So much fun!

Loved the evolution of Lego sorting bit!

JOII, I love your Ikeahack! Have you seen this one? http://www.ikeahackers.net/2013/04/lego-storage-and-play-table-from.html
It's the same idea and one of my favorites.

I wish I had my own room but unfortunately I have to wait until our first moves out and then I have grand plans for my own Lego room. Right now I have it on a large shelf in the living room. Also have some in my room on my headboard.
 

Athena

Well-known member
The sorting is better done by piece and not color. It is easier for kids (and me) to find a red X in a bin of all Xs then to find a specific piece in a bin of all reds.

This is a great tip! I hadn't thought about it like that, but it really makes sense.

I missed that you're now at 300,000. Wow! Here I'm worried about what to do with 2000.

I've got a lot to think about here. Thanks to everyone who posted!
 

vonfirmath

New member
How does one go about figuring out how many LEgos they have?

My dad brought back with him the Lego storage box he made for us as kids (my son is getting it, with all of its Legos, for his 6th birthday in August).

This isn't ALL of my Legos. Just the ones I had as a kid. They've got a huge cardboard box of sets I bought as a young adult, no kids, good income. When I get those back I'm considering selling them to leave room for my son to acquire the newer, up to date sets.
 

Athena

Well-known member
How does one go about figuring out how many LEgos they have?

I wouldn't normally know, but we've started buying the big kid Legos recently enough that I can estimate based on the number of pieces listed on the boxes and even with that, my number is very approximate.
 

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