My youngest son (5) got a pile of Lego for Christmas so it was time to rethink the small tote I had been using in his room for Lego storage. Over the years I’ve use a variety of ways to organize my oldest son’s (11) Lego but the method that is currently working the best for him is under the bed storage. He’s got three of these totes under his bed.
This method won’t work for my youngest though as he has a mates bed. I guess I could have used the drawers for Lego but we already use those drawers for other things.
You can see the old tiny tote we used to use there on the floor:
I love Lego I really do. I love that it never gets old. My oldest still loves it at 11 and my youngest is just as passionate about it at 5. It’s a toy that doesn’t lose interest after a couple of weeks (at least in my house) and that makes this momma happy. It’s also pretty easy to organize 🙂
Canadian Tire was having a sale on their plastic rolling drawer units (19.99) so I picked up one of those to switch over to. I’ve used these types of drawers in the past with my oldest and really liked how it worked.
I moved the cubbies over and tucked it into the corner. The beauty of this is that it’s easy enough for my son to roll out when it wants to get into it and because the Lego is spread out over 5 drawers it’s not too hard for him to find what he needs. We use the cubby holes as a place to display some of his built pieces 🙂
As new stuff comes in and needs change it’s important to re-evaluate storage solutions.
The other thing that needed attention in this room were my son’s books. When they start piling up on the floor I get a little cuckoo.
Before:
and as well his headboard was getting a little over run with them:
A cluttered room makes for cluttered sleep. I blogged about this before as it’s especially a problem with my daughter.
One of my tricks for organizing any space is changing around some of the furniture at the same time. It really helps to freshen the space up and kids get excited because it makes their stuff seem new again. Even if it’s only one or two pieces it really works!
In this case I simply turned the bookcase onto the other wall along with moving the cubbies over. Not big changes but enough to make it seem new and it helps my son better able to access his books.
Don’t be afraid to try a new room configuration or storage solutions!
and his headboard:
The basket you see on top of the bookcase is where my son keeps his LeapFrog TAG Reading System. He can just grab the basket when he wants to read on his bed or in the living room. Keeps everything together and makes clean up a snap.
Next up was this little alcove with shelves that’s in the corner. When we first moved in I had put all the workbooks and craft stuff in here but you know what? It wasn’t getting used. Crafts happen at the table and with these stuck in the bedroom my son had forgotten about them so they were neglected.
Store stuff where you use it.
So I went through, purged a bunch of it and then moved the rest back out to a shelf in my dining room where it’s already being put to good use.
Before:
After:
Ahh that’s better.
Anyone else working on a child’s room this week?
Christy says
Sigh. I miss Canadian Tire. Have a hot dog from the vendor next time you go. For me? I am also now over an hour from Ikea. We used to live smack dab between Burlington and Etobicoke. I had my pick.
I’ve got a younger child’s room that needs furniture. Next paycheck I think I may have to treck in to Ikea for some 2 by 6 storage units!
Lilianna Grace says
Wow! You really are an organizing junkie! You’ve been busy. I was forced to organize my kids rooms last April (the News was coming to our house) and I’m happy to say they stayed organized! I wanted to share how I organize my recipes, I posted it today. You can visit me here: http://liliannagrace.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-i-organize-my-recipes-part1.html
I’d love to hear what you think!
Debbie says
My son’s also a Lego enthusiast (11 yrs and it still hasn’t gotten old!).
We use that same underbed storage except it’s the big giant Sluggis from Ikea. The work well because they are easy to fish through and find pieces because of how wide they are. We also use the plased drawers to sort. We use the top narrow drawer for minifigs and special pieces. We used another tall cheap tower shelf from Ikea for the display. Thanks for sharing.
Angie says
Yes! I am working on my 9 yr. old’s room this week. I always do a de-clutter after Christmas and move things around a little to freshen up. He doesn’t seem to mind mess…but my 14 yr. old daughter likes her room to be mess-free every night before her head hits the pillow. I just read the archives about this very thing with your daughter…although I just made the connection between sleep and the state of the bedroom when I read your post. Awesome post Laura!
Yara says
We had to move things around in the kids bedroom this week. Unfortunately, it was because the walls in this rental house had mold on them.
I like the way things ended up, though. My son is using his rain table more now.
I also redid the kids bookshelf, which took a couple of hours, but was worth it.
Oh, and I cleaned all our legos & got them into the proper boxes. My youngest is 2, and so far we only have Lego Duplo sets.
