Getting in the mood... for sorting!

[Dakar A]

Hello!

I know that there's already a topic on sorting and storage, but I wanted to get on a different train: what makes you feel like sorting mass quantities of bricks. It seems to loom over every builder's head like a ton of... Bricks! ( Excuse the pun). Do you use music, a certiant video or t.v. show, or do you reward yourself with some sort of prize for finishing? I would like to know, because I am in that exact situation!

Sort on,

Dakar

[brickmack]

I really dread sorting, so I have to keep myself from doing other stuff. I put away any WIP stuff, toss my video games in a box, and turn off my computer, so there is nothing else to do. Then I put Star Trek on, and watch a few seasons while I sort. Fortunately I no longer spend much time sorting, since it's all done except 2 or so gallons of parts, most of which are parts I only have 1 or 2 of and/or rarely use, so sorting them isn't as much of a priority. Generally I won't sort any parts separately unless I have at least 10 of a specific part, or know that I will need them for a MOC.

[Dakar A]

I know what you mean, Brickmack.

It's so easy to get distracted. I will usually envision the end result, MORE PEICES! I try not to tablescrap, and listen to all the music on my iPod, and I have removed all the songs that I don't like. I also break it down into a trashbag, full of all the parts that need to be sorted, and then I scoop them into a small ziplock tub.

Sort on,

Dakar

[JackJonespaw]

The way I did it took me about a week. I just found canisters and sorted them by close colors, like warm and cool and grays and white and black. Maybe one day I'll sort by color.

[Legoman]

With most of the free time I've had these holidays I've spent sorting parts, Having decided to re-sort my entire collection into drawers. I'm absolutely stoked with how it's going, But I agree sorting in itself is not my favourite part the process

Most of the time I'll just sit down when I've got a lot on my mind, put some music on lightly in the backround and grab a few containers of parts to sort. It's quite nice (IMO) when your brain is running, as sorting takes very little brain power - Admittedly this only works when your home alone (Or at least have a room to yourself), as others tend to be distracting (Which really annoys me when I'm sorting - It makes it drag on longer, it feels)

Good luck with getting your sorting done, Hopefully you find a way that works for you

Edited January 26, 2012 by Legoman

[Modulex Guy]

I've been sorting for the past two years. I hope you find some method that works for you.

Sorting also depends on the size of your collection, if it is relatively small you should not have many problems with rocking out with your ipod and sorting your collection.

On the other hand having a collection that is greater than 300K takes time especially when I'm still buying sets, PaB, and mixed lots. It just never ends.

Right now Im staring at a 5 pound box of Modulex I still need to sort on top of all the other bins of unsorted brick.

[Redhead1982]

For me, sorting is a never-ending process. Every now and then I get a new set, and after a while I dissassemble it, most often when I get a new Bricklink order. Then I do my best to sort it. But the biggest problem is that when I build, the bricks I don't need anymore, they don't get straight back to their storage bags or boxes (as I might need them later) . Like yesterday evening, I was home alone and was sorting for 4 hours - 3 smaller sets, 2 bricklink orders and table scraps from my previous and current buildings. I had my computer on, and was listening to some calming Celine Dion songs, but I haven't finished it. I usually get in the sorting mood, when I know I have more bricks coming from some order, so I try to make more spaces for them.

[Scorpio]

I actually enjoy sorting. I usually listen to music or catch up on podcasts. I refuse to watch TV because it distracts me from sorting. I have been sorting for the better part of a year on and off. Right now I am in the final stages of finally getting everything back into my LEGO room. Now while I don't mind the sorting, I hate putting it away. My storage system is so-so. I like to sort by color and piece so I have hundreds of plastic baggies inside containers. The only time it is easy is when the piece is on my wall. I'll hopefully be posting pictures of my room later once I'm finally done with this major sort. As for new pieces and sets I buy, all of that goes into a box "To be sorted" and once that is full I start all over again.

[Piratedave84]

AH!!! sorting!

For me it's also known as "the never ending story".

