Sorting and storing LEGO®: the complete system for small and large collections

The most convenient way to sort LEGO® is by shape and function rather than by color, because while building you always look for a type of piece first and only then for its color. A few bins are enough for small collections, while large collections benefit from compartmented drawers and a system you expand step by step.

Is your LEGO® in one large bin that you have to dig through endlessly? Is your collection growing faster than your storage space? Or do you finally want a system that keeps working whenever another set is added? In this guide, you'll learn how to sort and store LEGO®, which system works when, and which mistakes you can avoid.

Sort by color or by shape: what works better?

This is the first choice you make, and it determines how well your system will work for you later. Both methods have their supporters, but they suit different ways of building.

• Sorting by shape. Put all 2x4 bricks together, all plates together, and all roof tiles together. This works well for people who build sets or look for a specific piece, because in building instructions you always search by shape first.
• Sorting by color. Put everything red together. This works well for people who build freely and mainly choose based on appearance, or for those creating large areas in a single color.

Sorting by shape works better for most people in the long term. The reason is practical: there are many more shapes than colors, so sorting by shape narrows the search. Looking for a red 1x2 plate? You only need to search through the bin with 1x2 plates. If you sort by color, that plate is somewhere among all the other red pieces.

A compromise that often works well: first sort by shape, and separate only the colors you use a lot, such as black, white, and gray.

How do you start sorting when everything is mixed together?

A large unsorted collection can be discouraging. The trick is to work in rounds instead of trying to organize everything perfectly in one go.

Round 1: rough sorting

Start with a few main groups. For example:

• Basic bricks
• Plates and tiles
• Sloped pieces and roof tiles
• Technic: axles, pins, liftarms
• Minifigures and accessories
• Special and large pieces

More groups than this makes the first round unnecessarily slow. At this stage, the main goal is to go from "everything mixed together" to "roughly grouped".

Round 2: refine where it causes problems

Then further divide only those groups that become too full or that you often search through. If your plate bin is overflowing, split it by size. If your bin with special parts remains easy to use, leave it as it is.

This is the most important principle: only refine where it causes problems. A system with forty containers, twenty of which you never open, takes more time than it saves.

Round 3: minifigures separately

Minifigures and their accessories should really always be kept separately. They are small, relatively valuable, and easy to lose among the bricks. Preferably store heads, torsos, legs, and accessories in a compartment box. If you want to expand your collection, take a look at LEGO® minifigures.

Which storage systems work in practice?

What is practical mainly depends on the size of your collection and how often you build.

• One to a few sets: sturdy bins with lids. Simple, inexpensive, and sufficient. Sorting is hardly necessary at this scale.
• Growing collection: stackable bins by category. Choose transparent bins so you can see what's inside from the outside.
• Large collection: drawer cabinets with many small drawers. This is what serious builders usually end up choosing. Each drawer gets one type of part.
• Keeping sets together: a separate box or bag for each set. Useful if you want to be able to rebuild or resell your sets.
• Minifigures and small parts: compartment storage boxes. Prevents small accessories from getting lost.

When using drawers, keep one practical point in mind: shallow drawers work better than deep ones. In a deep drawer, parts end up at the bottom and you still have to dig through them.

Should you keep LEGO® sets together or mix everything?

This is a choice that builders have different opinions about, and both sides are defensible.

Keeping sets together is sensible if:

• You want to be able to rebuild the sets according to the instructions
• You may want to sell the sets someday, because completeness strongly affects their value
• They are collectible or special sets

Mixing everything works better if:

• You mainly build freely and create your own creations
• Your collection is so large that individual sets will not remain complete anyway
• Finding the right part quickly matters more than keeping sets intact

A middle ground that many people choose: keep special and valuable sets complete, and mix the rest into the general sorting system. If you want to know which sets are worth keeping complete, our guide to the value of LEGO® is a good starting point.

What do you do with building instructions and boxes?

Instructions and boxes take up space, but they have value, especially if you ever want to sell.

• Store instructions flat. A binder with plastic sleeves or a flat box prevents dog-eared corners and creases.
• Sort instructions by theme or set number. That way, you can find them without looking through everything.
• Fold boxes flat if space is an issue. For collectors, a neat box is valuable, but storing it folded is better than throwing it away.
• Keep them dry. Damp sheds and basements are bad for cardboard and paper.

How do you store LEGO® when you have children at home?

For children, the most important thing is that tidying up remains easy. A system that is divided into too many categories will not be maintained.

What works in practice:

• Keep the number of categories small. Four to six bins is usually the maximum that remains manageable.
• Use pictures on the bins instead of text, so young children can tidy up by themselves.
• Use a building mat or sheet. Building on a mat that you can lift by the corners makes tidying up a matter of seconds.
• Place the most frequently used bins at the child's eye level, not at the top of the cabinet.

For building on a permanent base, LEGO® baseplates are useful: models stay in place and can be moved aside all at once.

How do you store large built models?

Display models such as modular buildings or large Technic sets require a different approach than loose bricks.

• Dust is the biggest enemy. A display case or closed cabinet means much less cleaning.
• Avoid direct sunlight. UV light accelerates discoloration, especially in white and light-gray parts.
• Support large models. Build them on a plate or shelf so you can move them without them bending.
• Dust with a brush or air blower instead of a cloth, which can catch on parts.

Common mistakes when storing LEGO®

• Starting too detailed. Anyone who immediately creates a hundred little boxes won't keep up the system. Start broad and refine later.
• Opaque bins without labels. You still have to open every bin to see what's inside.
• Bins that are too deep. Parts at the bottom become impossible to find.
• Leaving minifigures among the bricks. Accessories get lost, and printing wears off from rubbing against other parts.
• Mixing everything without considering valuable sets. Completeness determines the value if you ever want to sell.
• Storing it in a damp place. This is bad for boxes and instructions, and eventually for the plastic.

What do you do with LEGO® you no longer use?

When sorting, you will almost always come across parts you no longer use: duplicate sets, themes you are no longer interested in, or a large quantity of loose bricks.

You then have roughly three options:

• Save for later. This makes sense for sets that are complete and in good condition.
• Complete and rebuild. If parts are missing, our guide on ordering loose LEGO® parts explains how to order them.
• Sell. At De BrickPlaats, you can offer LEGO® through our page for purchases and donations. We assess factors including condition, completeness, and demand.

Before putting anything away, always sort out recognizable sets and minifigures first. That's often where the value lies, while they can go unnoticed among a pile of loose bricks.

A system that grows with you

The best LEGO® storage system isn't the most extensive one, but the system you can stick to. Start with a handful of categories based on shape, only split things up where you encounter problems in practice, and keep minifigures and valuable sets separate.

As your collection grows, the system simply grows with it: when a category becomes too full, split it in two. That way, you never have to start over.