Organizing and storing LEGO bricks is an ongoing challenge for any parent of a LEGO collecting child. We all have at least one story about the most painful experience of parenthood- unsuspectingly stepping on a LEGO brick. Creating a simple storage system for your kids will keep the bricks off the floor and help them to find what they need quickly. These ideas are also helpful for teachers who are looking for an organization system for their classroom LEGOs.
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LEGO Organizing Strategy
Before you select an organization system and purchase products, it is important to decide on how you plan to organize the LEGO collection. There are a few different ways to think about organizing LEGO pieces.
Category
LEGO gurus have defined six categories that separate LEGO pieces by shape:
- Bricks
- SNOT (Studs not on top)
- Plates
- Slopes
- Technics
- Tiles
Serious LEGO builders recommend sorting your LEGO pieces by category first.
Color
If the LEGO collection is smaller- less than 5,000 pieces, organizing by color may work for you. It can be challenging to find a small piece in a sea of pieces that are the same color, so if the collection is larger, consider sorting by category and then color.
Part
Depending on how your child prefers to build, it may be wise to sort pieces by part. Your organization system will contain identical parts that vary only in color. If the collection is very large, you can sort by part and color.
Organize By Set
If your child prefers to keep sets together to rebuild at a later time, but the original packaging is destroyed, sorting and storing by set may be a great option for you. Cut the name and photo of the set from the box and include it with the instructions in the storage solution.
Now that you have an idea of how you will sort and organize the LEGO bricks, let's dive into the LEGO organizing and storage solutions.
LEGO Organizing and Storage Solutions
1. All-in-One Storage Basket and Play Mat
Perfect for a smaller LEGO collection, this convenient solution stores LEGO pieces in a high-quality canvas bag that has an attached play mat that comes out for playtime. The mat contains the bricks during construction and then easily funnels the pieces back into the bag for easy clean up.
2. Stackable LEGO Drawers
LEGO brand has their own storage solution and we love it! How fun is it to store LEGO bricks inside a giant LEGO brick. The desk drawer style storage containers are stackable and come is various sizes and colors.
3. Hanging Closet Organizer
If space is at a premium, use this multi-purpose clear closet hanging bag to sort and store LEGOs in between use. With sixteen clear pockets, this hanging organizer is ideal for smaller LEGO collections.
4. Travel Storage Case
If your LEGO enthusiast enjoys building on the go, you will love this container case specific to LEGO bricks. Use the interior compartments to sort by category or color. When it is time to build, use the top of the container as the play platform.
5. Drop Front Container
Typically used for storing and displaying shoes, drop front containers are perfect for sorting and storing LEGO bricks. The drop front allows stacking with easy access to the contents of each container.
6. LEGO Storage Containers
This four pack of multi-colored LEGO shaped storage containers works well for medium sized collections that are sorted by category or color. The lids secure easily and are stackable. Slide under a bed or display on shelves.
7. Hinged Lid Containers
These elegant clear, hinged lid storage containers are ideal for sorting and stacking on shelves or in cubbies. Available in multiple sizes, mix and match them according to your LEGO brick collection.
8. Build a LEGO Wall
For younger kids who may be interested in playing with their LEGO blocks on the wall, this DIY LEGO wall idea (Dukes and Duchesses) may work for you. The LEGO wall keeps bricks off the floor and adds vertical space to play areas.
Here is what you need:
Simply glue the baseplates on a wall in a closet or playroom and you have created a LEGO wall.
9. LEGO Table
If your goal is to keep LEGO bricks off the ground, this LEGO table will do the job. Not only is it a great place to build with LEGO pieces, but there is a built-in mesh bag in the center for storing pieces in between construction. If you prefer built-in storage drawers instead of the mesh bag, this LEGO table is a better option.
10. Hanging LEGO Caddies
Organize and store LEGO bricks while maximizing wall space with these hanging caddies. Hook three caddies together and hang within reach of little hands. Each caddy can hold bricks sorted by color or category- whichever you choose.
11. Don't Forget to Organize the LEGO Manuals
Do your kids love to keep their LEGO manuals but they can never find them when they need them? Making Lemonade has a clever way to keep LEGO manuals organized, tidy, and within reach.
12. Create a Lego Closet
With an industrial shelving unit and some plastic bins, any closet can become a LEGO storage command center. Sort the bricks into bins and label each one for easy building. This solution is recommended for medium to large collections with over 8,000 bricks.
13. Organize and Display LEGO Minifigures
Don't allow the minifigures to get lost in the shuffle. Create an organization system just for them with LEGO minifigure display cases. Stack them, carry them, mount them on the wall- it is up to you. What is important is that your kids can quickly find the perfect minifigure for every build.
14. Rolling LEGO Storage Cart
For kids who construct in every room of the house and even outside, a rolling storage cart is a great solution for organizing LEGO bricks and pieces. Four casters make for easy rolling and two of the wheels lock. The rolling cart measures 38" tall, so it may not be a good option for smaller children.
