Cataloguing your collection

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

Brickset has offered the facility to track your LEGO collection for a while now; this facility recently had a major overhaul with the addition of something called the Advanced Collection Manager (ACM) which takes things to a whole different level. Now for each set you can enter how much you paid + postage, condition of the set, date of purchase, notes on each set etc. etc.. You can also export the file in various formats for safe-keeping. I believe that ACM is available to all registered users, and I can highly recommend it for keeping track of your collection.

Dr. D.

I agree. Brickset has a lot of valuable features. I like also the fact that they tell you the total retail value of your collection, helps with your figs, and lets you sort your sets by a lot of different criteria.

By the way, cool avatar! Three of my favorite figs

[Jargo]

I don't is the short answer. I'm not interested in the value, I never plan on selling any of it even if I'm poor. And I rarely keep sets built. I buy Lego for parts or bulk parts so I can build whatever I want to and have fun not spend hours cataloguing it and being anal about whether or not the instructions are in numerical order.

This may sound harsh and is in no way aimed at any person in particular but I think if all you do is purchase to list and tick off a list and stack in a corner then there's not much point in purchasing. Lego is a construction toy for people with imagination, to encourage to imagination in people and bring out creative and engineering flair. If you collect Lego and don't have the imagination to do anything other than build the set once then pack it away back in its box you might as well find something else to spend your time with. Something more suited to being catalogued like stamps or Pokemon cards.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

I don't is the short answer. I'm not interested in the value, I never plan on selling any of it even if I'm poor. And I rarely keep sets built. I buy Lego for parts or bulk parts so I can build whatever I want to and have fun not spend hours cataloguing it and being anal about whether or not the instructions are in numerical order.

This may sound harsh and is in no way aimed at any person in particular but I think if all you do is purchase to list and tick off a list and stack in a corner then there's not much point in purchasing. Lego is a construction toy for people with imagination, to encourage to imagination in people and bring out creative and engineering flair. If you collect Lego and don't have the imagination to do anything other than build the set once then pack it away back in its box you might as well find something else to spend your time with. Something more suited to being catalogued like stamps or Pokemon cards.

Keeping a list doesn't mean necesarilly "ticking off" another list and just store your sets in a corner. In my case, I find inventoring my sets helpful because I like each of them for their uniqueness, and so I like to have some data of them, such as the date in which I acquired them, because I have a special care for each of my sets. Having an inventory doesn't necesarily mean that you just stack your sets away and buy them just to "tick them off" from a list.

As for building, even though I enjoy it, it's just a matter of personal preference that I like to keep them assembled. Of course, the main value of Lego is its construction value. Although I would enjoy building things with my sets, I don't prefer this over having them assembled in their original designs. I used to build with them when I was younger, but it's just not my personal preference anymore. I think that even though the people who use their imagination with these make awesome creations that we can all enjoy, including the people at Lego, there is nothing wrong with enthusiasts not dissasembling their sets. Lego is a toy, and just as you could have a toy car or an action figure because you like it, buying a set and keeping it assembled doesn't mean that you don't enjoy it, or that it wasn't worth buying it. It doesn't mean either that you don't have the imagination to build with it. We just all enjoy Lego in different ways.

Edit: I do, however, know that there are many people who do what you are describing, and collect just for the sake of it without enjoying their sets. I'm just pointing out that not all of those that don't dissasemble their sets are that way.

Edited August 9, 2011 by johnnyvgoode

[brickmack]

I use Brickset to keep track of sets and minifigs, though I'm still looking for something that lets me add individual parts I've gotten (I think I have nearly 15000 parts bought separatly now). The ACM is useful also so I can keep track of where the set is and if it's together or not.

I don't is the short answer. I'm not interested in the value, I never plan on selling any of it even if I'm poor. And I rarely keep sets built. I buy Lego for parts or bulk parts so I can build whatever I want to and have fun not spend hours cataloguing it and being anal about whether or not the instructions are in numerical order.

