Since very many of the comments are requesting what storage cups I use, I've gone ahead and linked all of them in the description above. Happy sorting!
Praise the algorithm for this nerdy video. i´m someone that stores all my sets in the original boxes. it takes up a lot of space but i know exactly where what is. i have been thinking about sorting hundred thoundsands of bricks to gain more space for more Lego but sofar i still find some space here and there playing tetris with hundreds of sets. since i build all of them i have very destinct memories with each set. a few years ago i bought two lots and i had a blast sorting through those and even tho it would have been the perfect opportunity to start a sorting system i completed dozen of sets and bagged them indivudualy. there are only a few kilo left of incomplete sets but is is generaly amazing to see how distinct individual sets are. there are always a few bricks that in combination with some others only came in a very select number of sets. while doing so i followed almost exactly the same routine you described in the video except that i sometimes just tunnelvisioned once I identified a set that i really liked and just spend countless hours digging up the pieces from a giant pile of mostly unsorted lego. type beats colour is the most important thing. i really like thats its the first thing you say about sorting. its by far the most important thing. one thing i´d liked to see put more emphasis on is the understand your collection part. having a giant pile of lego that covers up a huge space can be intimidating but once you start working with that pile you will quickly get a feeling for all the pieces. chopping it up in smaller batches like you did with the shoeboxes makes the whole thing easier to digest. someone else comented about the end photos going along with what you talked about. id agrue that getting a feeling for what you got infront of you is by far the most important thing. i depending on how much time you spend with lego in the past this might take a while. just looking at the parts you can estimate the era and themes you got like that chamer of secrects of in you collection i imidatly spot lokking at the sorted parts. printed and sticked pices aswell as minifigure parts are extremly helpfull with that. overall very imformative video even tho i learned nothing new. intresting choice of music. its fits the channel. please keep enjoying doing YT and have a great time. PS seeing clara and the doctor really stung since that ideas set is my white whale
I only have the Clara and the 11th Doctor from the set; my 12th Doctor is from the Dimensions pack. I'm right there with you; I desperately wish I had that TARDIS parked on a street corner somewhere in my city!
Some great advice. I initially, years and years ago, sorted by color, because it just made sense at the time, but quickly move to sorting by part. The advice you have is great for small to maybe medium collections, but gets more and more difficult, obviously with the more pieces you acquire. I am constantly realigning sorting categories and reassigning storage spaces but I’m making some very good headway with my 250,000+ piece collection. Excellent tutorial!
Thank you! I'm actually *just* at that tipping point where my collection is too large for my current solutions to manage. I would be very interested to hear any advice you happen to have for my inevitable follow-up video!
@@HouseSpouseHobbiesI have a truly huge collection, more than a dozen 10 gallon totes full of random Lego pieces. Dumping out a bin is fine for playing with kids but I can't do much building myself when I can't find anything.
Good advice here. Something I've found is that if you're trying to sort on the cheap and don't want to or can't spend a bunch of money on drawers, using old food containers (washed and cleaned of course) works great. Yogurt tubs work the best but I've also used apple sauce jars and old tupperware as well. Doesn't look as nice on a desktop but it can be a hold over until you can get something nicer.
This is fantastic, and I'm saving it to refer back to when I finally get back into sorting my childhood bulk Lego! Thank you so much for running us through the process, I saw a lot of similar steps I started taking back when I started
I'm super glad you found it helpful! I found a lot of advice about what your Lego should be like when you were done sorting, and not a lot on how to get it sorted, so I'm pleased to hear that the steps I came up with were intuitive!
I just finished my four month long process of sorting all my kids LEGO. I took a similar iterative approach. Started with about a dozen large categories then got more granular. The sorting has enabled me to build old sets from scratch!
Man! This advice is crazy good, I already had similar ideas, but I love to see someone "approving" them. My problem is just space, I have to fit my +50.000 bricks collection and all my builds in my room.
Man space is the worst limiter. I have boxes tetrised full of sets that I want to keep and maybe even display that I just don't have room for right now!
What a great tutorial! My one question is: what are all the cups in your bins/where can I find and purchase some? I love your tutorial, I’ve had my collection sorted by color, and it’s been difficult finding the parts to rebuild old sets! That rebrickable reccomendation is great too!
The ones I use came from Target - they're one of the Target sub brands. I believe they're called Brightroom Storage Trays. The proportions work out almost perfectly with the Ikea drawers!
