More Than Building Blocks: 5 Ways People Use Our Wooden Sorting Trays
When we first started making our wooden sorting trays, we thought we had a pretty good idea of what people would use them for.
Building blocks.
That was the problem they originally solved in our own house, after all. Our kids would dump bags of pieces across the dining room table, and somehow those pieces had a habit of ending up everywhere except the table.
The trays gave everything a place to go. Different pieces could be separated into pockets, the mess stayed contained, and eventually “Should I get the tray?” became a pretty normal question whenever a new build came out.
What we didn't expect was how many other uses people would find for them.
As we've made and sold more trays, customers have told us about using them for everything from electronics projects to jewelry organization. Some of the uses make perfect sense in hindsight. Others made us look at something we'd been making for years in a completely different way.
And that's probably our favorite part about making something and sending it out into the world — sometimes our customers figure out what to do with it before we do.
1. Electronics Building and Small Components
This was one of the first uses that really caught us off guard.
We've had customers use our sorting trays while building electronics, where a project can involve all kinds of small components, connectors, screws and other parts.
A multi-pocket tray gives those pieces somewhere to go while you're working without needing a separate container for everything. Different components can stay separated, but they're still right in front of you when you need them.
It's essentially the same problem we were trying to solve with building blocks — just for a completely different hobby.
And that's when we started realizing that maybe we hadn't really designed a building block tray at all.
We'd designed a workspace for projects involving a whole bunch of little parts.
2. Miniature and Model Building
This was another use we hadn't considered until a customer showed us.
One of our customers shared a photo of their tray being used while working with small model pieces, keeping different components separated during the project.
It was one of those moments where we looked at the photo and thought, well, that makes perfect sense.
Small models can involve a surprising number of individual pieces, and a divided tray gives you somewhere to keep everything separated without having little parts scattered across the work surface.
It's also a good example of why a sorting tray doesn't necessarily need to be huge. For projects like this, even our compact 4-pocket tray can provide plenty of working space while keeping everything together.
One of our customers using a hardwood sorting tray to keep small model components separated during a project.
3. Beads and Jewelry Making
Beads were one of those uses that made immediate sense once customers started using the trays for them.
They're small, there can be a lot of them, and having separate pockets makes it easy to organize different colors, sizes or styles while you're working.
We've also seen customers use the trays for jewelry organization, including simply keeping pieces organized in a walk-in closet.
Not exactly what we pictured when we made the first one, but we're certainly not complaining.
This is also one of the uses where our larger trays can really shine.
Our biggest 18" × 28" sorting trays have enough room for much larger projects, and we've had customers ask us to change pocket sizes, orientations and even the overall dimensions to better fit the way they work.
If you've ever looked at one of our giant sorting trays and wondered who needs that much room, someone sorting beads all day might have a pretty good answer.
4. Puzzles
Sorting puzzle pieces presents a surprisingly similar problem.
Instead of digging through one giant pile over and over, separate sections can be used for edges, colors, patterns or whatever sorting system makes sense for that particular puzzle.
Our Mid-XL tray gives you considerably more working room while still being manageable enough to keep on a table or work surface.
And unlike using a bunch of little bowls or containers scattered around the table, everything stays together in one piece.
It's another use we didn't have in mind when we started making these, but the basic idea is exactly the same:
Sort the little stuff so you can spend more time on the fun part.
5. And, Of Course, Building Blocks
Building blocks are still where all of this started and probably the most obvious use for our sorting trays.
But even here, we've learned that there isn't one “correct” tray.
Our 4-pocket tray is great when space is limited or you're working through a smaller build. It's compact enough that you don't have to dedicate half the table to sorting.
The 6-pocket tray gives you a few more ways to separate pieces without becoming a huge organizer. It's also probably the most versatile size when you start considering all of the other hobbies people use these for.
Our Mid-XL 21.5" × 11" tray gives you considerably more room for larger builds and longer projects while still being relatively easy to move around.
And then there's what we sometimes call the Big Daddy — our 18" × 28" organizer.
That's the one for the person who wants to spread out and sort all day.
And apparently even that isn't always big enough.
Customers Started Changing the Design
One of the more interesting things that happened as these trays grew in popularity was that people started asking us to change them.
Our largest trays in particular have led to requests for much larger pockets, different pocket orientations and even larger overall tray sizes.
That's helped change the way we think about the product.
There isn't necessarily a perfect pocket layout because there isn't one thing everyone is trying to organize.
Someone sorting building blocks has different needs than someone working with beads. Someone assembling electronics may want something completely different from someone building a miniature model.
Sometimes a custom request even gives us an idea for the next version.
One Tray Turned Into a Lot More Than We Expected
One of our favorite things about making products for other people is seeing what happens once they leave our shop.
We can design something with one purpose in mind, but that doesn't necessarily end up being its only purpose.
Our sorting trays started with our kids and a pile of building blocks on the dining room table.
Since then, we've seen people use them for electronics, miniature models, beads, jewelry, puzzles and projects we never considered when we made the first one.
Those customers have also helped shape the trays themselves.
Requests for larger pockets, different orientations and bigger workspaces eventually pushed us to make versions we probably wouldn't have designed on our own.
And we're pretty sure someone will eventually find another use we haven't thought of yet.
What Would You Use One For?
If you're looking for a better way to keep all the little pieces of your next project under control, you can explore our handmade wooden sorting trays here.
And if you have a project that doesn't quite fit one of our existing layouts, reach out to us.
Some of our favorite ideas have come from customers asking:
“Could you make one that does this?”
— Joey & Chaney
CJ Woodwork Designs