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I have two boys who have been collecting Lego for close to a decade. We currently have over 10,000 pieces of Lego and there's no sign of it stopping. Over the years I've learned a thing or two about how to store Lego so my house doesn't look like it survived the Lego Apocalypse. I've used all of these things at one time or another but there are a couple thrown in I wish I had used/thought of. I'm looking at you MacGyver Mom!
If you also have some Lego-collecting-kids in your house, these are the best ways to ensure you never step on another piece ever again (followed by you yelling at your kids in that moment of agonizing pain that you are going to throw EVERY SINGLE PIECE AWAY.)
IKEA has done more to organize my house than an entire village of Italian Nonnas on a spring cleaning binge. We bought this little beauty from the IKEA Trofast series ten years ago and still use it to this day.
Pro Tip: If you're using the Trofast to organize Lego, invest in the smaller bins so you can sort by size and/or colour. The larger bins are good if you'd like to store other toys.
This Iris Lego organizer makes use of vertical space and doesn't take up a lot of room which means it's perfect for small spaces - like bedrooms. While we never owned this one I WISH WE WOULD HAVE. Each of those shelves is a portable carrying case so you can take your Lego on-the-go AND it comes with two base plates.
These Swoop bags were most definitely not around when my kids were younger. Had they been I would have bought about ten. These bags make clean up a breeze so that when an unexpected guest knocks on your door you can swoop that Lego out of the way and into another room. Genius.
Psssst.....you can also find similar bags on Etsy for less.
Yes, we're back to IKEA again. When you have young kids you can spend a lot of time at IKEA. Did you know they have playrooms? And beer? It's like heaven but with meatballs.
Instead of using the underside of your kid's bed to collect dust bunnies why not use it to store Lego. These Vardo bins are on wheels so they slide in and out easily. And unlike when I got them, they now have covers which keeps the dust bunnies off the Lego and underneath the bed where it belongs.
For the little tyke who is just starting out you can use an over-the-door shoe hanger. But you'll soon need more storage because Lego collections have a way of multiplying - like rabbits.
Pro Tip: Make sure you get a clear plastic shoe hanger so you can see the Lego inside.
Listen, I'm just going to say right off the bat that this Jonti Craft Building Table is a little on the expensive side. But it's a great place for your kids to sit down and build while keeping the Lego off the floor meaning you won't step on a piece in the middle of the night when your youngest child starts crying.
Some things are just worth the money.
No room on the floor? No worries. This Macgyver mom made the most of her wall space using a shower curtain rod, S-hooks, plastic buckets, and a white paint marker to create these hanging bins.
We have this little baby in our kitchen and it holds our shoes, car keys, wallets, and anything else we need as we're racing out the door to get the kids to school WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T BRUSHED YOUR TEETH YET. But before that it housed Lego in our living room. You'd never guess by looking at it that we threw in three Minecraft creations and an airport right before you came over.
However I will say that this is not pet friendly and if you have cats (two!) or dogs (one!) they will scratch and chew the wicker baskets until it resembles a haystack, so don't say I didn't warn you.
Why yes, we are back at IKEA again and no, this isn't sponsored. There are about a kajillion combinations you can create with the Kallax series and every single one of them will hide that Lego from sight. You can use drawers, inserts with doors, or one of the 7 different styles of baskets that fit into the shelving units. Build it high to make use of vertical space (but, you know, secure it to the wall) or take advantage of long wall space and make it low and horizontal (and, you know, secure it to the wall - kids will try to climb anything).
Short Answer: Yes
Long Answer: Yes, because the Lego Sorter Head allows you to sort Lego by size. And yes, it looks much prettier when you sort by colour buy when you sort by size it makes it easier for your kids to build with and that's what you want, isn't it?
Sharon DeVellis came to work at the YMC as the Yummy Mummy Club Coordinator after winning Canada's Yummiest Mummy Contest, a contest based on creativity and not on parenting skills (*whew* wipe beads of sweat from brow).
She is now the Senior Writer and maintains the voice of YMC which sounds very similar to the voice in her head. Being crazy is finally paying off.
If you're looking for insight on how to balance motherhood and working while keeping your house immaculate, go visit Martha Stewart's blog. If you're every other mother on the planet struggling while trying to figure it out... go visit The Inside Scoop.