15. LEGO Set Clear Storage Tote
Photo Credit: The Homes I Have Made
If your child prefers to store LEGOs by set for simple construction later, these clear storage totes are a great storage solution. The original LEGO boxes are not uniform in size and let's face it- our kids break apart cardboard boxes in minutes. We recommend cutting the title and photo of the set from the box and storing it with the instructions in the tote with the pieces for easy building at a later time.
16. LEGO Drawer Rack Storage System
We love this LEGO storage system for so many reasons. The semitransparent drawers make it easy to organize and the drawers are removable and easy for little hands to carry. There is a built in labeling system. Each drawer comes with a mini baseplate so that you can stick the piece on the front of the drawer. This is the perfect solution for young children who are just learning to read. The top of the system also comes with a baseplate that transforms the storage into a building station. You will only need 1 or 2 of these for small collections and then continue to add on as the collection grows.
17. Desk Drawers
If your child has a desk and the drawers are unused, add some dividing bins in the drawers and convert them into a LEGO piece storage center. Your child can construct on the desktop and easily reach sorted pieces in the desk drawers.
18. Plastic Hardware Cabinet
Whether mounted on the wall, stacked on the floor, or stored on a shelf, this plastic hardware cabinet can hold thousands of LEGO pieces in perfect sorted order. The compartments are clear, making it easy to see the type or color of the pieces. The cabinets are available in sizes ranging from 16 to 64 drawers.
19. Hanging Woven LEGO Baskets
Another way to take advantage of vertical wall space is to use hanging woven baskets to sort LEGO bricks. Affix a command hook to the wall and hang the basket. Kids can take them down to play with their LEGOs and then hang them back up when they are done building.
20. LEGO Tool Chest Storage
Head out to the garage or tool shed and check for a discarded tool chest laying around. Tool chests provide a clever way to sort and organize LEGO bricks of all shapes and sizes. The copious drawers and compartments are a LEGO collector's dream.
21. Repurposed Book Shelf
If the LEGO collection at your home feels like it is growing too big to contain, repurpose an old bookshelf to create LEGO Central. Baseplates, plastic bins, and a display area will allow your kids to sort, store, and play all in one location.
22. Tea Bag Organizer
Older kids with LEGO sets containing smaller pieces will love using a tea bag organizer. These plastic ones are stackable, clear, and compact- great for sorting and storing LEGO pieces.
23. Fabric LEGO Storage Bins with Rack
Easy for little hands to reach, remove, and put back, these fabric storage bins with rack are great for large LEGO bricks. Little ones can remove the individual fabric bins, play, and then replace them. The bins allow them to sort by color or size.
24. Magnetic LEGO Containers
This storage solution is specifically for those tiny, easy to lose LEGO pieces. This magnetic spice jar rack is a space-saving way to sort and contain tiny LEGOs. The kit includes the mounting adhesive and hardware along with the clear container and magnetic lid.
25. Cigar Box LEGO Storage
If you have old cigar boxes laying around, use them for LEGO storage. If not, you can purchase cigar boxes in packs of eight at an inexpensive price. Invite your kids to decorate the boxes however they would like. Glue a baseplate to the top and the LEGO storage box doubles as a construction station. Sort LEGO pieces, label the cigar boxes and then stack and store.
26. Scrapbook Cases
Do you still have scrapbook paper and supplies organizing cases sitting around from the early 2000s? Don't feel bad- I did, too. But I repurposed them to contain my son's LEGO bricks. Unused scrapbook albums are used for storing instructions, plastic drawers are perfect for complete LEGO sets, and the little storage compartments for scapbook bits now contain tiny LEGO pieces. Gone are the days of manual scrapbooking, but the storage solutions were great and can live on.
27. Under the Bed Rolling LEGO Storage Drawer
I know the photo looks fancy, but hear me out. Imagine 2-4 of these rolling drawers tucked neatly under your child's bed. Add containers or create wooden dividers and sort the LEGOs right in the drawer. When they are finished building, roll the drawer back under the bed for a tidy finish.
28. LEGO Funnel Tray
A must-have tool for the LEGO sorting process is a sorting funnel tray. Sort LEGO pieces into the appropriate funnel tray and then pour into the corresponding container with no spillage. If you have a bin or bag of mixed LEGO pieces, pour them into the tray, spread them out to locate the piece you need, and then easily pour the discarded pieces back into the storage container.
29. LEGO Minifigure Carry Case
I saw these carry cases advertised for storing Shopkins, but I immediately thought of using it for LEGO minifigures. The clear protection pockets allow you to see each minifigure and the collapsible design makes it easy for little ones to carry themselves.
30. Fishing Tackle Box
If you have a few fishing tackle boxes laying around, you have a LEGO storage system. The small compartments for fishing lures are perfect for small pieces and the understorage compartment works for larger pieces.
31. Zippered LEGO Soft Storage Case
If your creative builder likes to keep their LEGO sets together, this is the storage solution for you. These zippered soft organizer cases contain LEGO sets. Cut the front off the original box and slide it into the front pocket so that your child will easily recognize the LEGO set they want to build. These soft cases come is various sizes to match with different size LEGO sets.