This may sound harsh and is in no way aimed at any person in particular but I think if all you do is purchase to list and tick off a list and stack in a corner then there's not much point in purchasing. Lego is a construction toy for people with imagination, to encourage to imagination in people and bring out creative and engineering flair. If you collect Lego and don't have the imagination to do anything other than build the set once then pack it away back in its box you might as well find something else to spend your time with. Something more suited to being catalogued like stamps or Pokemon cards.

Some people catalog their sets to make it easier to figure out how many of different parts they have so they can decide if they will make a particular MOC and if they will have to get parts online or not. That's mainly what I use it for.

[Brickdoctor]

I use Brickset to keep track of sets and minifigs, though I'm still looking for something that lets me add individual parts I've gotten (I think I have nearly 15000 parts bought separatly now). The ACM is useful also so I can keep track of where the set is and if it's together or not.

BrickStore will do that for you, or you can use BASEBRICK if you prefer not to download a program.

[dr_spock]

I use an Excel spreadsheet. It is basically to keep track of who has more Lego. Me or my son.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

I use an Excel spreadsheet. It is basically to keep track of who has more Lego. Me or my son.

Interesting! We're both on the same system. I just made mine a month ago. It took a while. But one of my favorite characteristics of Excel is its versatility. You can sort your rows by any column you wish, you can eliminate double entries, etc. I just wish I had known to use Excel when I was 13 and began to keep track of my stuff!

[ziljin]

I don't. So if someone were to dip into my lego boxes I wouldn't know because its all just into boxes. I have a somewhat accurate count of some of my minfigures since I post army videos of them and I usually count how many I have.

[Vindicare]

I don't is the short answer. I'm not interested in the value, I never plan on selling any of it even if I'm poor. And I rarely keep sets built. I buy Lego for parts or bulk parts so I can build whatever I want to and have fun not spend hours cataloguing it and being anal about whether or not the instructions are in numerical order.

This may sound harsh and is in no way aimed at any person in particular but I think if all you do is purchase to list and tick off a list and stack in a corner then there's not much point in purchasing. Lego is a construction toy for people with imagination, to encourage to imagination in people and bring out creative and engineering flair. If you collect Lego and don't have the imagination to do anything other than build the set once then pack it away back in its box you might as well find something else to spend your time with. Something more suited to being catalogued like stamps or Pokemon cards.

How is that not pointed towards anyone? You just mentioned plenty of members here, myself included. I buy sets and build them as they should be, some I even build once, take apart and bag them. Not because I care how much they're worth, but because I don't have the room for everything. I think it's pretty dumb of you to suggest to us members who don't MOC to buy stamps or...Pokemon cards... I also make a list of what I have(via Brickset), again, not because I care what the value of my collection is, but because it's nice to know what I have and how mu h. Now, while Brickset has a value listed, I don't care about it, but I do enjoy looking at the piece count and keeping track of my minifigs.

[Cookie0879]

I just finished creating an Excel sheet to keep track of my, atm, small Technic collection that does the following:

- sheet 1: lists what sets I have, piece count as per BrickLink, year of release

- sheet 2: all the individual parts per set, so "set number-part number-set quantity"

- sheet 3: consolidates the data from sheet 2 from all sets, gives me a total "part number-quantity"

- sheet 4: put in some stuff so that I can take a parts inventory from BrickLink for a particular set and it will tell me how many pieces I still need to build that particular set

As I only have 22 sets at the moment and no Technic BL orders, it didn't take me long to create it. Individual parts that I get from BL will be added when they arrive. In the future if I want to add a set it will take me about a minute to copy, sort and add the new parts inventory to the sheet from BL.

Does not help anyone that's been gathering for years of course, but for myself it works great.

Edited August 10, 2011 by Cookie0879

[brickmack]

BrickStore will do that for you, or you can use BASEBRICK if you prefer not to download a program.

