Lego opened its latest mega-store in Leicester Square last week, and at 914 square metres and over two floors, it is indeed a very sizable affair. Visitors can marvel at a life-size Underground carriage, Big Ben with a fully-functional clock (naturally) and all the Danish building blocks you can shake a stick at. Mega-Lego is hardly a new concept to London - a huge, 10 metre tall Christmas tree constructed from the stuff was on display a few years back in St Pancras station, so naturally we wondered what other London-inspired creations might be out there and also (because we have storage on the brain) how you keep those bricks under control.

Although the company itself was founded in 1932, it wasn’t until 1949 that the first interlocking bricks that we now associate with Lego started being produced. It’s rare to find a toy with such longevity and perhaps rarer still to find one where those original pieces are still compatible with the most recent versions. Loz Doyle, Executive Producer for TT Games, the British company behind the Lego videogames says that one of the reasons for the enduring appeal of Lego is its brand safety: “it’s trusted by ALL parents everywhere. We take that very seriously, as do Lego”. As for the games? (Lego Dimensions was released in September and have transported in numerous franchises like Mission Impossible, Ghostbusters and Harry Potter, to name but a few) “They’re funny! And, how many games are funny? Kids love laughing, they love slapstick humour, they love Batman riding a pig, they love Stormtroopers in their underwear in a jacuzzi, they love Hulk eating an ice cream.” We have to say it’s certainly not just the kids that find this kind of thing amusing…

London in Lego

Lego superfans are evident the world over, but we were curious to see what London-ish delights they’d constructed, so we did a little looking…

If you’re a Lego fan who hasn’t yet discovered the world of ideas.lego.com, wave your day goodbye: you’ve just entered the world according to Lego, and it’s pretty amazing. You’re welcome. Anyone can submit an idea that they think ought to be turned into an actual Lego set, so there are all manner of projects by all manner of ingenious souls.

Everything about these buses is awesome (see what we did there?!) and we’re sure for any bus spotters out there, they’d tick the box of attention to detail. The Lego Car Blog features all sorts of projects of the automotive persuasion, but we picked these because we love London and you can’t get much more London-ish than with a red bus, can you?

Warren Elsmore looks like the happiest man on the planet, and when you realise his job is making things like Lego London Bridge for an actual living we can see why. (He’s also the chap behind our featured image today, another view of which is below). His website is a veritable treat of brick-y buildings and wonders of the world.

JanetVanD created a mind blowing model of Her Majesty’s Theatre in London. In fact, the detail is so astonishing, that we’ve had to break protocol and show you more pictures…

Lego storage for kids (of all ages)

If you’re a parent of a child who has Lego, this video may touch a nerve (and probably an actual nerve, if you’ve recently wounded yourself in this way). Even when you think you’ve tidied away every last little piece of Lego, there’s always that one bit - and it’s always the sharpest one - that you manage to step on. There’s a reason that Lego frequently tops the lists of best toys for children: the possibilities endless, it encourages creative play, problem solving, fine motor skills - all the things the child development people talk about. It’s good stuff. Having the right storage makes it even better.

The Lego store does a very nice - though slightly pricey - line in Lego storage, which is stackable and frankly rather fun. It doesn’t hold up for really massive collections, but is brilliant for your regular assortment of bricks. We can also recommend them as a means to take a selection of Lego pieces or sets on holidays.

 

 

If the primary concern in your house is clearing up quickly, rather than compartmentalizing specific bricks, this is rather a genius invention. The bag is a playmat when open, and then with one pull of the drawstring it’s all magically tidied away.

A toolbox is a nice, compact storage solution with plenty of drawers and compartments, so you can be as Lord Business you like about how you store your bricks.

Naturally we’re biased, but if space is an issue - or you (or your kids) are between Duplo and Lego or between Lego and Technics - utilising a self storage company can be a great way to make sure that your carefully collected sets stay safe. As we’ve said, Lego endures, so it’s well worth hanging onto (in fact certain boxed sets, unopened and in mint condition fetch a fortune!).

There are different kinds of Lego enthusiasts: those who tip their bricks into a large container and are happy to sort through a pile/ mountain of bricks, and those who prefer to keep things organised. If you’re in the latter category, this is a cheap and simple way to keep things separate, whether it’s by set or type.

Liz at SmartGirlsDIY has a great tutorial for under sofa/ bed storage, which is perfect for Lego. If that seems a bit too much like hard work, there are plenty of under-furniture drawers on the market

Clockwise from top left: Flyttbar from Ikea/ GLTC/ Childs & Co/ White Company

Maybe it’s a Scandinavian thing, but it seems almost inevitable that fellow Scandis, Ikea, would have a solution to unruly toys. The Trofast range is sturdy, colourful and holds tonnes (well, not literally).

As the above London-inspired creations show, Lego is the gift that just keeps on giving, right the way into adulthood. Of course any of the above storage options would work perfectly for your own collection, but just in case you want something a little more grown up, here’s something from a super-fan…

And finally…

Just because, really.

If your Lego collection has got out of control, or you need to clear space for your kids’ first Lego Creator sets by tidying away all that Duplo, Boxman can help. Our sturdy boxes can hold a serious amount of those Danish blocks and help prevent the dreaded Lego Foot Syndrome (see above video). We deliver the empty boxes straight to your door, leave you to pack up at leisure and will return to whisk them away to our warehouses. You can easily keep track of your boxes online by creating your own inventory, so if you suddenly realise you need a brick you’ve stowed away, it’s super simple and hassle free to have it delivered back to your home.

Featured image from Warren Elsmore