When I buy a set I always build it, it usually gives me idea, exposes me to new/newer building technics, and enables me to see specifically which parts are comprised in the set.

When the set is built I look at it and then chuck it in "the bin"; the bin is in fact a 2x2x2 foot box that at the present time is FULL of sets to be dissamssembled and sorted.

Now on to sorting itself, I dread it, like anyone else (i'd rather be building), but I force myself to sort 10 minutes before every building session; I first tend to sort by color and then to re-sort that into categories (closely associated with Bricklink's categories)

But that's besides the topic title ..... to get in the mood I usually put on a POTC movie in the background and ensure I have access to a source of liquid (coffee, beer, gatorade, etc.) and get to it!

[ACWWgal2011]

As far as the major sorting for my current system with each component done at different times, i just jumped straight into the process. I never really put any thing special playing on TV or did anything special after the process. Honestly i actually LOVE the thrill of sorting out parts. I really miss the thrill I got from the major sorting progress. The most recent addition to the sorting family was 3 of the metal christmas containers on sale at dollar general. One is holding most of my plants and trees, another one for most of my modified 1X2 bricks plus about 4 "Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Handles - Type 2", and the last one is holding the part of a pharoh's quest set i got in a used lego lot, some unsorted plates and tiles, and part of the treehouse i'm working on modifying.

As far as current sorting work I've done lately, it's just a matter of putting parts straight into the right container and having a game plan on any BL orders i do. Hopefully we'll be able to get to some items that we have in storage soon and i know i have a small amount of lego pieces. Once those are cleaned, they'll be introduced into my sorting system.

[TheLegoDr]

Oh, sorting...

I think it is never ending as well. I have 15 unopened sets still that aren't built or sorted and I don't know if/when I will get around to doing either of those options.

Normally when I sort I put on a movie I've already seen. I don't mind the distraction because I would think just sorting with no other noises would be rather tedious and boring. With the movie, it fills a small void. But at the same time, I rarely have time to sort. For the most part, I can find the pieces I need looking through my small boxes of unsorted bits, so it isn't a major problem. Everything that is sorted, is sorted by color. Eventually when I get a drawer system going I will sort it by color and further by size or select pieces I would use more of.

We shall see. I've never counted all my pieces, how do you go about doing that?

[brickmack]

For me, sorting is a never-ending process. Every now and then I get a new set, and after a while I dissassemble it, most often when I get a new Bricklink order. Then I do my best to sort it. But the biggest problem is that when I build, the bricks I don't need anymore, they don't get straight back to their storage bags or boxes (as I might need them later) .

Same here. Right now I have partially disassembled MOCs, a half-disassembled set, an unopened set (which I just got the parts), most of the parts from a recent Bricklink order, and all of the leftover parts from every MOC I've made in the last month, totaling close to 2000 parts, all on a table waiting to be sorted. Gonna take a while...

[Rook]

Personally best way is to use some stimulants (uppers) or some depressants (downers). These can be found in mild legal versions for example: Your classic is caffeinated soda (upper). This is my favorite, nothing like getting jacked up and ripping through some Lego. I usually combine this with kicking music. Then there’s the counter. Have couple beers (downer) and be in bit of a haze for about 10,000 bricks, and combine it with some TV.

[happymark]

Yes.. never ending sorting. especially when you have 2 young boys play and mix all LEGO together almost everyday

I don't listen to music. just stand and sort/sort.

I feel that sorting method is pretty efficient. normally I could sort a full size of shoebox in about 1hour.

by the way,After last handful pieces (most of them are small round plates) are put into draws. the feeling is great!

[Ralph_S]

Whenever I am doing just about anything with my LEGO, I'll have music playing. That applies to sorting as well. I don't like sorting, and it doesn't get easier with all the new parts that keep appearing. The way I prepare for sorting is by ensuring that I can do it in finite batches.

I don't allow the stash of unsorted bits to get so large that sorting does start to seem endless! As one buys more parts and take apart models, there will be more to sort eventually, but it is not endless.