Having lost my childhood Lego bins in a hurricane in the late 90s, I don't have a big collection. It is entirely composed of Technic sets, bought over the last year. I use organizer cases [Kobalt, from Lowe's], since Technic sets rarely include larger pieces and they can be easily categorized. The downside is that the pins tend to fill up multiple pockets in these cases. The upside is that the particular case I use can latch together and be moved as a singular unit. This would probably not work at all for people who are into the normal Lego System. Either way, this is a great video, and I look forward to seeing more from your channel! Cheers!
Yeah, I've been finding that sorting Technic is actually really inconvenient in my current system. I'll have to check out the hardware organizers from Lowe's approach, because that would free up more than two full drawers in my system. I'll add that to the list of things to cover in the follow-up video!
I’d love to get a video on LEGO naming conventions and other LEGO terminology like swooshable and stuff for people just getting into the hobby. I know a barrier for me using websites like ReBrickable is just not knowing what parts are called or the names of colors.
Awesome video! To quote a fellow lego youtuber brickitect: "Do what works for your brain." He came a long way with sorting his giant collection and i find organizing vids very fascinating. I have my own system as well with bigger transparent drawers and categorized just like you explained. And sure it is always changing, thats just how it goes
Thank you for this video. I have been going nuts trying to sort my lego out. its a matter of patience also as looking at a big box of bulk lego without a fast way of sorting can be offputting. I need to find/build or buy a Lego sorter/sifter.
Hey great video! One of the best overall videos on sorting I’ve seen. And I’ve watched a lot. Honestly the glare didn’t bother me, but ok, could be better. The music though. A little annoying. I’d prefer none or at the very least it needed to be much quieter. I’d say only 2 key things you didn’t really mention. 1) What categories should you use? Yes learn as you say, but where to start? And yes start with broad categories and “re-sort” from there to smaller as needed. A lot of people will recommend Bricklink categories. Yes that works, but I prefer Brick Architect, which is close to Bricklink. Tremendous work on the labels and the contact sheet which is my guide. Now he’s got the online guide which is awesome! 2) How to sort? Method? I’ve seen very few examples. I’ve seen one person recommend a method I’ve found to be the best. I’m sure I kept the link somewhere. Basically dumping bricks on a flat surface (table), pick a category, and slide those bricks left and right while sliding the rest into a bucket on your lap. Rinse and repeat until you’ve made it through the container. Repeat process for each separated category to break it down further as desired. Sliding is sooo much faster than hunt and peck.
Audio mixing has definitely been a steep learning curve for me. I think (hope?) I've been able to do a better job with it in my more recent videos. As for alternatives to hunt-and-peck: excellent suggestion! I found myself partitioning out my temporary contained, but I'll have to give the sliding approach a try. I've been working on a follow up to this video as I've kept refining my system, and I'll definitely include a section on physical method. Thank you so much for the suggestion!
@@HouseSpouseHobbies I found the link to the video I mentioned where I first heard about the slide method for sorting. I think I've only seen one other person mention something similar. I've found this to be quite effective. ua-cam.com/video/dmisEA2PcGc/v-deo.html
I struggle with being able to see all of the pieces I have available without sorting by color. If I am using a particular color, I don't always know the exact pieces that will work best. Having only one piece type per container leaves out other possible piece options. I have found sorting by color then size to be effective so far. After that I may sort by category (plates, slopes, etc.). If I get too detailed in sorting by piece, I tend to miss the perfect piece for the situation. Side note: We need better sorting tool options. A stacked tray system with holes of different sizes would be nice. The current options are too big or not meant for large collections. Awesome Channel for far. I enjoy the enthusiasm you have while making your videos.
Thank you so much! I believe there are people out there who make tools that are designed to separate bulk Lego into bins based on piece size. I want to get one and test it next time I add bulk to my collection, but I don't quite have the budget yet. Whenever I do get one I'll have to properly review it!
@@HouseSpouseHobbies Yes, there is a popular wooden sorter available that uses trays that stack. It's just too big and I don't have the space for that right now. I need something a little smaller. There is a few smaller options but there isn't much info on which ones work well and which are just toys. Maybe you can try out several sorters over time and let us know how they work out/compare to each other.
I like your process. Respectfully, think it would have helped to edit the end photos into each section as you discussed it. Although this is how I personally learn and retain, i do believe it would add to viewer retention to end, if that matters for you. Thank you for sharing.
Yeah, I use the wider Ikea Alex drawers with Brightroom Storage Trays from Target. The proportions between the two work out so perfectly that it almost seems planned!
Great videos, but you need to edit more your video with examples, screenshots and stuff to illustrate what you're saying Also, where did you get your cups ?
I got the cups at Target. I believe they're called Brightroom Storage Trays. I also use the Brightroom Stackable Trays when I'm building. They're nice because they're transparent, but they aren't as deep so they're not as good for storage.
