Do you live in a family of Lego addicts? I do. Legos are totally fun, but they can be so messy! It seems like they're always under foot. They get stuck in the carpet and turn up in the strangest places! This summer, I tamed the kids' Lego mess with a super simple DIY Lego Tray. Seriously, you won't believe how easy it is to transform the bedroom or playroom!
Until this summer, this is what the floor of the girls' bedrooms often looked like: Lego disaster!
(Imagine that spread all over the room. That's actually on a good day!)
Now, this is what the room looks like: Ahh. Bliss!
When the kids aren't playing with the Legos, cleanup takes just seconds, and the toys slide right under the bed! Of course, the Lego sets that are put together are nicely displayed all over the room. It's the Legos that are in progress that are always all over the place! Now the Legos stay on the tray. They come out to play and get put away when the kids are finished.
I made two trays, so now the girls can easily take their Legos from room to room for "Play Dates." This is so much better than losing Legos in the carpet!!!
Want to learn how to make one? It's so easy! Here's what you need:
- A Utility Tray (also called a Boot Tray)
- Any brand of FLAT or SATIN spray paint that is made to adhere to plastic. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use glossy paint. It will remain tacky and stick to the Legos. More about that later!
Find yourself a well-ventilated area, and give the tray a good spray. (Don't forget the sides.) Don't worry about covering the bottom of the tray. (As you can see, I put a piece of our old carpet to good use as a drop cloth in the garage!)
See that beautiful coral orange color? Unfortunately, it only comes in glossy paint. I learned the hard way not to use glossy paint. That tray is now sitting in the garage filled with automotive junk. The glossy paint stuck to the Legos and peeled off. Bummer! Stick to flat or satin paint.
I'm totally sad that spray paint colors only come in one finish. They have a set of colors that come in satin and a set of colors that come in glossy. The colors my older daughter wanted are all glossy, so we just left her new tray black. (Don't care about color--save time and money, and just leave yours black, too!)
So, that's it! Easy, peasy. Now, just train your kids to keep the disassembled Legos on the tray. No more Legos all over the house, and the kids can find the pieces they need when they need them. Win, win!
P.S. Have you ever stepped on a Lego? Not fun! I'm so glad to be done with that!
Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to browse around and check out some of my other ideas. You'll find more ideas for organizing kids' rooms by clicking on the images below.
tanya
These trays are a genius idea! How awesome. I am so going to do this with my son's room. I hate stepping on legos that are left on the floor :)
Heidi
I'm so glad you like it, Tanya. I'm seriously wondering why I didn't think of it years ago! It's so nice to have everything contained and easy to clean up. I hope it works for you, too!
Samantha
Cute. Good idea for current lego projects.
Heidi
Thanks, Samantha. It sure does keep the mess contained!
Beeb Ashcroft
That is so smart! Not only does it provide easy cleanup, but it gives a more stable base for the LEGOs to build on so it would be more fun to play with, too. I remember when I was a kid and would dump LEGOs all over the floor, and the prospect of putting them all back in the box seemed soooo daunting to me at 7 years old. LOL!!
Heidi
The dumping toys all over the floor kills me! I think every kid loves to do that. At least this keeps the Legos contained!
Nicole
This is actually a brilliant idea. Thank you for sharing!
Heidi
Thanks, Nicole. I wish I had thought of it years ago! It would have stopped a lot of arguments about room cleaning!
Barb Webb
Love this awesome, clever idea! I need to make one of these for my granddaughter to match her bedroom. I know my daughter will be super appreciative!
Heidi
Thanks, Barb. I hope you can find a matching color. Just remember--flat paint--not glossy!
Kim Croisant
What a great DIY. I've been there and am still there. My son's LEGO's are seriously going to get thrown in the trash and vacuumed up...which ever occurs first!!!
Heidi
I know exactly how you feel, Kim. If the Legos weren't so darned expensive, I'd throw every piece that got left out in the trash!
Nancy Shaw
This is so inspiring! My kid's toy is all over the floor now :(This is so inspiring! My kid's LEGO is all over the floor now :(
happy room
These trays are a genius idea for current lego projects. Thank you for sharing!