I take models that I want to get rid of apart one by one. Similarly, I sort sets that I part out one by one. I may spend an hour or two parting out a set or taking apart a model once every few weeks and them I'm done for the day! I may still have a stack of unopened and unsorted sets in my LEGO room or some other models that I may want to take apart, but I can take care of those some other day. This also has the advantage that I don't have parts from all kinds of different things all together in the same pile. By sorting set by set and model by model the parts are already presorted to some extent and that makes it a lot easier. When I am building something I may pull out a lot of parts, many of which will end up lying on my table in an unsorted mess rather than ending up in the actual model. After I finish a new model and before starting a new model, I sort the leftover parts first. That ensures that I don't create an ever growing pile of unsorted stuff myself.

Of course, none of this works if you're sorting a whole collection from scratch. I wouldn't know where to start if I were faced with a few hundred thousand parts of different varieties and colours in one big pile. The thought alone scares me a bit. Fortunately I've had some sort of sorting system in place since I was a teenager, and have kept sorting it small batches as my collection expanded.

Cheers,

Ralph

[LEGOman273]

I actually enjoy sorting.

:look:

[Dakar A]

Personally best way is to use some stimulants (uppers) or some depressants (downers). These can be found in mild legal versions for example: Your classic is caffeinated soda (upper). This is my favorite, nothing like getting jacked up and ripping through some Lego. I usually combine this with kicking music. Then there’s the counter. Have couple beers (downer) and be in bit of a haze for about 10,000 bricks, and combine it with some TV.

Spoken like a true artist!

These all seem to be good ideas. I build and sort mostly in my room and closet, so it's often tough to find the best, most comfortable place to sort that still has access to all the amenities I require(WANT). I'll play some ska, some Cake, Bosstones, and some uppity pop music. I'm sure soda would probably help, but I'd just end up knocking it down.

Dakar

[lightningtiger]

Ah, sorting parts....yes, worse than sticker sheets !

For me sometimes, a glass or three of wine helps and having the TV on either MAX or MTV Classic or Cartoon Network....hopefully Total Drama is on !

[ACWWgal2011]

Ah, sorting parts....yes, worse than sticker sheets !

For me sometimes, a glass or three of wine helps and having the TV on either MAX or MTV Classic or Cartoon Network....hopefully Total Drama is on !

Do you have a laptop that you can put in the sorting area? There's plenty of Total drama episodes(first 3 seasons plus number 4 should start showing up soon) on youtube.

[dr_spock]

I have a glass of Coke and go right to it. How do I get my son to love sorting?

[Hyler Talliwell]

I always just put the tv on, hunker down and get to it. Sorting is not the best, but it is so nice when it is done.

Edited January 30, 2012 by Hyler Talliwell

[slovakiasteph]

I enjoy sorting as well! Typically the only time I'm NOT watching TV is when I'm sorting LEGO.

The thing I don't enjoy is breaking down/tearing apart sets... a bit rough on my hands So, I typically do that as I sort.

[woolie]

I enjoy sorting. I also recently moved my build table across the room to be next to my record player, so I hope to enjoy this natural complement soon. If my wife and/or sister are building with me, we might put on a movie or a recorded TV show, since we have somewhat divergent tastes in music It's alot of fun to work together, whether it's building a new set, MOCing, or sorting.

[Jareth]

I did a lot of sorting today. As I was sorting I was also picking out key pieces for my next projects. Minifig pieces for my Nocturne Army, black and yellow for my Blacktron I project and Brown for troll fortifications.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

I hated sorting at first. I didn't and still don't have a t.v. or radio nearby and no iPod set up... I started with two plastic, small drawer, stackers and a 25lb bin of Lego. It was a nightmare figuring what pieces I wanted mixed and what I wanted individually per drawer. Then came to location of the drawers. Based on similar or unique parts and colors. Then space ran out, so more stackers and more rearranging. Now that its mostly sorted the way thats easy for me to find parts, sorting is a very short process. Unless I receive an order where all the parts are in one bag...

On a side note, those that order from BL: Do you check each piece for proper count or assume they have the right count for you? And what do you consider a "large" BL order?