Do you mix up your minifigs?

[mpfirnhaber]

If I learned anything from the LEGO movie, it's that mixing themes is OK.

I am, however, a very compulsive person. I'm sorting through a huge box of loose minifigs right now, and I'm having a hard time deciding if I should take each figure apart and store heads and torsos and legs all seperately, or if I should keep the figures assembled as they came.

Some torsos are printed to match a specific set of legs. Some torsos have hands that match the heads. Some figures like zombies are pretty much a complete set, with everything matching nicely. But this doesn't mean they must go together. If I take them apart and store them separately, do I lose anything? I can always put them back together they way they are "supposed" to be (as long as I keep my instructions).

I've considered disassembling all my "generic" minifigs, and only keep licensed/collectable figures together. If I don't mix and match, I'm missing out on the whole creative side of LEGO. There are some great printed torsos and amazing hair/hats in the collectible minifigs line that would work great on other figures. But on the same note, am I ever going to use a Storm Trooper's helmet on anything but a Storm Trooper?

Aaaargh!

[SweetiePie88]

Random parts that I buy or get through lot purchases are more likely to be in the M&M catagory(either right away or put in my minifigure building section). as far as figures that come in sets(including CMF's) they are usually kept together unless i buy the set(be it box, bag, or poly) with a specific idea in mind for a fig and it needs a face change.

I don't tend to even use the figures that come in sets that much since I don't really like the figures with all that printing they've been doing. If i get to the point of digging through the figures I have assembled(not counting the ones i made with parts i can see myself using all parts for sure) could i see myself Raiding the figures for the hair, heads, even the legs? Sure i could see myself doing it. The torsos? Not so much. Many of the torsos are ones that have very little use for me

The figures that i tend to use are more of the simple printing ones or specific torsos that actually can work in my moc's. Like at the moment, a project i'm doing at the moment has 2 figures that use the kind of torsos that I have use for. One is a hoodie print and the other is an explorer print.

Oh, and please don't say "if you don't like the figures that much, then get rid of the ones you don't need" since i already have traded in about 86 figures(plus a few figure parts and extra accessories) with an AFOL in a nearby city for stuff i do need plus probably will be doing some more raiding in the near future. And i do have plain torsos and a few printed ones i do need on my BL list and after i secure a few friends 2015 sets i want, i am going to look into placing an order

[UrbanErwin]

I can always put them back together they way they are "supposed" to be (as long as I keep my instructions).

I think you gave your own answer here. What you could do, is organizing the torsos, legs, etc by theme or type. (Starwars, City, Medieval, etc.)

I have taken apart all my figs and sorted them, this ideal for creating certain figures for builds

Here for example are all my minifig heads:

[AmperZand]

I MOC minifigures, so will gladly M&M parts from different ones. That said, if TLG has created a minifigure that exactly matches a concept I have in mind and that I can't think of a way of improving, I'll use TLG's version.

As for storing spare parts, it depends. If it's a collectible minifigure or a sealed polybag, I'll leave it in its packet. I keep a set of the CMF promo sheets for reference. If a minifigure is from a set and I don't see an obvious way that its parts can be used except as part of that minifig, I'll store it assembled. All other parts, I store loose. Body parts are sorted by what they are (standard heads, torso assemblies, standard leg assemblies) and then by colour. Other parts are sorted by form, function and design, e.g. shields/round/small/dwarf design, shields/tear-drop/large/knight, sword/great, sword/short.

[HawkLord]

I mix and match my yellows despite what line they're from all the time. In my opinion there's nothing wrong with keeping, say Castle figures, in with City stuff because there's tons of reasons why it might be applicable. Maybe some people are going to a ren-faire or buying antiques, who knows. That's the fun of having such a near complete world of product.

The only thing I don't keep with my yellows is just the fleshie licensed stuff, but that's only for figures, I can still see using a Marvel vehicle in the City landscape.

I used to be very disciplined with my collecting and never mixed anything, but this year I've definitely learned that it's ok and encouraged to do so.

[Peppermint_M]

Making different minifigures is my favourite thing to do! It is great fun working with parts to make figures/characters out of parts that are never "supposed" to go together, making matching looks with parts created for wildly different themes or years (decades!) apart.

[TheLazyChicken]

I do mix up my minifgures, whats the fun if you leave them how they are?

[bitbang]

Oh yes! I like to use different expressions so I always change them around to fit whatever I am building. I think it is a great way to make things more fun and unique.

[obsidianheart]

I do this almost always. I store them in separate bins for Heads, Torsos, Legs, Headgear, Weapons and Shields, and Accessories, Utensils, and Body Wear. I have about 300 partially-built figures lying around, and most of them are mixed up. Except my LEGO Movie figs, and an unaltered set of Monster Fighter figs.

EDIT: I guess I have an unaltered set of most of the original Agents, too. But not Dr. Inferno or Clawdette. They got parts added later.

Edited December 31, 2014 by obsidianheart

[bitbang]

I do this almost always. I store them in separate bins for Heads, Torsos, Legs, Headgear, Weapons and Shields, and Accessories, Utensils, and Body Wear. I have about 300 partially-built figures lying around, and most of them are mixed up. Except my LEGO Movie figs, and an unaltered set of Monster Fighter figs.

EDIT: I guess I have an unaltered set of most of the original Agents, too. But not Dr. Inferno or Clawdette. They got parts added later.

I do this too! I like to keep all pieces separate. As my collection goes, I will separate the faces according to emotions and the clothing according to style.