Yeah, balancing audio is definitely a tricky skill to develop. I've gotten better at it in my more recent videos, but I'm always open to more feedback!
Since very many of the comments are requesting what storage cups I use, I've gone ahead and linked all of them in the description above. Happy sorting!
This is exponentially better advice than the far majority of Lego sorting videos on UA-cam. Thank you.
I am so glad I could be helpful! I have definitely learned some more since making this video, so I may have to revisit the idea at some point...
Praise the algorithm for this nerdy video. i´m someone that stores all my sets in the original boxes. it takes up a lot of space but i know exactly where what is. i have been thinking about sorting hundred thoundsands of bricks to gain more space for more Lego but sofar i still find some space here and there playing tetris with hundreds of sets. since i build all of them i have very destinct memories with each set. a few years ago i bought two lots and i had a blast sorting through those and even tho it would have been the perfect opportunity to start a sorting system i completed dozen of sets and bagged them indivudualy. there are only a few kilo left of incomplete sets but is is generaly amazing to see how distinct individual sets are. there are always a few bricks that in combination with some others only came in a very select number of sets. while doing so i followed almost exactly the same routine you described in the video except that i sometimes just tunnelvisioned once I identified a set that i really liked and just spend countless hours digging up the pieces from a giant pile of mostly unsorted lego. type beats colour is the most important thing. i really like thats its the first thing you say about sorting. its by far the most important thing. one thing i´d liked to see put more emphasis on is the understand your collection part. having a giant pile of lego that covers up a huge space can be intimidating but once you start working with that pile you will quickly get a feeling for all the pieces. chopping it up in smaller batches like you did with the shoeboxes makes the whole thing easier to digest. someone else comented about the end photos going along with what you talked about. id agrue that getting a feeling for what you got infront of you is by far the most important thing. i depending on how much time you spend with lego in the past this might take a while. just looking at the parts you can estimate the era and themes you got like that chamer of secrects of in you collection i imidatly spot lokking at the sorted parts. printed and sticked pices aswell as minifigure parts are extremly helpfull with that. overall very imformative video even tho i learned nothing new. intresting choice of music. its fits the channel. please keep enjoying doing YT and have a great time. PS seeing clara and the doctor really stung since that ideas set is my white whale
I only have the Clara and the 11th Doctor from the set; my 12th Doctor is from the Dimensions pack. I'm right there with you; I desperately wish I had that TARDIS parked on a street corner somewhere in my city!
That Info about Rebrickable is gold! Thank you!
I'm always super excited when I get the chance to share tools like that with new people!
Some great advice. I initially, years and years ago, sorted by color, because it just made sense at the time, but quickly move to sorting by part. The advice you have is great for small to maybe medium collections, but gets more and more difficult, obviously with the more pieces you acquire. I am constantly realigning sorting categories and reassigning storage spaces but I’m making some very good headway with my 250,000+ piece collection.
Excellent tutorial!
Thank you!
I'm actually *just* at that tipping point where my collection is too large for my current solutions to manage. I would be very interested to hear any advice you happen to have for my inevitable follow-up video!
I've watched a lot of videos on how to sort Lego and this is the most useful information I have ever found in one place
I'm so glad to hear that! I've figured out some even better practices. Maybe I need to make a follow up video...
@@HouseSpouseHobbiesI have a truly huge collection, more than a dozen 10 gallon totes full of random Lego pieces. Dumping out a bin is fine for playing with kids but I can't do much building myself when I can't find anything.
I feel that struggle in my soul@@PurpleRhymesWithOrange
I've just started a very long journey of sorting thousands of pieces, and this really does help. Thank you
I'm so glad to hear it!
Good advice here. Something I've found is that if you're trying to sort on the cheap and don't want to or can't spend a bunch of money on drawers, using old food containers (washed and cleaned of course) works great. Yogurt tubs work the best but I've also used apple sauce jars and old tupperware as well. Doesn't look as nice on a desktop but it can be a hold over until you can get something nicer.
Oh this is a great idea!
Wow! So I’m not the only person who loves sorting Lego. Great video! Super helpful. Subbed!
I'm super glad it was helpful! Finding joy in the sorting is half the battle xD
This is an absolutely incredible video! Best resource I've found so far. I'm going to use this advice! Also, I love your channel!
Thank you so much! I'm glad I was helpful.
This is fantastic, and I'm saving it to refer back to when I finally get back into sorting my childhood bulk Lego! Thank you so much for running us through the process, I saw a lot of similar steps I started taking back when I started
I'm super glad you found it helpful! I found a lot of advice about what your Lego should be like when you were done sorting, and not a lot on how to get it sorted, so I'm pleased to hear that the steps I came up with were intuitive!
