Sorting help needed

[aoffan23]

Today, I started the daunting task of sorting all of my Lego. I have a basic system laid out, and I have things like weapons, arches, and windows under control. My main issue comes from sorting all of my sloped bricks. The sheer variety of types of sloped bricks makes it very hard to decide on a system to use for them. Should I group them by how wide they are (1xn, 2xn), how long they are (nx2, nx3), normal and inverse, by colour?

I know I'll be keeping the slopes with decals on them separate, as well as curved ones and multi-sloped bricks, but the regular ones are giving me hell. Ideally, I'd like to sort them as specifically as possible, but I doubt I have the storage space at the moment. I'll try to figure it out as I go, but any help is appreciated.

[Apollyon]

Today, I started the daunting task of sorting all of my Lego. I have a basic system laid out, and I have things like weapons, arches, and windows under control. My main issue comes from sorting all of my sloped bricks. The sheer variety of types of sloped bricks makes it very hard to decide on a system to use for them. Should I group them by how wide they are (1xn, 2xn), how long they are (nx2, nx3), normal and inverse, by colour?

I know I'll be keeping the slopes with decals on them separate, as well as curved ones and multi-sloped bricks, but the regular ones are giving me hell. Ideally, I'd like to sort them as specifically as possible, but I doubt I have the storage space at the moment. I'll try to figure it out as I go, but any help is appreciated.

Storage space is the main problem with sorting bricks i found.
What i did was to sort my sloped bricks like this:

6. one container with slopes two bricks wide and larger
7. one container with inverted slopes two bricks wide and larger
8. one container with slopes and inverted slopes one brick wide
9. one container with the classic red roof slopes and saddle stones
10. one container for the curved ones and other irregular ones
11. printed slopes (computers and such)

Before my latest shopping spree i had maybe about 350 slopes combined and it worked out well for me.

In general i found that the smaller (and more specialized) pieces are the better it is to sort them individually while more basic bricks can be put into larger containers and are still easy to find. For example i put all 2x2, 2x3 and 2x4 bricks all into one container, regardless of colour.

[Bragallot]

First of, don't sort by colour, at least not for large amount of bricks. Bricks of the same type in another colour aren't going to make it much more difficult to find the one you need, lots of different bricks of the same colour do make it difficult to find it back.

With my minifigs, I put them in the same box but separate them with plastic bags (many of which I got through Bricklink...), I suppose the same should be possible for bricks, as this doesn't limit your storage space.

[aoffan23]

Okay, so I ended up with a pretty good system for the slopes, but I'm going to have to make one bin for "miscellaneous slopes" because I don't have very many of the same type.

If you get someone to help you sort, make sure it's someone who goes along with your system, and doesn't start making piles of other stuff that go together, even though you have nowhere to put it, claiming that they can't look for one kind of piece with all the other crap in the way. In other words, don't get my mother to help you. Inb4 Warhead.

Seriously, I told her to look for plain 1x2 bricks, and she ended up having like ten piles of other pieces she thought would be good to make piles of. While this may be efficient, I had a system where I'd pick out one kind of piece at a time and put it in a bin, which would gradually make everything easier to find. Who knew someone would find it so difficult to follow simple instructions without trying to "critical think" their way into making it more suited to them.

Anyway, it looks like I'm going to have to pick up some more storage units from Walmart or something. Not enough drawers!

[IVhorseman]

just put all of the slopes in one bin. you'll find the ones you need.

[Natalya]

My system is first by colour, then technic plates/bricks, then all other technic pieces, then windows and windscreens, then plant pieces, minifig body parts, minifig weapons, minifig utensils (lol BrickLink), minifig clothing, animals, Bionicle & Throwbot parts, printer computer bricks or slopes or tiles, wheels & tires.

[stubby]

just put all of the slopes in one bin. you'll find the ones you need.

Does anybody else just think of the racial slur when anyone says "slopes?" Because I read this and I can't help but think "the U.S. already tried it in WWII, it was a terrible idea"

[IVhorseman]

I had to urban dictionary it, and it gave me this gem of an acronym: Silly Little Opium Peddling Easterner.

[Silent-sigfig]

Normal slopes and curved slopes are what I use.

[aoffan23]

just put all of the slopes in one bin. you'll find the ones you need.

I have a system of little drawers and big drawers, and most of the bigger ones are divided using smaller containers. So when I say "bin," it could mean many things. In the case of the slopes, I'm sorting them into little bins within a big bin, so I'm still keeping them all together.

[IVhorseman]

I honestly think your little bins are probably better at sorting technic pins and gears and little tiny hard-to-find pieces. Different slopes are much easier to tell apart than different sized axles.

[Predator]

just put all of the slopes in one bin. you'll find the ones you need.

Does anybody else just think of the racial slur when anyone says "slopes?" Because I read this and I can't help but think "the U.S. already tried it in WWII, it was a terrible idea"

[Keldoclock]

Hah! I have the greatest sorting system of all!

I have one shelf of my bookshelf dedicated to finished constructions, and two of these:



One filled with LEGO, and the other with TECHNIC.

[Zupponn]

I saw that picture and thought you were going to say something like "Use one of these. Send the Legos to me and I'll sort all of them for you."

[morganm]

Here's how I did my slopes:
- 1 drawer of anything 2x4 or larger
- 1 drawer of anything smaller than 2x4
- 1 drawer of all black slopes of all kinds... I had a couple sets with roofs using black slopes so there's just a TON of them.
- Any slope with some sort of user interface on it (computer screen, phone, whatever) goes in the bin of other user interface bricks. Sterring wheels, levers, SNOT plates with screens & buttons, computers, phones, etc etc.