How to store large amounts of bigger bricks?

Question

I am aware of this question and of this post blog on Evil Mad Scientist which include a couple of interesting. My issue with the first one is that it is completely unsuitable for larger amounts of bigger bricks (like 2x2, 1x4, 2x4 and so on) and I'd like to avoid stacking presented in the second link.

I thought long and the best idea I had is to get a couple of the Lego Storage bricks in different colors and store particular color in particular box. The problem is, if I had 50 yellow 2x2, 50 yellow 2x3 and 50 yellow 2x4, I'd have hard time finding two 2x8. Not to mention different shapes and sizes of plates, technic bricks with holes and the studless technics.

Perhaps I am asking for impossible, but are there any solutions for storing large amount of bricks, technic bricks, technic studless bricks and plates in different shapes and colors (I am thinking at least 10 per color & shape and 5 per color & shape of the less popular combinations for the starts) in a way which makes it easy to find the exact piece you want? I don't mind mixing different shapes or colors as long as the big volume of one type won't make it too difficult to find others in the same container.

Answer 1

It depends a great deal on your play style and just how much Lego you have, and on what other skills and equipment you have. Using official Lego containers is the most expensive and least flexible option, as they are not really in the storage business. The Technic Briefcase is a good start if you have Technic, but those get pricey if you want more than a couple.

The basic idea is there though - you want a lot of compartments in a few different sizes. Many people buy plastic storage systems, either tackle boxes or drawers (or both), in quantities ranging from "a couple" to "the entire wall of my playroom". Drawers have the advantage that they stack vertically very well, so you can fit a lot of compartments in a small-ish space, and you can get systems that lock together or attach to the wall. Tackle boxes are more portable but harder to get things out of, and organising the boxes can get ugly when you get a lot of them. But I prefer tackle boxes because they give me a wider variety of parts per area of desk, and they're portable.

Since I'm kinda crafty in other ways, I actually built my own tackle box like trays out of wood. That has the advantage that I can customise them exactly how I want them, but obviously I needed a table saw and other tools to build them. Photos here

(bigger photo)