Top 9 Best Lego Organizers For Kids

Buyer's Guide

If you have kids, chances are you have some Legos lying around somewhere. Kids love Legos, and many adults do as well. Every year, when stores release "Year's Best Toys" lists, Legos consistently make them, usually ranking somewhere near the top. Legos are awesome. They're the perfect toy for kids - and adult "kids" - of any age...

...except when you unexpectedly step on one in the middle of the night.

Then Legos become evil bringers of torment that leave you wondering how something so tiny could cause so much pain.

That's why it's so important that you have something to store them in, like an organizer, when they're not in use. In addition to keeping them up and out of the way so you don't wake up the whole house screaming in the middle of the night after stepping on one, you'll also just want them out of the way to get rid of the clutter. Although there are various sized sets of Legos, an average set contains about 300 pieces. If your spouse, child or whomever buys a modest foursets, that's over 1,000 Legos!

You can see how having that many pieces can quickly get out of hand and leave you wading through piles of discarded Legos every time you walk into a room. That's another great reason to have an effective organizer, but how do you choose the right one? The good news is there are a lot of options out there from which you can choose. The trick is simply finding the organizer that's right for you.

Storage cabinets, containers, mats: What works best?

Determining what type of Lego organizer you need is the first step to buying the right product. There are a lot of questions to ask yourself when figuring out what type of organizer would work best for you.

How many Legos do I need to store?

The first big question to ask yourself is how many Lego bricks you need to store. If there are only one or two sets of Legos floating around your house, you can probably do with a smaller container. If, instead, you have thousands and thousands of tiny bricks lying around, you're going to need something much larger. Despite the fact that Legos are small, having thousands of them can still take up a lot of space. It's important you have an organizer large enough for your needs.

What size Legos do I have?

Standard size Lego blocks are small, but if you have a lot of Duplo blocks instead, those can take up more space than the regular Legos. Additionally, there are some off-brand (non-Lego) building blocks that are huge. If you're trying to store something like those, you're going to need a very large cabinet. Small containers, mats and baskets simply aren't going to do the trick.

What kind of space do I have in the room?

This is another important consideration to take into account. If you have tons and tons of Legos, it may be tempting to go out and buy the largest storage chest you can find. That won't work, though, if you don't have a place to put it. Consider the room where you'll be placing the organizer. If it's a small room, you're going to need to downsize your organizer, even if you do have thousands of Legos. This'll also help you pick the right shape for your container. You may not have to sacrifice size, but you may have to get an organizer that's several feet tall rather than short and wide.

Who'll be using the organizer?

People often overlook this question, but it's an important one. If you're buying a Lego organizer for your toddler, you'll need one he can actually get to and use. It can't be too big, heavy or tall. The closing mechanism also can't be too complicated, or he'll have to come running to you every time he wants you to open it.

On the other hand, if you have special Legos for yourself or your spouse that you don't want your young children to get into, you might want a complex locking mechanism or an organizer that's taller, heavier or higher off the ground.

What are some Lego organization hacks?

After you've chosen your organizer, you still may have further questions about how to use it to its fullest advantage. You might be tempted just to throw all your Legos into the organizer in any old way, but you'll find that going a couple of steps further and implementing a few additional organization hacks can save you a lot of time and hassle in the future.

1. Sort Your Legos by Color

If you end up buying a Lego organizer that has multiple drawers, pockets, cabinets, etc., sort your Legos by color. Add only one single color to each drawer. This'll help you or your child easily locate the Legos you need without having to dig out the entire set and dump it into the floor again.

2. Sort Your Legos by Set/Theme, and Label the Drawers

Again, this is only a hack you can do if your organizer has multiple drawers. If it does, sort your Legos according to the theme or set of which they're a part. For example, place all your Harry Potter Legos in one drawer, all your MinecraftLegos in another and all your Star Wars Legos in a third. Then put labels on the outsides of the drawers. This is another way to easily ensure you or your child goes after the right group of Legos for what you're wanting. It also means you're less likely to dump your whole collection out looking for what you want.

3. Make "Build Buckets" for Storing Works in Progress

One of the biggest causes of loose Legos on the floor is a work in progress. Your child gets out her Legos, starts building something awesome and then has to go to bed before she finishes. She doesn't want to tear her creation apart, and she doesn't want to put the Legos she'll need for finishing it back up into the organizer, so she just leaves them out in the middle of the floor for bare feet to step on in the middle of the night.

