Lego Storage

We are crazy for Legos at our house.  Both my daughter and my son love them.  My husband and I love that the kids love them, but what we do not love is stepping on Legos - that is no good.  We have several storage systems in place to combat this torture. 

For what I think of as "general" Legos - these are the ones that don't come with a specific set and are used for free play - we have some regular Rubbermaid/Sterlite tubs, a nifty sorting bin with removable compartments, and my personal favorite - the giant Lego head. 

My problem with these solutions, however, is that they don't allow for a way to keep kits and instructions together.  It drives me nuts to spend big bucks on Hagrid's Hut or a Ninjago Rattlecopter and then see the pieces scattered and the instructions lost.  Not to mention mopping up the tears because the kids want to recreate these structures and can't because some crucial, tiny piece is lost in the playroom.  My solution...

... small Dollar Tree snap-top bins.  These are sold in sets of 2 for $1.  I love the bright colors and the secure locking lids. 

They are sized just right for most of our Lego sets and you can fit the instructions right in there with the Legos.   They stack nicely (vertical storage!) and fit well on the shelves in our playroom.

For larger sets, I just look for larger containers.  8x10 Rubbermaid Take-Alongs are great for those and can also often be found at Dollar Tree.