Binder Organization...for LEGO

Read this even if you do not have LEGO bricks in your home.  This binder organization post can be useful to so many other paper and documents.  Oh, and do not fret there is definitely another post just begging to be written about all the others;)

I figured this post would be most appropriate for now.  With the holidays around the corner I can pretty much guarantee that my kids are getting more LEGO.  I know this because I do the shopping;)  If your kids have the LEGO fever as well, then I figured I could help you get ahead of the game.  You can get the organization in progress so when the presents are ripped open and the Lego's are built you already have a place to put the instructions.

 stitchinglotus

  

My son is 7 and he has been obsessed with LEGO since he was 3.  He has more sets than I care to count.  My daughter is 5 and when LEGO launched their LEGO Friends series guess who else became enthralled with LEGO?  You guessed it!  Now I have a LEGO museum in my house, not to mention the many many instruction booklets that come along with the sets. 

So a few months ago, I decided that the "system" we had for LEGO instructions was not going to work anymore.  I have our home and product manuals already in binders so I thought, LEGO in binders too!  PERFECT! 

I created one binder for my daughter and one for my son.  I chose white binders because all the other binders I have are white as well.  It maintains the "calming flow" of my office. 

 

this picture courtesy of kristymakes.blogspot.com

 

*Side note: I save the boxes for the really large sets and since the instruction books are usually larger than the binder I just keep those inside the original box in storage.

 

What you need:

1. Binders,  the amount depends on how you plan to organize and divide the instructions.  (there will be a few more ideas at the end)
2. Sheet protectors, determine how many instructions books you have so you know how many to buy. Make sure to buy extra, because you know they are getting more sets. I also combine them back to back when the sets come with more than one book.
3. Baseball card protectors, these are for the really small instruction sheets.
4. This is not an item you need to purchase.  I also write in Sharpie on each book what the actual name of the LEGO set is.  They only put the model # on it. 

However, I would like to change color of the inserts for the spine and cover.  I am waiting for the hubby to buy me a COLOR printer!  Once I have the color printer, I will adjust the inserts and color code the fonts.  If you "Like" OCDelightful on facebook you will guarantee that you see my updated look.  (Shameless plug)

Here they are all in harmony...

 

 

LOVE IT!!!

 

Here is one last idea I found online while writing this post.  It is intense but if you have many kids with tons of LEGO this might be a really great option.  They have divided the instructions by each individual series.  It would not work for my kids because they have there favorite series and do not usually sway from those.

 

notenoughbricks

 

Happy Organizing and Have Fun!!!