Help alleviate this problem by buying her some "Build Buckets." You can make them out of anything really. Any type of bucket, large bowl, Tupperware container or similar item will work. You don't even have to decorate it if you don't want to, but if you have multiple Lego users in the house, you may want to do something so they can tell their build buckets apart. These buckets give them a place to store their leftover Legos until they can get back to their creations and finish them a few days later.

4. Have a Specific Storage Spot for Instruction Manuals

One of the biggest problems with Lego sets is that as soon as you buy them, the box is ripped open, the plastic bags are snatched out and thrown away and the instruction manuals are either chucked in the trash or lost. Then, a few days or weeks later when your builder is trying to finish his creation, he gets stuck, and there's no instruction manual to be found to help him. Create a designated spot for keeping up with all your Lego instruction manuals. A decorative basket hung up on the wall works great for this. You can also make a designated instruction binder, punch holes in the manuals and store them in there.

5. Keep a Separate Organizer for Lego Mini Figures

It seems like the heads, arms and torsos of the Lego mini figures are always the first things to go. Help your Lego lover keep up with all his mini figures by having a designated case just for them. Something as simple as a fishing tackle box works great for this. The old-school Caboodles make-up organizers are another good option.

What if I Want to Make My Own, D-I-Y Organizer?

If you're the type who prefers to make your own organizer rather than buying one, that's perfectly fine! There are so many great D-I-Y ideas out there for Lego organizers, and many of them are super easy to make. Before you get started, though, you need to ask yourself many of the same questions you'd ask if you were buying an organizer instead.

How large does it need to be? Do I need to be able to secure it? Who'll be using it? What room is it going in, and how much space do I have there? Another important consideration is how much you want to spend. Sometimes, making your own organizers can save you money, but if you plan to do something elaborate, you could end up costing yourself quite a bit more than you would have if you'd just purchased one.

Here are some great D-I-Y ideas.

1. Build a Lego Table

One great way to store Legos is in plain sight! Build a Lego table that has a large Lego base as a table top. That way your builder can use the table to build sturdy creations that can't be jarred off or easily knocked off like they could be from a flat, slick surface. You can even add some drawers around the bottom of the table top for extra storage. If you want to go the super easy route, add a large Lego base to a long, wide piece of board. Then simply stack the board on top of several stacked storage drawers. When it's done, it should look something like this.

2. Upcycle an Old Bookcase

If you have an old bookcase just sitting around collecting dust, flop it on its side, give it a fresh coat of paint, put on some handles for easy grasping, and then throw on some wheels underneath. This'll turn it into an under-the-bed trundle that can be used for storing just about anything, including a massive amount of Lego bricks. If you want to make it a little more organized, you can use a few pieces of wood to create smaller sections inside the shelves. If you want your Legos to be a little more secure, add a top on it as well.

3. Build a Toy Box/Bench

Building a toy box is simple enough. Anyone who knows how to hammer some boards together can make a pretty adequate one. If you want to go a step further though, cover the lid of the toy box in soft padding and a nicely patterned cloth. To the casual observer, it'll just seem like any other bench. It's only after you stand up and lift the lid that they'll see what's inside.

4. D-I-Y Storage Bag and Mat

Another idea is to make your own storage bag that collapses completely flat into a play mat. This is a super simple D-I-Y that requires only the most basic materials. All you'll need is a large piece of fabric, a rope and something with which to sew. Making it is very simple, and you can find instructions online with a quick Google search.

When lying flat on the ground, it makes a great play mat for your kids and their Legos. Then, when it's time to clean up, all they have to do is stand up and pull on the rope. The mat will close up into a large sack (similar to a large laundry bag) with all the Legos already inside. It's the ultimate in convenience and simplicity.

5. Create Lego Shadow Box Frames for Mini Figures

If you're looking for a creative and adorable way to store your Lego mini figures, make picture frames/shadow boxes with Lego bases on all four sides of the inside. That'll let you create really cool scenes with your mini figures and provide you with a convenient place to store them.

Conclusion

How do you store your huge piles of Legos? Tell us about your favorite Lego D-I-Y hacks, the best organizers you've found and anything else you want us to know in the comments section. Also, be sure to like, share and spread the news about our buying guides. Stop by again for other great Top 10 product lists and more.