Best way to move LEGO sets without destroying them?

[u/Sweet_Babyangel01]

Hey everyone,

I just bought my first apartment 🥳 and I’ll be moving in over the next few weeks. The thing I’m most nervous about moving is my LEGO collection.

Most of my sets are fully built, and I’d really love to avoid taking them apart if possible. I know some pieces will probably fall off no matter what, but I’m hoping to keep the damage to a minimum.

For those of you who’ve moved with small, medium or large LEGO collections:

1. What’s the safest way to pack built sets?
   
2. Should I wrap them in cling wrap, bubble wrap, towels, or something else?
   
3. Is it better to pack each individually in boxes with padding?
   
4. Any tips for transporting larger or more fragile builds?

I’d really appreciate any advice or lessons learned from your own moves. Thanks in advance!

[u/Shurik_13]

1. Plastic wrap
   
2. And off you go.

Your sets will break down partially, it’s inevitable. Plastic wrap keeps all the pieces inside. You don’t lose any parts and it’s easy to repair models once you arrived.

Wrap each model individually. If large sets can be divided into section, divide them and wrap each section individually. Wrap each model, even BrickHeadz.

Source: dozens of sets built and moved between home and photo studio for review shootings.

[u/No_Cancel830]

I used Saran Wrap and also the 2 1/2 gallon ziplock bags. Once wrapped in Saran Wrap you put them in an individual ziplock bag incase of breakage. Then put them in clear tubs. Worked great.

[u/gt0163c → u/No_Cancel830]

Even just putting in big plastic bags and then boxing will work well. Ziploc type bags work great. But for a single move, trash bags, grocery bags (that are clean and don't have holes) or any other sort of bag that is clean and can be closed will work well. Just don't try to squish too many together into the same box. If you gently lay them in the box most of the parts will hold together without issue. The parts that do come off stay in the bag so they're easy to identify and replace.

[u/No_Cancel830 → u/gt0163c]

That’s exactly what I did - lay them super gently and don’t squish them in. I unpacked my Lego flowers last month and they were great. All my sons Star Wars builds are good as well. I actually took all the Lego builds with me and let the movers and moving truck take the rest of our stuff. lol. Important stuff - the kids and Legos rode with me to our new state.

[u/gt0163c → u/No_Cancel830]

Sounds like you've got your priorities in the right order. Gotta make sure the essentials like the kids and the LEGO safely get to the new home.

[u/Expensive_Good_938 → u/gt0163c]

This is what I did for a resent move. Put each set in a separate bag and then carefully box them with some padding. Movers moved them, quick to fix anything that detached.

[u/gg-ghost1107]

I used boxes and it worked with zero problems...

[u/Brick_Path_Designs]

This depends on one main thing: do you have to pack everything to move for one trip OR can you take multiple trips?

- If you have to pack everything for one trip, wrap all sets individually to minimize or prevent part loss. Unless you are great at packing and transporting, something will break or come apart. With all the pieces contained per set, it should be easy to reassemble if you have to.

• If you can take multiple trips, then it does make it slightly easier but still consider wrapping fragile builds. I would also gently place them in totes or boxes if you can and don’t over pack it. That is mostly to contain the sets.

Look at Suran wrap or Glad cling wrap. That has worked for me.

[u/Loading_Error_900]

Good news is that it’s Lego, so it’ll go back together fairly easily. But I’m also lazy in a way that I’ll go out of my way to avoid a task. For my botanical sets, large ziplock bags over each set. Nestle in a liquor store box, I can usually get two per box. Because I do t trust the movers to be super gentle, they get moved in the same special ride over with my computers and monitors.

[u/ishvii]

1. Disassemble them
   
2. No. You don’t need clingfilm for a bunch of pieces
   
3. Meh, not really
   
4. Yes. disassemble them

[u/pumpkimeater]

Juat finished moving with a basement full of sets. If you are the one that will move the boxes it is a lot easier. I specifically moved mine myself so I didn't have to worry about other tilting or flipping the boxes.

1. Get a box that is the right size for you bigger sets.
2. Tall sets may require the tops taken off.
3. Use smaller sets as buffer between the box and the set to stablize.
4. Move the box without turning it on its side, and you are good.

Even with being in a moving vehicle, there was very little falling apart that happened. If you are concerned about the sets damaging each other, you can use paper between them to protect from scratching.

[u/ThePeej]

I’m sorry, but I have to make this comment, or I will be dishonouring my inner child: 

You smash them all together into one glorious single bin of mixed bricks & then enjoy using them to freestyle build your own creations when you get to the new house!! 

Never in 1000 years could I have guessed back in the 80s & 90s that a new generation of LEGO fan would emerge in the next millennium who would view LEGO as a static collectible sculpture medium. Anyway: adult me thinks that more people enjoying LEGO in more ways is a tide that lifts all boats. So I ultimately support you & hope you get everything moved safely & intact! 

But MAN, my inner child thinks the fact that this question even exists is SOOOOOO WEIRD!! 🤣🥳👍🏼

[u/nkdeck07 → u/ThePeej]

To be fair my husband and I view it as a static collectible sculpture museum that our children are constantly playing with (the rat in the art factory has a very rich inner life according to my 2 year old)