9 ideas for organizing Legos, some definitely better than others

An interesting discussion came up at the last moms’ group I spoke to about the best way to store Legos (the teeny, tiny ones, not the big blocks). You can buy Legos in a bulk set of 400 pieces. But most kids acquire Legos via Lego sets, which instruct kids to use specific Legos to build specific things. So to store Legos, it depends on whether the kids want to keep them separated by set or are fine with storing them all together in a bin.

I decided to do a little research on the internet to see what is available for storing Legos, both in bulk and in specific sets. Here’s what I found.

This is a method I blogged about a while ago. It seems to work best for those storing Legos in bulk, not by set. Kids play with the Legos on the blanket and then fold the blanket up with the Legos inside and hang it on a hook when they are done. Probably best for younger kids.

2. Another variation on the bag is the Swoop Bag ($45). This one cinches shut instead of folding. You can choose from six colors, which is a nice touch:

3. Another method I have found is this Lego Toy Storage and Sorter Box ($39.95):

This is a very unique storage system. You dump all of your Legos on the top box, which then filters the Legos down by size. Good for Legos in bulk, not by sets. Cool concept, but who thought designing the unit in four separate, but hideous colors was a good idea?

4. Target is offering an equally unattractive Lego project case unit ($63.79). Those colorful drawers are actually individual cases that can be pulled out. I like how they have a lid and handle on them, perfect for carrying to the table to work on. But thanks to the awful colors, that project case isn’t going to look good in anybody’s playroom.

5. If your kids are into Star Wars Legos (that’s how my 5-year-old got sucked into Legos), they might like these project kits for storing finished or in-progress projects. Lego Star Wars Zipbin ($11.99-19.99)

6. But what if you want the pieces separated out? Try the Akro Mills 44-Drawer Cabinet ($30.87) from Amazon.

7. “Ha ha!” you laugh at the puny Akro Mills organizer, “No way could it possibly hold MY monstrous, room-devouring collection of Legos!” For you, there is the jumbo-sized crate from Brikcrate ($387 no, that’s not a typo) guaranteed to hold 18,000 pieces. (You might as well kill me now if I ever end up with that many Legos in my home):

This case measures 4 feet by 4 feet and can be mounted on the wall. It comes with colorful labels you can stick on each drawer so you can know your one-inch red Legos from your two-inch red Legos, if that’s your thing …

8. Evil Mad Scientist has an awesome method for storing/sorting Legos that doesn’t involve much of a container at all. He stacks all the pieces together by group, so he can instantly see how many of a certain piece he has.