I should be officially passed for my home bakery inspection this week (at least I hope) and once I'm legal I'm so excited to start marketing myself and jumping into business.

I have my bakery in my basement, but I'm really not sure how to handle customer pickups or to even offer that. Not sure I want people coming to my house or knowing where I live (lots of weirdos out there), but I also don't want to have to deliver every cake I do. Weddings obviously no problem, but I don't want to spend half my day or weekend running around delivering small cakes or party cakes. How do those of you with home bakeries handle pickups or deliveries for smaller or nonwedding cakes?

Same thing in reverse for equpiment returns like cake stands, etc. I don't want to have to have people coming to my house to drop it off but I certainly don't want to have to track down every piece of equipment at various venues and such. What's the best way to handle this aspect of it?

Thanks for any advice!

I am a legal home baker. i deliver 95% of my cakes, and I get paid for it. Bake like mad Thursday and Friday, decorate Friday (sometimes all night) and deliver Saturday. Home, clean up, sleep!
If they pick up at your house, it has to be 100% perfectly clean. That doesn't happen to me. By the time I am done decorating, my kitchen looks like a bomb went off in it.

I get all my cake supports back because I charge a $100 deposit. I tried $25, $50, kept getting hosed. i use the Stress Free system, and it's pricy, and replacements have to be shipped from the Dakotas. She's nice, she'll mail it out to me before i even mail her the check, but it's a pain. hence, the $100 deposit. works like a charm!

LOL! Yes I did realize I sounded like I was looking for some other option as if there is one! Of course, I know I have to pick one. I guess I was meaning to point out the things I don't like about each option and ask for opinions on what some of you wonderfully helpful people do and how it works.

And yes, I do have a level of turmoil going on......but I thought I was the only one who knew that! Yikes, my secret is out now!

My turmoil is that I don't mind collecting the money .... I just don't want to do the work!