I just finished my four month long process of sorting all my kids LEGO. I took a similar iterative approach. Started with about a dozen large categories then got more granular.
The sorting has enabled me to build old sets from scratch!
That's awesome! Have you found anything particularly cool?
@@HouseSpouseHobbies I found some parts from an Aquanauts set and some parts from a soccer field.
Ooh Aquanauts are awesome! I'm halfway through reconstructing a soccer field myself.
Man! This advice is crazy good, I already had similar ideas, but I love to see someone "approving" them. My problem is just space, I have to fit my +50.000 bricks collection and all my builds in my room.
Man space is the worst limiter. I have boxes tetrised full of sets that I want to keep and maybe even display that I just don't have room for right now!
What a great tutorial! My one question is: what are all the cups in your bins/where can I find and purchase some? I love your tutorial, I’ve had my collection sorted by color, and it’s been difficult finding the parts to rebuild old sets! That rebrickable reccomendation is great too!
The ones I use came from Target - they're one of the Target sub brands. I believe they're called Brightroom Storage Trays. The proportions work out almost perfectly with the Ikea drawers!
Great video, this helped a lot 👍
I'm so glad!
Having lost my childhood Lego bins in a hurricane in the late 90s, I don't have a big collection. It is entirely composed of Technic sets, bought over the last year. I use organizer cases [Kobalt, from Lowe's], since Technic sets rarely include larger pieces and they can be easily categorized. The downside is that the pins tend to fill up multiple pockets in these cases. The upside is that the particular case I use can latch together and be moved as a singular unit. This would probably not work at all for people who are into the normal Lego System.
Either way, this is a great video, and I look forward to seeing more from your channel! Cheers!
Yeah, I've been finding that sorting Technic is actually really inconvenient in my current system. I'll have to check out the hardware organizers from Lowe's approach, because that would free up more than two full drawers in my system. I'll add that to the list of things to cover in the follow-up video!
I’d love to get a video on LEGO naming conventions and other LEGO terminology like swooshable and stuff for people just getting into the hobby. I know a barrier for me using websites like ReBrickable is just not knowing what parts are called or the names of colors.
This is a very good idea. I'll get on that in the very near future.
Agreed. Makes pick a brick insanely difficult online to search for stuff you don't know the name of
Oh I feel this it's so frustrating!
Much needed info, thanks - only feedback I have, the background music needs to be reduced a little to make your voice standout more.
Thanks for the tip! I do think I've gotten better at this as I've been doing more videos, but I'll be sure to keep it in mind going forward.
Awesome video! To quote a fellow lego youtuber brickitect: "Do what works for your brain." He came a long way with sorting his giant collection and i find organizing vids very fascinating. I have my own system as well with bigger transparent drawers and categorized just like you explained. And sure it is always changing, thats just how it goes
I just wish I could afford enough drawers to try different sorting methods at once!
All in due time, I suppose.
This video is gold
I'm glad you think so!
Thank you for this video. I have been going nuts trying to sort my lego out. its a matter of patience also as looking at a big box of bulk lego without a fast way of sorting can be offputting. I need to find/build or buy a Lego sorter/sifter.
I feel this in my soul.
Very detailed. I should’ve took notes.
Thank you! You can always rewatch if you forgot anything ;)
Interesting video, I need to sort my Lego pieces & as the said there are many different advice on UA-cam .
I will use your advice .
Thank you .
I'm so glad this was helpful for you!
Thank you, I din't know about rebrickable and will try to enter all my parts on the website, I'm eager to see what lego sets I am able to assemble.
Yeah, Rebrickable is an awesome tool! I'm glad I was able to bring it to your attention.
This video seriously makes me want to start collecting Lego
You should!
really helpful vid!
I'm super glad to hear it!
Thanks! Very useful tips!
Of course! I'm glad I was able to help!
Instructions unclear. Undressed elephant is now sitting on all the unsorted lego on the floor with me in-between them😢😂😂😂
Well that's profoundly unfortunate. Maybe ask the elephant to help sort? xD
Hey great video! One of the best overall videos on sorting I’ve seen. And I’ve watched a lot.
Honestly the glare didn’t bother me, but ok, could be better. The music though. A little annoying. I’d prefer none or at the very least it needed to be much quieter.