Thanks. I'm trying BASEBRICK now.

[Si-MOCs]

I use an Excel spreadsheet. It is basically to keep track of who has more Lego. Me or my son.

Well who’s winning?

For sets I kinda intuitively know what I have (not to mention the instruction booklets), and with the exception of some of the starwars stuff they will (eventually) be dismantled and funneled into MOCs.

A bigger problem I’m facing is keeping track of Bricklink purchases and building supplies, more than once I bought xyz and cause it was a ‘good price’ only to realize I have a huge stockpile of xyz or even have xyz already coming in the mail!

I used to have a spreadsheet but it wasn’t really useful outside of keeping a history of how much i spent :P

And now that I’m actually pumping out more and more MOCs, I find that keeping an eye on what I have readily available is a new twisted problem – I remember I had lots of xyz, but when it comes time to build something, I realize I just used xyz last week on something else!

Oy!

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

I also make a list of what I have(via Brickset), again, not because I care what the value of my collection is, but because it's nice to know what I have and how mu h. Now, while Brickset has a value listed, I don't care about it, but I do enjoy looking at the piece count and keeping track of my minifigs.

Bricklink has a lot of interesting miscellaneous info. I love the piece count. However, a few sets seem to have the wrong piece count (if I'm not mistaken, 6990 is different in Lugnet, BL, and Brickset). As it's been said, it would be nice to see some support for a total inventory of parts from your collection and the ability to add individual parts, although Brickdoctor has pointed out that Brickstore fulfills these needs.

I just finished creating an Excel sheet to keep track of my, atm, small Technic collection that does the following:

- sheet 1: lists what sets I have, piece count as per BrickLink, year of release

- sheet 2: all the individual parts per set, so "set number-part number-set quantity"

- sheet 3: consolidates the data from sheet 2 from all sets, gives me a total "part number-quantity"

- sheet 4: put in some stuff so that I can take a parts inventory from BrickLink for a particular set and it will tell me how many pieces I still need to build that particular set

As I only have 22 sets at the moment and no Technic BL orders, it didn't take me long to create it. Individual parts that I get from BL will be added when they arrive. In the future if I want to add a set it will take me about a minute to copy, sort and add the new parts inventory to the sheet from BL.

Does not help anyone that's been gathering for years of course, but for myself it works great.

That looks like a good solution for you. Kudos!

And now that I’m actually pumping out more and more MOCs, I find that keeping an eye on what I have readily available is a new twisted problem – I remember I had lots of xyz, but when it comes time to build something, I realize I just used xyz last week on something else!

Oy!

Hahaha that's crazy! Good luck with that!

[tomdobs55]

I honestly don't care about my sets all that much so I don't catalog them I'm more into the parts. I had an excel spreadsheet that I had been working on for about 2.5 years, but my computer crashed and I lost everything. Since then I haven't had the time or space to sort and catalog my collection, but checked out brickstore and will probably used that when I restart. As for the issue of why catalog and keep track, for me it's very therapeutic to sort and organize. Also, when I'm building something I

like to know exactly where everything is and if I even have enough of said piece.

[eilonwy77]

I don't care what sets I have. When I get a new one I might put it together once, then quickly disassemble it, put the instructions in a file box I have for them, and never think about it again. What I care about is my parts, and I have them all painstakingly organized in craft boxes. Then I just remember what pieces I have, at least of the kind that I use a lot. There are some colors that I'm a bit fuzzy about, because I never or almost ever use them. I tried making spreadsheets that listed all my parts, but it took so long to count and do that I gave up and decided to spend that time building instead. ;-)

[Bearded Castle Guy]

I honestly don't care about my sets all that much so I don't catalog them I'm more into the parts. I had an excel spreadsheet that I had been working on for about 2.5 years, but my computer crashed and I lost everything. Since then I haven't had the time or space to sort and catalog my collection, but checked out brickstore and will probably used that when I restart. As for the issue of why catalog and keep track, for me it's very therapeutic to sort and organize. Also, when I'm building something I

like to know exactly where everything is and if I even have enough of said piece.