32. LEGO Baseplate Tower
If you have a LEGO builder who never wants to disassemble their creation and you are running out of display room, you will love this solution. The baseplate LEGO tower comes with 30 stackers and a rainbow assortment of baseplates. Once your child constructs their kit, they can safely store it on this tower.
33. Unused Luggage
If you have a piece of rolling luggage, you have an on-the-go LEGO storage system. Old train cases or wheeled carry on bags make for kid friendly, portable LEGO storage cases. Sort smaller pieces into ziplock bags or small plastic bins and put them all in the luggage.
34. My First LEGO Set Organizer
If your child is just starting to build with LEGO bricks, this small storage drawer with building station is a great introduction. The organizer drawer is only 8"x8"x3.25, so it won't hold too many LEGO pieces, but will work just fine until the collection grows.
35. Toy Box
Use an existing toy box and fill it with tall plastic canisters. When your child opens the toy box, they will see the sorted compartments and be able to find what they need. This option makes putting LEGO bricks away in the correct place, also.
36. Mason Jar Storage
If you collect mason jars, use them for LEGO storage. Glue a piece in every color to the top of the jar and your child will immediately know which color goes in that jar. ROYGBIV the jars for extra organizational beauty.
37. Trofast Style LEGO Organizing System
IKEA Trofast bin storage systems are one of their most popular products in history. The system is versatile, well-constructed, and perfect for kids. Simply slide a bin and then slide it back in. We love this unit because it has eight large bins providing ample storage for LEGO bricks big and small.
38. Under Bunk Bed LEGO Storage
Does your child have bunk beds and only uses the top bunk? Remove the bottom bunk and construct a LEGO building and storage area. A desk with baseplates affixed to the top and two Trofast storage units will create a LEGO play center sure to impress.
39. Train Table LEGO Transformation
Has your little one outgrown their train table? It happens. The good news is that train tables, like this one, can be brilliantly converted into LEGO stations. Glue baseplates to the top and add storage bins for a repurposed train table LEGO transformation.
40. Drawer Dividing Systems
If your child has a spare drawer in their bedroom dresser, use drawer dividers to create containers for LEGO sorting.
41. Play Doh Containers
Play Doh doesn't last forever- but their containers can be easily repurposed. If your child collects and covets the small fast food LEGO mini-kits, use Play Doh containers to separate and store them.
42. Pegboard LEGO Storage
We love pegboard walls as an organizational solution for just about anything that needs sorting and storing. LEGOs are no exception. Mount pegboard on some free wall space and use these pegboard cups and bins to sort LEGO pieces.
43. Acrylic Lazy Susan Storage
If you child has a play table where they like to build, acrylic lazy susan storage with dividers is a great way to keep small pieces sorted and accessible. Sort by color or piece type and easily spin the container around when you need a specific piece.
44. LEGO Closet Organizer Storage
If you plan to store your child's LEGO collection in a closet, consider using a hanging closet organizer. Sort the LEGO pieces and store in clear bins and then neatly stack the bins in a closet organizer.
45. Wall Mounted Remote Control Holder
A series of acrylic wall mounted remote control holders make for beautiful LEGO storage. This system uses wall space and easy access to LEGO pieces. Mount as many as needed in a row on bedroom or playroom wall space.
46. Acrylic LEGO Wall Pocket Storage
Photo Credit: West Elm
We love the idea of these acrylic wall pockets for LEGO storage. West Elm has these lovely storage solutions for $89 each, but we found a more affordable solution. These wall mounted acrylic fish bowls are the same thing and work just as well for LEGO store.
47. Cube Storage for LEGOs
Cube storage systems have so many great uses. They can be easily moved, are great for children, and look tidy. They are especially great for large LEGO collections. Cubes can hold completed projects, sorted pieces, and sets to be built.
48. Decorative Apothecary Jars
To create a colorful display of LEGO pieces, buy a few sets of these acrylic apothecary jars. Fill each with a different color LEGO and display in a bedroom or play room. The jars are tidier than typical toy storage and your child will know exactly where their LEGO bricks go after each use.
49. Labeled Canisters
Similar to the apothecary jars, kitchen canisters make for great LEGO storage containers. Label each canister and then store them in a closet, a larger bin, or in a spare drawer.
50. LEGO Mesh Bag Storage
Conquer the LEGO mess with this simple yet effective sorting and storage system. Keep LEGO bricks tidy with mesh toy bags. The mesh bags are durable and come in assorted colors. They are easy for small hands to open and close.
Cleaning LEGO Bricks
The organizing isn't complete without an easy way to clean grimy, sticky gunk off of the LEGO pieces. Constructing all the things is messy business and those LEGO bricks will need cleaning every so often. Purchase these small mesh laundry bags (these are the ones we use in my house) add the LEGO pieces and toss it in the washing machine on a COLD cycle. Do not use warm or hot water, as the pieces may change shape and not interlock as intended.
Now you know all my tips and tricks relating to LEGO storage, sorting, and cleaning. My hope is that this helps to save your sanity and your feet from LEGO mayhem while your child enriches their mind with building and imagining.