How to pack LEGO sets for moving

LEGO is simply one of those things that children and adults alike love to play with. Larger sets can take days or weeks to build, and you might not want to do it all over again if your LEGO set breaks, which is unfortunately possible when you’re moving house. (Or you might want to have the joy of rebuilding the whole thing again, I know I have!)

But if you don’t want to break down your assembled LEGO sets, here’s a brief rundown of what you need to do to move them safely when you’re relocating to a new home:

1. Dust your sets with a soft brush
2. Remove any elements that stick out and put them in a sealable plastic bag
3. Wrap each set with industrial strength cling film
4. Wrap the set with the loose parts in bubble wrap
5. Line a cardboard box with packaging paper and place the set inside
6. Fill any space in the box with packing peanuts
7. Seal and label the box 

Read on for lots more detail, plus how to pack loose LEGO and the best way to pack unopened LEGO sets when you move house.

Equipment & supplies you need to pack LEGO sets for moving house

• Cardboard boxes for moving – you’ll probably need a few different sizes depending on how much LEGO you have
• Strong packing paper or bubble wrap to wrap your sets and line your boxes, especially at the bottom, to add an extra layer of strength
• Strong cling film to wrap your sets
• Sealable plastic bags for loose parts
• Package filler, such as packing peanuts or filler paper, to fill in any gaps in your boxes and prevent the LEGO from sliding around
• Packaging tape to seal your boxes securely and prevent spillage
• A marker pen to label your boxes

A step-by-step guide to packing assembled LEGO sets for moving

Before you think about packing any of your LEGO up, take a look through your collection and see if there are any sets you (or your children) no longer want. If there are, set them to one side to regift, sell, or donate to your local charity shop. Some preschools will also take your children’s old LEGO DUPLO. In the US and Canada, LEGO themselves have a recycling/regifting programme called LEGO Replay – hopefully it will reach UK shores soon.

Once that’s done, here’s how to pack assembled LEGO sets:

1. Dust with a soft brush

Use a camera cleaning kit like this one works well. You don’t want to pack them as they are and transfer the dust to your new home.

2. Remove delicate elements

Once they’re dust-free, remove any delicate elements or ones that stick out, like antennae and guns. Put these, along with any minifigures that come with the set, into a sealable plastic bag. Label the bag with the set it belongs to just in case they get separated in transit.

3. Wrap your set

It’s really important to use industrial strength type cling film. Basic cling film isn’t going to cut it. Carefully wrap your set in the cling film, making sure it’s as secure as possible.

4. Secure the loose parts

Put the plastic bag of loose parts on the cling-filmed LEGO set, and wrap them both in bubble wrap. Tape the bubble wrap down.

5. Place the Lego set in a cardboard box

Line an appropriate-sized cardboard box with packaging paper or more bubble wrap and place the cling-film and bubble-wrapped set inside. If you feel they’re well-wrapped enough, you could put more than one set in a box.

6. Fill the box with protective packaging

Fill any space in the box with packing peanuts or filler paper so the sets don’t slide around. This will reduce the chance of them breaking up.

7. Seal the box securely

We recommend our super-strength paper tape.

8. Label the box

Label the box with the name of the set(s) it contains and the room it should go in when you reach your new home.

How to pack loose LEGO sets when you move house

If you have LEGO sets that are broken down but you want to keep the pieces together so you can rebuild them later, here’s how:

• Sort the bricks and elements into size and/or colour, with all smaller elements together
• Place the grouped pieces in small, sealable plastic bags and label them with the name of the set they belong to
• Put the bags in a bubble wrap-lined cardboard box
• Seal and label the box

How to pack unopened LEGO sets

LEGO sets that are unopened and in their original packaging can be very valuable, so it’s important to protect them when you’re moving house. Wrap each box individually in strong cling film and then again in bubble wrap, before putting them in a lined cardboard box. Seal it tightly, including the corners, to ensure no moisture can seep in and damage the box.

How to pack loose LEGO

Finally, the easiest LEGO to move is your box of random pieces. Either leave them in the box they’re in and seal it tightly, or put all the pieces in large sealable plastic bags and then in a lined cardboard box. Make sure you seal it tightly and label it.

Don’t waste the long hours building the advanced sets just to break them when moving house. Our moving packaging is designed to keep your LEGO safe during transit. Order today, start packing tomorrow.