How do you keep track of your collection?

[desultor]

Hey everybody, I read in the "how much is your collection worth" thread that a few folks track their sets on Peeron. Are there any others? What do you think is the best site for this? How do you inventory or catalog your sets and parts? Excel spreadsheet? Paper napkins? Thanks!

PS, if this is worth a poll please feel free to make it so, oh wonderous website wizards!

[Dfenz]

Hey everybody, I read in the "how much is your collection worth" thread that a few folks track their sets on Peeron. Are there any others? What do you think is the best site for this? How do you inventory or catalog your sets and parts? Excel spreadsheet? Paper napkins? Thanks!

PS, if this is worth a poll please feel free to make it so, oh wonderous website wizards!

I use Brickset.

[prateek]

I use Brickset.

Most people use Brickset, but I've seen people keeping their records on Windows Excel. As for myself, I keep track in my head, since I don't have a lot of sets.

Edited December 13, 2009 by prateek

[Peppermint_M]

Brickset. However I also have nearly all of my instructions orgainsed by theme... I do have a bit I can't track as it was a mixed lot. I soon hope to have a method of keeping track of it though.

[Ricecracker]

I use Brickset for sets I know I own. I also print out my Bricklink orders and keep those separate. Whenever I buy a set, I keep the receipt, and I also have my instruction booklets tucked away.

[Davey]

I use multiple methods...mainly because I am anal retentive about having back-ups for insurance purposes and I still haven't decided which method I like best. I started out by just having a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that listed all of the sets I own. As good as that was, it was lacking things like the ability to show what parts I owned and keep an accurate current price. From there, I joined LUGNET and uploaded my setlist to there. Again, this was about the same as the spreadsheet, just online. Not much of an improvement. The next step was to join Peeron.com and port my setlist from LUGNET to there. At this point, I had a good way to see what pieces I owned, but it still wasn't as user friendly as I would like. For one thing...I had to be online to update it. Finally, I found the Brickstore program which seems to be serving my needs right now. It allows me to use it online or offline. In addition, I can add sets or individual parts, I can import orders from Bricklink, and I can get a current 'worth' based on Bricklink pricing. I would suggest you look at all of these solutions, but in the end...I think Brickstore is the best out there right now...IMHO.

Lugnet

Peeron

Brickstore

Good luck!

-Dave

[Piranha]

Brickset Mainly

However I am making my own for personal reference a Rare/Special Parts List, Includes price I paid, how many I own and what parts I don't have.

[Rick]

Peeron for sets

BrickStore (which uses Bricklink data) for my bulk parts

[rriggs]

I use Excel. I have a spreadsheet that lists all the sets, the number os pieces, number of minifigs, etc. It also has the price info (RRP, eBay avg, Bricklink). For the older sets it also catalogues missing pieces and substitutions I have had to make.

Cheers

Rog

[Big Cam]

Brickset for conviniece but I have all of my instructions in a binder in plastic sleeves.

[Holodoc]

I keep track of my parts with an excel sheet:

It's a lot of work, and I'm really behind of being actual right now.

But I always have a small list at the end of the spreadsheet what sets have still to be worked on.

On the other hand I can always see what parts I can use for MOCs and I have a list/diagram of what color I have in what quantity. (Really interesting I have to say! - Maybe I show a pic of that later on)

For sets I use both, Peeron and Brickset.

[Davey]

I keep track of my parts with an excel sheet:

It's a lot of work, and I'm really behind of being actual right now.

But I always have a small list at the end of the spreadsheet what sets have still to be worked on.

On the other hand I can always see what parts I can use for MOCs and I have a list/diagram of what color I have in what quantity. (Really interesting I have to say! - Maybe I show a pic of that later on)

For sets I use both, Peeron and Brickset.

Holodoc:

You might want to consider the Brickstore program. I think it would fit your needs pretty well based on what your spreadsheet looks like.

-Dave

[drdavewatford]

Thanks, guys - interesting discussion for me as I always struggle to keep track of my spare parts and sets.

It sounds as if Brickstore might be best for this overall.

Is it possible to import lists of sets and loose parts into Brickstore ? I have a setlist on both Brickset and Peeron, and a list of loose parts in Peeron, and couldn't bear to enter all this info again from scratch.... I would however love to have all the info (including the cost/value of parts and sets) in one place.

Cheers,

Dr. D.

[AFOL SF]

I'm probably one of the few who doesn't keep track of my Lego collection. I never thought about it and now it's too much work to do so. It's not the best of solutions but I just keep track of what I have in my head (for now)...

[The Green Brick Giant]

I don't.

I try with Brickset, but it says I only have something like 150,000 pieces and 300ish mini figures. I counted the pieces in sets I got a few years in 2001 I think and I had 58,000 in them alone. I counted my minifigures around then too and I had close to 400. So they are off and I'm off.

[Peppermint_M]

Urgh, for insurance purposes I have a lot of databases to create.. One for books (some are not rare per se, just rather hard to find these days), Action Figures (at £20 a pop, I would love to be reimbursed if they were every destroyed), Lego, Zoids, DVDs.. it doesn't bear thinking about

[CP5670]

I use an Excel spreadsheet containing my set list and some basic information on each one (prices I paid, piece counts, etc.), but I'm not too happy with that as I have no way to check the quantity of a particular piece in my collection. I'll need to try out that Brickstore program.

[Rick]

I have no way to check the quantity of a particular piece in my collection. I'll need to try out that Brickstore program.

Peeron also does that. The website can be a little slow, which can be annoying when you have to add lots of sets.

Brickstore is made for managing a Bricklink store, and because you sell either sets or pieces there, you add either the sets or the pieces in a set. You could of course create two files: one listing all the sets and another listing all pieces. That's why I only use it for bulk bricks. Peeron has the advantage that you can add sets and still check how many of a piece you have, but as I said: it can be slooooow from time to time.

[CP5670]

Peeron also does that. The website can be a little slow, which can be annoying when you have to add lots of sets.

Brickstore is made for managing a Bricklink store, and because you sell either sets or pieces there, you add either the sets or the pieces in a set. You could of course create two files: one listing all the sets and another listing all pieces. That's why I only use it for bulk bricks. Peeron has the advantage that you can add sets and still check how many of a piece you have, but as I said: it can be slooooow from time to time.

I started adding my sets into Peeron once, but it was taking a very long time as you said. I got through 40 or 50 of them (out of 300-odd) before giving up on it. I also can't add my Bricklink orders on there, which are becoming an increasingly bigger part of my collection.

[RileyC]

I used brick set and I think I also have them on peeron because I wanted to see ow much my collection was worth. Its worth a lot more than it says because lego is very expensive in New Zealand.

[Sergiu]

I usually keep track of my sets in my head because I have just a few large sets, but sometimes I use Brickset.

[metalgearsolid]

Brickstore is great. Started using after reading about it on this thread so thanks guys!

Was using brickset previously (and still maintain the sets list there), but guess it's brickstore from now on so I can track loose parts too.

[desultor]

Thanks for the comments folks, and for the recommendation Cyclone! Brickstore seems to be the current champ (though it doesn't yet have the popular vote). I'll give it a go.

[Davey]

Glad I could help everyone!

-Dave

[dr_spock]

Currently I use an Excel spreadsheet. I don't have that many sets and pieces yet.