How to pack assembled LEGO sets for moving

Packing for a move may also include the sub-task of packing LEGO sets for moving, especially when there are children in the house too.

Packing LEGOs for a move seems pretty straightforward – you just place the small pieces into sealable plastic bags, throw those bags into cardboard boxes and then seal the containers. In fact, this simplified packing technique could work for inexpensive LEGO sets that 1) have no sentimental value of any kind for you or your children, and 2) have been disassembled at the time of packing.

However, when it comes to packing expensive and sentimentally valuable LEGO sets that have already been built, then you surely don’t want to use the above-mention packing method. And you shouldn’t do it either.

Read on to learn the best way to pack assembled LEGO sets for a move.

What to consider before packing and moving your LEGO sets

There’s one super important thing to consider before you rush into packing your LEGO sets for a move. It’s the question that you may be dreading to ask yourself because you won’t like the answer very much.  Nevertheless, it’s something you’ve just have to do before starting the packing process.

Is it worth moving ALL your LEGO sets?

Yes, we know, you and your children love LEGO (who doesn’t?) and, like a true LEGO enthusiast, you most likely have an impressive collection too. The real question here is not whether or not you’ll pack and move your LEGO builds, it’s whether or not you will pack and move ALL of your LEGO sets.

Moving home is the ideal moment to review your entire LEGO collection and see if there are some sets that may not be worth the hassle of packing and moving to the new home. There are various reasons why a LEGO set may have lost its value for you:

• you or your children may have just lost interest in some of the LEGO builds over time,
• some of the construction sets may have broken or missing pieces, or
• you may not have enough space to store all of the LEGOs in the new place – especially true when you’re downsizing your home.

Therefore, do a quick inventory of your LEGOs, set by set, and see if you can optimize your collection right before it’s time to pack it. And if you do decide that a LEGO set is not worth the packing and moving efforts and costs, then you may try to:

• SELL it, especially it is still in a good condition. With the sale money, you can always buy a new LEGO set after the move – one that you’ll enjoy building even more.
• GIFT it, especially if you know somebody who will truly like it, like your neighbor’s kid, for example. LEGO sets that are not overly expensive make great casual gifts, even if they’ve already been assembled once or twice.
• DONATE it, especially relevant if the set is relatively cheap or if some of the set pieces are missing. Check if local kindergartens, child care centers, elementary schools or charitable organizations will be interested in accepting complete or incomplete LEGO sets as a donation.

See also: How to declutter your home before moving

How to pack disassembled LEGO sets when moving

The major difficulties when packing and moving LEGOs come when the sets have already been built. Below you will find the detailed steps for packing completed LEGO builds but now, let’s say a few words about the best way to pack sets that have not been constructed yet or ones that are already broken down to its individual pieces and bricks.

• Step 1. PREPARE the packing supplies you’ll need. To pack disassembled LEGO sets, you will need sealable plastic bags (Ziploc bags work great), soft packing paper and suitable cardboard containers – use the original LEGO boxes whenever possible. If you don’t keep those boxes, standard small moving boxes, office paper boxes or plastic storage containers can be used.
• Step 2. PLACE the disassembled LEGO bricks into sealable plastic bags. If you have the pieces already sorted out and organized in some way (color, type, purpose), then use different plastic bags for each grouped LEGO bricks. Make sure the plastic bags are sealed well to prevent the loss of any pieces during the haul. Don’t forget to insert the corresponding LEGO building instructions booklets too.
• Step 3. LABEL each plastic bag with a marker pen individually – write down the LEGO model – if you intend to pack several disassembled LEGO sets inside a single moving container.
• Step 4. ARRANGE carefully the plastic bags into suitable containers. The original LEGO boxes will provide an excellent protection for your plastic pieces but small-size standard cardboard boxes will do the trick as well. For maximum protection, you should use transparent plastic storage containers.
• Step 5. USE packing paper as a filler material to provide sufficient cushioning and to keep the LEGO-filled plastic bags from moving too much inside the containers. Too much movement inside a box containing LEGO pieces could lead to damage.
• Step 6. SEAL the cardboard boxes using quality tape or shut the lids of the plastic containers, then use small pieces of tape to secure well the covers.
• Step 7. LABEL any non-original cardboard boxes or plastic containers for easier identification after the move. Do not write directly over the plastic storage boxes – rather, write on a piece of paper or a label which you’ll then tape to the side of the plastic bin.

Read also: How to pack fragile items for moving

How to pack assembled LEGO sets for a move

Here comes the toughest part of moving your LEGO collection – to pack safely the sets that have already been assembled. This is a much riskier moving scenario because built sets are very fragile and improper packing and incorrect transportation may lead to loss or breakage of individual LEGO parts.

Before you give you the steps describing how to pack assembled LEGOs for moving, you should stop for a second and seriously consider breaking down most or all of your LEGO sets first and then following the packing steps above. This way, you’ll have a much better chance of moving your completed LEGO builds safely to the new home. Plus, you’ll have the pleasure and joy of constructing them once again.

However, you may not wish to disassemble some of your LEGO sets for a number of reasons, including lack of sufficient time to do so or lack of enthusiasm re-build a set so soon after completing it, especially if it’s a larger LEGO project.

So, here are the detailed steps to packing constructed LEGO sets.

• Step 1. DUST your built LEGO sets before packing them, especially when they’ve been on a shelf for some time. The best way to do this is to use a large paintbrush with soft bristles.
• Step 2. PHOTOGRAPH your assembled sets that happen to be original creations before packing them up. Taking a few hi-res photos of such a set will help you rebuild it later on.
• Step 3. REMOVE any protruding parts from a LEGO set, like car or robot antennas, masts and sails of pirate ships, etc. – just any bits that stick out too much. Why? Those are the elements that are most likely to come off and get damaged during transport. Place such extra fragile parts in well-sealed plastic bags and transport them together with the main build.
• Step 4. WRAP carefully and tightly the main LEGO build in stretchable plastic film (Saran wrap) to seal it and eliminate the possibility of any pieces falling out during transit. The final result should be.
• Step 5. USE bubble wrap to cover the LEGO build already tightly bundled in stretch wrap. The bubble wrap will provide enough cushioning and shock absorption to keep your LEGO sets intact. Use small pieces of tape to secure the bubble wrap sheets.
• Step 6. TRANSFER the plastic-wrapped LEGO sets into suitable containers of the right size – either standard moving boxes (office paper boxes work great!) or plastic storage bins. Arrange them tightly, as if you were playing Tetris, so that they move as little as possible during the house move. Place the relevant LEGO building instructions booklets as well.
• Step 7. FILL the empty space inside each LEGO-filled box with soft packing paper, pieces of bubble wrap or shipping peanuts to immobilize the set and cushion it further against any harmful hits or undesirable movements when on the road. As a result, your assembled LEGO sets should be surrounded on all sides by a soft filling material.
• Step 8. CLOSE the lids of the moving containers and seal them shut. If a LEGO set is too tall and the lids of the box cannot be shut safely, try fitting an empty box with the same size on the top of the first one to serve as a protective “hat”. Then, seal the two boxes together.
• Step 9. LABEL the cardboard boxes or plastic containers with the model of the LEGO set. Use labels or stickers for the plastic storage bins to be able to re-use them later. Also, write down FRAGILE and HANDLE WITH CARE.
• Step 10. CHOOSE the best way to transport your LEGO-filled boxes. What’s the best way to move built LEGOs? Hire the best moving company in your town or city to transport your valuable collection. Who knows, some of those movers may also happen to be LEGO enthusiasts like you.

Good to know: When is it worth hiring a moving company?