Akro parts organizers

natro220

I've decided to take a different approach to how I organize my collection...I currently have all my parts separated into Sterlite plastic bins.  I have probably 30-40 of the shoebox sized ones for smallish parts, another 20-30 of the medium sized bins more for various bricks and plates, and about 10 giant 60 gallon bins - a couple for miscellaneous giant parts (trains parts, airplane parts, pirate ship parts...etc), one for minifigs which are bagged and sorted, and another for baseplates.

Needless to say, I have a hard time finding anything.  Bins stacked on other bins make trying to find what you want sooooo tedious.

So, part one of my re-organization involves putting most of the "small" parts into Akro parts organizers.  I ordered 4 of these from Amazon as a start.  http://www.amazon.com/10744-44-Drawer-Hardware-Craft-Cabinet/dp/B00019JP8S/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_5

Do other AFOL's store their parts this way?  If yes, do you like this form of organization?  I'm afraid I'm getting into something way too detailed and time-consuming than I was looking for.  Then again, perhaps I just need to put in the time to get properly organized, and it will make building so much more enjoyable in the future.

Oh, and one last thought.  I know I won't get all (or even most) of my parts into these organizers.  The next step in my plan is to build shelving for the remaining Sterlite bins I end up using, so getting the one at the bottom won't be such a big inconvenience.

graphite

There are a few ongoing storage threads in the Storage section of the useful threads list.
http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/9165/directory-of-useful-forum-threads

timinchicago

@natro220 I also use the Akro Mills organizers and they generally work well, though they are not perfect.  

The plastic bins are partially opaque and sometimes makes it difficult to determine specific parts without opening the drawer.  If you plan to stack them keep in mind that the drawers tend to slide out very easily if the container should be tilted.  

lordzarak

If they're good enough for The Man Upstairs, they're good enough for me.  (These same organizers can be seen in Will Ferrel's basement in The LEGO Movie.) 

Plan on expanding... a lot!  And take advantage of the dividing tabs that are attached to the back of the organizer. They can be cut out and inserted into the drawers to help split your inventory even more efficiently.

natro220

@timinchicago - I plan on hanging them on the wall, above my building tables.

@lordzarak - That was actually a very big influence on my decision...I thought they looked great and very useful.  If these first few I ordered work out well, I plan on expanding to ring my Lego room with them.

bluemoose

I've been trying to find a source of the Akro draws in the UK, but without any luck. The Akro ones I've seen, when visiting the US, seem a lot better than the nasty/expensive ones we get in the UK. Anyone over here know of a local source, or a local equivalent (in terms of quality & price)? TIA.

BuriedinBricks

I actually stopped using these, moving to a mix of Sterlite bins and a type of hardware box. I had too many problems keeping track of what was in each drawer and just got frustrated when building. My current sorting method works much better for me.

pay

size is too large for me. 20 x 16 x 6.5 inches, im already bought Akro-Mils 10116 16 f

madforLEGO

The akro bins are good for smaller parts (like 1x1 plates, etc) but I have found that the more quantities of parts you have, you are wasting money buying large amounts of these style part bins. The shoe boxes are not great for small, or smaller quantities, but do the job better IMO for the cost of each shoebox style bin (99 cents), for larger, or large quantities, of parts. and you can always use ziploc style bags for parts into those larger bins as well.
I have a mix, I have a few of the akro style but found that the 'Shoeboxes' are needed in my case as I have been getting more and more of a part type here or there (like folliage/greenery, plates, etc)