Those of you using spreadsheets might want to look at Googledoc's, you can store stuff in google's cloud where it's unlikely a hardware crash would take it out, I'd keep a local copy as well though, it sucks to lose something due to no back-ups.......

Personally, I know where the boxes holding my pieces are, and that's enough for me, knowing I have 1 of set X is usually of little value to me, although I may add some to Brickset now that I've signed up over there as well, we'll see.

[Ogre]

Brickset has offered the facility to track your LEGO collection for a while now; this facility recently had a major overhaul with the addition of something called the Advanced Collection Manager (ACM) which takes things to a whole different level. Now for each set you can enter how much you paid + postage, condition of the set, date of purchase, notes on each set etc. etc.. You can also export the file in various formats for safe-keeping. I believe that ACM is available to all registered users, and I can highly recommend it for keeping track of your collection.

Dr. D.

They still have a glitch with their list for how many minifigs you have. I've mentioned it to them before and thought it was fixed but, I still got 'shorted' when uploading my latest purchases. So, I'm not 100% convinced of the accuracy of their information.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

They still have a glitch with their list for how many minifigs you have. I've mentioned it to them before and thought it was fixed but, I still got 'shorted' when uploading my latest purchases. So, I'm not 100% convinced of the accuracy of their information.

What's the glitch?

And speaking of keeping a backup, I just e-mail myself my excel document from time to time. It isn't too heavy, so it does the trick.

Edited August 14, 2011 by johnnyvgoode

[Ogre]

What's the glitch?

And speaking of keeping a backup, I just e-mail myself my excel document from time to time. It isn't too heavy, so it does the trick.

It keeps shorting me four minifigs...then it'll add them back in...then short them again...and that's only four THAT I KNOW OF. Could be more.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

It keeps shorting me four minifigs...then it'll add them back in...then short them again...and that's only four THAT I KNOW OF. Could be more.

That's odd indeed... I do find the minifigure tool in Brickset slightly buggy and missing some figs that are in the BL catalog, such as gen023.

[wokajablocka]

I use Brickset, I have two accounts one for my LSW and one for my other themed sets. I havent played with the new Advanced section tough.

[thomasmain]

I use Brickstore to keep track of my parts collection. It's tedious to enter (I have a 75,000+ part collection which I entered manually) but once it's in, you can use it to find out all sorts of neat things about your collection. Want to make sure you have enough of a certain part? Just look it up in Brickstore. Buy a new set and want to add it to your parts inventory? Easily done. One really neat feature of this program is that you can load the file with all your parts in one document and then grab an inventory of a set from BL and load it into another document and using the subtract function, you can see which parts might be missing to build the set.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

I use Brickstore to keep track of my parts collection. It's tedious to enter (I have a 75,000+ part collection which I entered manually) but once it's in, you can use it to find out all sorts of neat things about your collection. Want to make sure you have enough of a certain part? Just look it up in Brickstore. Buy a new set and want to add it to your parts inventory? Easily done. One really neat feature of this program is that you can load the file with all your parts in one document and then grab an inventory of a set from BL and load it into another document and using the subtract function, you can see which parts might be missing to build the set.

That's a lot of work! So am I to understand that Brickstore has every item that BL has? It seems like a great option.

[thomasmain]

That's a lot of work! So am I to understand that Brickstore has every item that BL has? It seems like a great option.

Yes, Brickstore gets it's parts list (and updates!) from the BL library of parts. It's a great program for collectors/organizers as well as sellers.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

Yes, Brickstore gets it's parts list (and updates!) from the BL library of parts. It's a great program for collectors/organizers as well as sellers.

After hearing so much great stuff about Brickstore, I think that I'll give it a try. Previously, I thought it was useful mainly for sellers.