I’d say only 2 key things you didn’t really mention. 1) What categories should you use? Yes learn as you say, but where to start? And yes start with broad categories and “re-sort” from there to smaller as needed. A lot of people will recommend Bricklink categories. Yes that works, but I prefer Brick Architect, which is close to Bricklink. Tremendous work on the labels and the contact sheet which is my guide. Now he’s got the online guide which is awesome! 2) How to sort? Method? I’ve seen very few examples. I’ve seen one person recommend a method I’ve found to be the best. I’m sure I kept the link somewhere. Basically dumping bricks on a flat surface (table), pick a category, and slide those bricks left and right while sliding the rest into a bucket on your lap. Rinse and repeat until you’ve made it through the container. Repeat process for each separated category to break it down further as desired. Sliding is sooo much faster than hunt and peck.
Audio mixing has definitely been a steep learning curve for me. I think (hope?) I've been able to do a better job with it in my more recent videos.
As for alternatives to hunt-and-peck: excellent suggestion! I found myself partitioning out my temporary contained, but I'll have to give the sliding approach a try. I've been working on a follow up to this video as I've kept refining my system, and I'll definitely include a section on physical method. Thank you so much for the suggestion!
@@HouseSpouseHobbies I found the link to the video I mentioned where I first heard about the slide method for sorting. I think I've only seen one other person mention something similar. I've found this to be quite effective. ua-cam.com/video/dmisEA2PcGc/v-deo.html
Great video!
Thank you so much!
Well I definitely learned stuff today
Then I consider myself a success
i had to use Ziplock bags of all sizes to sort my Lego. i do not have enough space for anther shelf
My first attempts at sorting my Lego involved Ziploc bags and a shoebox under my bed. It's a great place to start!
Decent video! Thank you.
Thank you so much! I'm glad it was helpful
I struggle with being able to see all of the pieces I have available without sorting by color. If I am using a particular color, I don't always know the exact pieces that will work best. Having only one piece type per container leaves out other possible piece options. I have found sorting by color then size to be effective so far. After that I may sort by category (plates, slopes, etc.). If I get too detailed in sorting by piece, I tend to miss the perfect piece for the situation.
Side note: We need better sorting tool options. A stacked tray system with holes of different sizes would be nice. The current options are too big or not meant for large collections.
Awesome Channel for far. I enjoy the enthusiasm you have while making your videos.
Thank you so much!
I believe there are people out there who make tools that are designed to separate bulk Lego into bins based on piece size. I want to get one and test it next time I add bulk to my collection, but I don't quite have the budget yet. Whenever I do get one I'll have to properly review it!
@@HouseSpouseHobbies Yes, there is a popular wooden sorter available that uses trays that stack. It's just too big and I don't have the space for that right now. I need something a little smaller. There is a few smaller options but there isn't much info on which ones work well and which are just toys. Maybe you can try out several sorters over time and let us know how they work out/compare to each other.
@@MisterBrickalew Ahh, yeah I see what you're saying. I'll have to do some research!
Excelent video, thank you to meded very clear!!
I'm so glad I was able to help!
You need a link for all your storage containers!! That would be amazing and appreciated❤
I believe they're called Brightroom storage trays, from Target.
I like your process. Respectfully, think it would have helped to edit the end photos into each section as you discussed it. Although this is how I personally learn and retain, i do believe it would add to viewer retention to end, if that matters for you. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much!
That's actually some very insightful feedback. I'm going to have to keep that in mind for future videos!
Good stuff. Subbed for ya.
Thank you so much!
rad
Thank you!
What bins are you using? Where did they come from?
The ones I use came from Target - they're one of the Target sub brands. I believe they're called Brightroom Storage Trays.
great storage system! where did you get the drawers? are they the Ikea wide drawer Alex? Thanks.
Yeah, I use the wider Ikea Alex drawers with Brightroom Storage Trays from Target. The proportions between the two work out so perfectly that it almost seems planned!
Hi, thanks for sharing your sorting system. Where did you get the plastic boxes that fit perfectly in the ikea drawers?
The ones I use came from Target - they're one of the Target sub brands. I believe they're called Brightroom Storage Trays.
What are the little grey bins you have in the drawers?
The ones I use came from Target - they're one of the Target sub brands. I believe they're called Brightroom Storage Trays.
@@HouseSpouseHobbies thanks. I found them but they may be too tall for my drawers. It will be close!
Best of luck!
Great videos, but you need to edit more your video with examples, screenshots and stuff to illustrate what you're saying
Also, where did you get your cups ?
I got the cups at Target. I believe they're called Brightroom Storage Trays.
I also use the Brightroom Stackable Trays when I'm building. They're nice because they're transparent, but they aren't as deep so they're not as good for storage.
the background music is way too loud
Yeah, balancing audio is definitely a tricky skill to develop. I've gotten better at it in my more recent videos, but I'm always open to more feedback!
interesting video, but the title's redundancy makes it seem grammatically incorrect.
Duly noted