this is the reason I now use a design board. I used to just lay out the couple blocks I was working on and 'imagine' what a bigger set would look like. Now I stick them up and step way back to look at them - WHOLE DIFFERENT VIEW! You can buy one or just cover a board (ceiling tile, drywall, plywood, etc) with either header foam or flannel or even felt. If space is an issue, store it under a bed or slide it along the wall behind a cabinet. It is very definitely worth the effort.