Amy K says
I actually just sorted through my youngest’s dresser on Monday, and have my box of clothing ready for the donation. Onto the girls’ dressers….
Erin Branscom says
Great idea! Your son’s room looks so much like mine! My son has the same toy organizer from target only his is navy. I am so glad to have your idea for the lego organizer because putting them all in one huge tote is just too much for my boys. They can’t find any of their pieces that way. Thanks! Your son has a lot of books. My sons used to have that much but we paired down some and we use the library way more. 🙂
Marcia Francois, Organising Queen says
OH MY HEAVENS – that makes me so happy I could dance 🙂
I did their room clear-out before Christmas and then again, just after Christmas and am happy now for awhile.
I saw a sign at the clinic asking for baby clothes for the hospital and can’t wait to drop another bag off.
Mandy says
I love the storage for the legos! My 5 year old also loves legos, and my problems always start when we build something awesome (like a star wars x-wing fighter…) and then it starts to fall apart, but no one wants to mix the X-wing fighter pieces in with the Hogwarts Express pieces… I suppose lots of little bins could help this problem? *sigh*
Brandy E. says
We use the shoebox bins from the dollar store for each of those sets. My DS puts the book(s) for each set into a bin and then when he takes the set apart or it starts falling apart the pieces go back into the bin. It is nice to keep the sets seperate so that they’re all ready to be built again.
Living the Balanced Life says
Ahh, I remember those years… organizing legos and barbies. Makes me sad! My baby is almost 18!
Bernice
There is a God and it isn’t me
Rana says
Laura,
This is just what I was looking for. I started cleaning out and rearranging my daughters room and I’m trying to get ideas for her and my son who are both 7. There rooms are both cluttered and just need a fresh space. Thanks for the pictures and ideas this will help a lot.
s says
I love the underbed bins but my issue is both my lego crazy boys are DUMPERS! I was thinking of redoing our big duplo basket to something longer and wider thinking maybe the vertical height of the basket makes it harder to find something, but I am really convinced it won’t matter – they just love to dump, play, build and then we all have to pick it up. It gets REALLY OLD I will admit! but I may give something like what you show for the smaller legos – I do have them all in bins and such, but they still dump and play.
for the commentor above if your son doesn’t like to mix and match pieces, what I do is keep the separate kits in ziploc type baggies. I cut out the pics off the box (usually there are smaller pics on the ends of the box vs the large picture that takes up the entire face of the box) as well as the instruction booklet. After awhile, my guys don’t care as much so the pieces get dumped into the general lego buckets and so then I just put that baggie aside until the next kit and do the same. for those kits completely dumped into the general lego buckets, I do need to combine all the booklets into a bigger baggie (vs having 5 or more separate ones) but its easy to do. works so far for us! I also do tend to put away a lot of the kids my guys get and stash them for a rainy day sort of thing – i did this last birthday and we still have a couple kits put away for when I hear “I’m bored” or “I want some new legos” – bingo!
Sharisse says
Love it! I haven’t had lego’s in a long time (son is 16yo) but I have a similar problem with my 9yo daughter. She LOVES writing, crafts, etc.. I have paper, crayons, markers, glue, beads, string, and any other craft item all over the place.
Heather Smith says
What wonderful ideas! I am highly organized but this gave me some super, and better, ideas for legos and books that are kid-friendly! (my kids can open it by themselves instead of tracking me down to open the container)
I know what I m doing during the baby’s nap today! 😉
Jenny says
Just re-did my 8 and 6 year olds’ room! I like to have the boys purge after Christmas. Some things get thrown out and others we take to Goodwill, etc. They too love Lego and cars and art and Star Wars. We have a Hot Wheels hanging system with lots and lots of individual pockets for cars and hangs on the closet door. It also works well to hold Star Wars guys and their multiple weaponry. Lego is not overrunning thier room yet, thank goodness, so one bucket does well…so far. We also have a toy room so most toys are stored in their. But each boy (12,8 and 6) does have his own “must keep them nearby” stash of things. So in the younger boys’ room I have a 3 drawer plastic cart in primary colors. Both of the boys picked a color then typed out their name on my labeler (love the labeler!) and stuck it on the drawer. The third drawer was designated the Arts and Crafts drawer by my 8 year old. Then we straightened up the books and moved the chair to sit by the bookshelf. They were proud of their work and I was glad to have it done!
