As a mom of one or more boys, you will likely encounter the craze of Legos. Legos are awesome! Legos entertain, spark imagination, leave trails of little, stabbing things all over you house, messes everywhere…well, let’s talk about containing Lego pieces and how we can not only contain the Lego mess, but actually get those boys to clean them up! There’s bound to be at least one of these ideas that you can use for your son’s Lego collection, since I’ve come up with 15 very, creative ways to contain all the Legos!
1. Basic, but functional you can organize your Lego pieces in a store-bought, plastic drawer unit. Sort by color and/or style.
2. If they love those mini-figures and want to display them but still use them, this creative shelving unit is perfect for just that!
3. An all-in-one book shelf can hold everything in just one area so that the mess stays {hopefully} in one part of your home instead of scattered everywhere.
4. Incorporate the design into their closet with a display shelf and bins to throw them all into.
5. I love the idea of using a tool box to contain the Legos by color – not only is it creative, but kinda manly too!
6. If you have a large, plastic, snack container you can make the cutest Lego storage box with a little spray paint and creativity – and for almost no money!
7. If you’re a mom like me, you might things to always look aesthetically pleasing around your house, but super functional. This Ikea Hack of the Lack table turned Lego table is awesome!
8. This dad built a rolling storage boxto slide under his son’s bed for all his Legos! Super smart and keeps them completely hidden!
9. If your boy likes to take his Legos outside or next door to his buddy’s house, how about a portable tray to hold and display your Lego collection?
10. Grab a wooden box from Hobby Lobby and turn it into a travel Lego Box in just a few easy steps to take on a car trip!
11. I love the idea of having a mat on the floor, but then grabbing all the Lego pieces up in a bunch when you’re ready to go. You can make one, too, just like this Mom did for her son’s collection.
12. Another traveling Lego case is this plastic case one Mom made for her son’s Lego collection for about $10 and some glue!
13. Maybe you need a desk AND a play table for your son’s Lego collection – well, this Ikea Hack worked so great because you can simply move the counter up or down to adjust and the storage is on the sides!
14.If you’re a big fan of labeling and organizing by color, this sliding, organized system will probably be your cup of tea!
15. If your boys like to keep all their Lego instruction books, they can get torn and messy. Make an organized notebook to hold them neatly and keep from losing them.
However you get the Legos organized to begin with, my advice is to keep after those boys and enforce rules that make them clean up after themselves and to be considerate of others. Designating a “Lego building area” may help you to keep from stepping on them with your bare feet or vacuuming up little, critical pieces! Teach themto clean up after themselves and be consistent, while allowing for creativity. Have your boys gone Lego crazy? At what age did you see it start?
Becky is blogger, speaker, piano teacher, wife and mom to two children – her son is 15 {he has autism} and her daughter is 10. She is passionate about motivating women to organize and have a relaxed and calm home {as much as possible}. She’s not OCD and not a perfectionist – just a girl who loves to organize. You can find her blogging atwww.OrganizingMadeFun.com
Becky thanks for including my portable tray, we have them all over the house! I also built my son a loft bed with Lego storage and table space below: http://thatsmyletter.blogspot.com/2015/03/l-is-for-loft-bed-with-lego-storage.html
I am not sure the link for 13 is correct – and I would love to see that one! These are inspiring ideas!
We’ve updated that link, Kori!Here it is: http://thatmommyblog.blogspot.it/2013/04/lego-storage-and-play-table-easy-ikea.html
This is a great list. I have one boy that is easily overwhelmed by having to pick it all up, because when he plays… he plays with it ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Legos are set up across every inch of his bedroom floor. He gets to keep it this way for five days! But on Sunday afternoon he is required to pick everything up and get ready for a fresh start to his week. He keeps it all picked up until Tuesday after school when he can do it all over again. (Monday / Tuesday are my cleaning days so this works for us.) Because of the way he interacts with these little plastic toys, having it all orderly all the time is emotionally stressful for him.
I’ve also found that large ziplocks are perfect for the instruction manuals too.
I love the way you guys balance his freedom to create with keeping your steady family rhythm and home routine! Ziplocks are my best friends when it comes to instruction manuals, but I think we’ll transition to a three-ring binder with plastic page protectors — just slip a manual in one and pop it in!
Don’t forget that you can also buy ready-made, 60″ mats that cinch up when you’re done. http://smile.amazon.com/Lay-n-Go-Original-Activity-Mat-Blue/dp/B007BO5OAY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1429926198&sr=8-3&keywords=lay+n+go and http://smile.amazon.com/EZY-Tidy-Bag-Organization-diameter/dp/B00NTO4582/ref=pd_sbs_t_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0QAVWB8J5WMPJYE0WD29
I wish you wouldn’t have said “boy” so much. I have a house full of Lego-crazy little girls.
Hey, Lauren!
We know plenty of Lego-loving girls and we hope our friends with daughters find some great tips for storing and containing the madness if they read this article! However, our site is The MOB (Mothers of Boys) Society, so everything we create and share is directed by our heart for BoyMoms and their sons — thus, the many references to boys! Hope that clears it up!
Have a blessed day,
Alle McCloskey
Brand Manager for Raising Boys Ministries
Love this post! We live in a Lego nightmare. Can’t wait to try some of these. I also would like to see #13. Could you check on that link? Thanks
Thanks for the heads up, Carla!We’ve corrected the link for #13 — here it is: http://thatmommyblog.blogspot.it/2013/04/lego-storage-and-play-table-easy-ikea.html
I bought a $30 old white book case. Sanded the edges a little to give it a distressed look. I then got some retro coloured paint (sample pots) and painted the inside of the shelves. Red, yellow, green and Brown in a random order. It now makes a fantastic Lego display unit for my sons many creations. he’s 13 but makes the most amazing designs and now has somewhere to show them off. We also keep all the instruction books in a plastic sleeve binder. he also has a few craft storage boxes to keep all his mini figure pieces orderly and my youngest child, his sister, loves spending time with her brother working with him to create new mini figures.