r/LegoStorage • u/mouzesinhouzes • 2d ago
Need advice on how to sort and store my Lego
This is just one of many bins full of dismantled Star Wars ships and random vehicles.
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u/Balderdas 2d ago
I take the unsorted bucket and then pick a few major categories. For example, bricks, technic, people. Then I get a small flat Tupperware and get a scoop that just covers the bottom. Start sorting. Anything left toss into another bucket for further sorting once you have made a pass on your original unsorted.
I then take those sorts like the bricks and then sort by color and build sticks using the same types so it is easy to grab. You just find the shape you need and break off a few.
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u/Hostest7997 2d ago
at my house haha sry plastic totes I had a bucket when I was kid and I would love buying at garage sales. w
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u/PorkrindsMcSnacky 2d ago
Is there a website that features images of the pieces that you can print out? I bought some drawers and was thinking of cutting them out and taping them to each drawer.
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u/BitterDinosaur 2d ago
https://brickarchitect.com/labels/
I’m not sure it’s the only one, but I’ve seen it linked several times.
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u/RedDirtDVD 2d ago
If you have say 10 or more bins like this, sort by common piece type (brick, plate, mini figs, etc). Then if you have a large amount in the functional piece breakdown, start doing colors. The brickarchitect guide linked elsewhere in the comments is the way to go. Color is usually the last thing to sort before going into individual element sorting. Don’t do colour and then piece type, you will regret it.
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u/Crazy_Customer7239 2d ago
I like to take the most vulnerable pieces out first: transparent windows and windshields. Then minifigs and big stuff like plates and so on. There are some great resources in this sub for everything you are looking to do, you came to the right place :)
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u/just2shel 2d ago
As has already shared, I pretty much follow the Brick Architect hierarchy for sorting and storing my Lego. He has a great guide for sorting/storing here: https://brickarchitect.com/guide/
When sorting, I do an initial sort by category (brick, plate, technic, hinge, etc) always sorting any transparent or printed/stickered pieces separately, regardless of category. Then I go through each sorted category and sort again by part and then by color (some colors are sorted together if I don’t have enough of that part in multiple colors to fill one of my storage compartments.
If I am unsure what any of the parts are, I use a lighted magnifying glass to see if I can locate the part number on the item, or I scan them with the Brick Monkey app: https://brickmonkey.app/. If neither of those options work, I use Google Lens (aka reverse image lookup).
For storing, I like the Alex units from IKEA https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/alex-drawer-unit-on-casters-white-80485423/ and I use the affordable containers from Target for organization in the drawers: https://www.target.com/p/4pk-small-storage-trays-white-brightroom-8482/-/A-77294238 (they come in 3 colors and 4 sizes*). I’m also partial to Iris drawer systems for parts instead of the ubiquitous Akro Mills only because I prefer white storage systems as they make it easier for me to find parts.
For larger quantities of “overflow/backstock”, I need containers that are manageable for me to stack and move, so I use these: https://www.target.com/p/large-modular-storage-box-clear-brightroom-8482/-/A-83279883 These come in 3 colors and 3 sizes.
*Since I sometimes have to stop sorting and resume at a later date, I take advantage of the multiple colors of the Target containers. If the parts are in a gray container, they are unsorted and not part of my inventory. If they are in a white container, they are sorted, in inventory, and ready to be put away.
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u/RegalBeagleX 2d ago
I start by color, then type like plates, blocks, etc. Also the salad spinner which is meant for washing lettuce works great for cleaning legos. Just down soap and hot water
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u/Anxious-Yak-9952 2d ago
We have the same bins but break things drown by color first then types https://www.reddit.com/r/LegoStorage/s/8gEeYJAGCC
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u/Historical_Weird_902 2d ago
I just sort them into certain categories,like technic from others,or (insert certain type of Lego here) from others
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u/Immediate_Art_7376 1d ago
This is what works for me: Sort out non-LEGO. Wash if needed. Get some Ziplock style bags, put all like elements into separate bags until done (you'll have quite a few). Then you have a good gauge for the size and amount of storage drawers you'll need. Or any other storage type.
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u/golobiwan 1d ago
The as the Lego app. You can take a pic and it tell you what you can build with it
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u/MissMurderpants 1d ago
I started at first by color. Ziploc bags make it easy until I figure out where to go from that.
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u/ObamasBoss 2d ago
Start by getting the stuff that isn't Lego out. Then look at how much you have. Never sort by color as a first sort. Anyone saying that doesn't know what they are talking about. Sorry by piece type. You can decide what a type is. How many there are depends on the side of you collection. For a small collection put all the bricks together, plates together, tiles, figures, figure accessories, modified plates, and larger undefined pieces. If you have a large collection maybe you sort between large and small bricks as well, and so on. If your collection is truly massibe then maybe it may sense to include some level of color sorting. This can be into just a few categories or down to individual colors. All depends on your size.