Amy says
I love this post. I need to work on my kids rooms. And the point about storing things where you use them- my husband (trying to help) moved all the kids games to the basement. We don’t play them down there… And I definitely don’t hike two flights of stairs when I am also trying to get dinner ready. So, they’ll be rejoining the first floor soon enough 🙂
AlexisAnne says
I’m ALWAYS working on my kids rooms 🙂
Julie says
I loved looking at your photos. So neat and tidy and calming. My two daughters have to share a room and it gets so cluttered so easily. The room is small and by the time two beds, two wardrobes and two side tables and a bookcase for toys are in there there isn’t much room to move. We tried bunks which helped but my older daughter just didn’t want to sleep up top anymore. I find it very overwhelming and have tried many times to re-organize but it always ends up so bad! I wish I had your skills as to know what to do!!
Laura says
First let me say it doesn’t always look this tidy LOL. Second my son doesn’t really have a lot of toys. In fact every time his friends come over they ask where all his toys are 🙂 Because I keep the toys to a minimum he really plays with what he has, like the Lego. He also loves to read which is why he has so many books. I am constantly paring down and he seems content with what he has.
camille says
I’m finalizing the boys room today! YEAH… I re-configured and finally found a configuration I’m happy with. Some time ago, I started looking with new eyes-keep only what you love. So I got the Ok from hubby to get rid of our super bulky sofas and the boys all too huge bunk bed system with matching furniture. It was packed with furniture and still not being used properly. WE blessed a family with the bunk beds/furniture at our church. Great feeling by the way. Now the space can breathe and there is actually room to walk/play. NOW I just have to get those last straggling things sorted to be donated, dumped or kept. I always forget to take pictures. Thanks for ideas Miss Laura.
ctdaffodil says
my boys build then display their legos –
that said they each have a plastic drawer unit with random legos and shelves with all their display legos on them – they even went so far as to make little gallery tags for them – they were busy on those while I declutterd the clothes storage.
the domestic fringe says
Yes! In my son’s room. He’s a hoarder at heart. I’ve been scaling all my stuff down, but I can’t seem to get that message through to him. I’m working on it. He just has too much for his space. Something has to go…many somethings. 🙂
Love your blog!
-FringeGirl
Veteran Military Wife at Life Lessons of a Military Wife says
We use the same small drawer plastic bin rolling cart…actually four of them, on wheels as you do! My son organizes each bin into different types of Legos…all the people parts go into one, then the squares into another, rectangles into another….even a drawer for all the instructions and one for all the platforms. It works really well. He keeps his Bionicles totally separate though in their own bins on the OTHER side of his room:-)
ati says
I bought some colorful containers from Ikea which are rolling too and i use them as lego and blocks organizing boxes ,they are so easy for my kids to put there toys in and i also like your idea ..it looks pretty neat and organized
Handy Man, Crafty Woman says
Looks so great! My son has a bazillion legos. We’ve been working on organizing them, I was actually going to post about it soon. We use under the bed containers, too.
Stephanie Spencer says
I am working on my 7 y.o. daughter’s bedroom & the playroom this weekend! I just purchased Rubbermaid totes & various baskets to sort everything out. I also bought the pink cubby shelf from Target to better organize her books. She really needs a new dresser, but 1st things 1st 🙂
Karen says
Thank you for constantly inspiring me to think out of the box. Do you mind if I ask where you got the white headboard for your sons’ room? I have 2 boys (10 & 7) & I am looking for headboards for their beds.
Thank you,
Karen
Laura says
Hi Karen, it’s a mates bed (with the drawers underneath) and the headboard came with it. It was from Sears I believe.
Jessica says
I love the idea of LEGO storage but what can I do with millions of them??? I’m serious, I have two boys also, ages 10 and 8 and they have nearing 100 sets plus thousands and thousands of pieces from family members who have passed them down. I tried color coordinating them…twice…but you can imagine that after one time in the “LEGO” room they were no longer in their color coded boxes. I have 4 of the large three drawer rolling carts and two 10′ shelves and all of their books are/were organized into 3″ 3-ring binders but somehow everything just ends up all over the floor…There is nothing else in this room but LEGO’s. What would you recommend I do with all these little plastic bricks that I swear multiply overnight!?!?! They do play with them daily and somehow they both know exactly what they have so hiding them or purging isn’t an option. Should I give up trying to keep them organized and just toss them into big shallow plastic totes???