Storage solutions: gjhartog
Posted by Huw,
Gert-Jan, aka gjhartog, shows us once again that Ikea shelving and storage units are the products of choice for many LEGO rooms:
I’ve read all the storage solutions articles with great interest and seen beautiful MOCs on display and being built. While I’m not really the person to build and invent myself (I’ve owned Mindstorms but that just didn’t do it for me), I do love Lego and collecting sets. I'm not really into a specific ‘range’: I’m very fortunate to be able to buy most of the sets I like.
So, storing… I have roughly 1/3rd of my collection build and displayed. I like to vary, for example the Falcon is now back in storage. For displaying I’m a big fan of Ikea; Kallax is very handy since you can display sets, have enough space to file instructions in multiple ways, just like I did:
When it comes to storage, there is distinguished difference between now and my youth. When I was young, I did build and experiment a lot; built all the vehicles from M.A.S.K. out of Lego including the changing forms, or Transformers and the like.
All of the parts where usually scattered on the floor and that annoyed me. In Christmas holidays I often stayed at my grandparents and one day my (late) grandfather surprised me by building a cabinet so I could sort all of my parts. From that day on I sorted and kept sorting when I was ready to deconstruct my builds:
When older and living on my own, that changed with the sets I bought as an adult. All of those sets are no longer in the cabinet but are stored in (one or more) plastic (Ikea…) bags with labels on them with the set number, so I could easily find the set I’m looking for. Those sets are then stored in plastic (yes, Ikea…) containers:
And then there are the boxes. Most of the boxes I keep flattened, but some need to stay in one piece, for example the Technic Bugatti Chiron. And of course sets I haven’t built yet:
This systems works really well for me. Now to get my son to adopt a similar way of sorting, his collection is spread over multiple boxes as a big pile. And that hurts, being a Lego fan ;-)
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14 comments on this article
I've got a 5x5 Ikea Kallax unit against my wall and the 25 squares are perfect for storing LEGO, books and board games (of which my family has as many as LEGO sets, and we have a good amount of LEGO sets). The models that don't fit in the squares sit on the top of the unit quite nicely. Plus, you can get drawers, boxes and cupboards to hide away your instructions, empty boxes and secret buys!
Kallax is the one-stop solution to LEGO (and everything else's) needs!
White Ikea boxes are SOCKERBIT - got two big boxes and i like these a lot!
It looks like Gert-Jan lives in a cube house? Is this correct? Way cool if so.
Cube House?
Awesome looking collection you got there. I hope to one day get all of my collections sorted, but right now my stuff in stored all over the place in 3 different locations.
@nushae said:
"It looks like Gert-Jan lives in a cube house? Is this correct? Way cool if so."
:-) I can see why you think that, but no.. I don't even live close to Rotterdam!
@AustinPowers: I think nushae means this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_house
The story of your grandfather building you a cabinet for your Lego is heart warming, and the cabinet looks so useful for a child's collection. Thanks for sharing it:)
@gjhartog said:
" @AustinPowers: I think nushae means this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_house"
Fascinating.
@AustinPowers said:
" @gjhartog said:
" @AustinPowers: I think nushae means this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_house"
Fascinating. "
A Creator Expert or Modular set of cube houses would be an amazing future LEGO set. I don't think I would like it as much in an Architecture set.
Ikea KALLAX with all extra drawers, shelves and accessories is by far my favourite way of storing lego. It is rather expensive but a very good way of organising collections. I also use the Ikea ALGOT shelving system for displaying larger items and mini layouts of Lego trains. ALGOT medium-size shelving (38cm) is perfect for placing 48x48 base plates on them... But I will say that it has cost me over 1k to get it done and not everyone would be prepared to spend that money on storage solution when there are plenty of nice sets to buy.
@HerrKolber said:
"Ikea KALLAX with all extra drawers, shelves and accessories is by far my favourite way of storing lego. It is rather expensive but a very good way of organising collections. I also use the Ikea ALGOT shelving system for displaying larger items and mini layouts of Lego trains. ALGOT medium-size shelving (38cm) is perfect for placing 48x48 base plates on them... But I will say that it has cost me over 1k to get it done and not everyone would be prepared to spend that money on storage solution when there are plenty of nice sets to buy."
Lots of folks here like Kallax, but I went with Ivar for a few reasons: deeper and wider shelves, adjustable shelves, corner shelves. They aren’t as elegant, being unfinished wood, but good for display and box storage. (I just assembled my setup yesterday!)
I like how you have both Lego and non Lego stuff on the same shelves.
I love the box art of Chiron and the Porsche, and now the Sian. Actually I'm more interestedn in the boxes than the sets. I think I'll check the net for the boxes only.
I love the story of your grandfather building you a cabinet and that you still have it!
Clean and simple displays look best in my opinion. Love the Kallax with glass doors, I'd like to upgrade to that some day.