I have no more room in my kitchen for all my supplies and books, either the plates have to go too, or I need some ideas how to organize this massive mess! What do you other cake decorators do to organize all your pans, equipment, books, etc. I am quickly running out of space and ability to find it all quickly! I currently have at least 3 cupboards (and growing) for all cake decorating!

Hi Calejo!!
I understand your dilemma!! My husband told me years ago that I couldn't store my cake pans in the kitchen cause they took up too much room!! So, I put them in a box and kept them in my spare bedroom closet. Well, my pan collection is twice what it was then, and so a month ago, I went to Target and got a little shelf and put it in that same closet... I put all my pans on that shelf...and now I don't have to go rummaging through a box everytime I need a pan. Now, my other stuff...tips, colors accessories are OVERFLOWING in a cabinet in the kitchen and I keep most of the stuff I don't use regularly in my Wilton tacklebox. I don't like that box. It doesn't hold much and I hate lifting that tray out everytime. LOL I think we just need BIGGER kitchens with MORE cabinet space....whatcha think?!?!

I know I wasn't much help, but this is what I have done.

Hope you find a solution!!!
Leslie

I am constantly finding that as I am thinking about cake related questions..someone here posts my thoughts/questions! I have only been doing this since May, but am addicted and now have a pretty good collection of pans, books and lots of tools..and no where to put them! My kitchen is so small I can work and the counter, do a 180 and in one step can put things in the oven..turn 45 degrees and one step and there's the sink. I've turned my dining room into a craft area and have lots of baskets, but I was looking at it this morning after doing three cakes in the past week and a half and ..let's just say, I need to figure something else out!

I have semi-finished basement which would be great to make into storage area as I have pantry there already.

BTW..Now I REALLY know I am addicted. I'm having a chest freezer delivered today since my fridge freezer won't hold all the extra cakes!

Thalia

That's so funny Calejo!! I'm the same way!! I have moved things around in my kitchen so many times that my family can't find anything, including me!

We have lots of closets in our house so I've started arranging closets for my cake stuff. I just took over the linen closet with cake stuff 2 wks ago. I moved the linen into one of the bathrooms! We have a spare bedroom & that closet is where I keep Christmas... I'm fixing to do something with that tomorrow... Oh boy!! I'll probably move Christmas into the master bdrm because we have a large closet.

I totally get where your coming from!! I also use those plastic containers. They are a lifesavor!

One of these days I'm hoping hubby agrees that I really am going to stick with cake decorating.... & that I need a portable building for my cake stuff!!! Then I can get a kitchen set up in the building!!! LOL!!

Good Luck sorting things out

Glad to see I am not the only one with this problem! I think the pans are getting "frisky" when I'm sleeping, because I don't remember there being this big a problem a few months ago! I have a foldable shelf in one cupboard, but still not enough room! It's just not organized enough! On top of that I have 3 kids with plenty of workbooks and coloring books which take up quite a bit as well. Maybe I just need to take over the garage at this point! There's no extra room in the house!

Hi Calejo.... I live in a 2 bedroom apartment, so you can probably imagine how small my kitchen is and just how limited my storage space is. I am constantly adding to my collection of cake related items too.
Fortunately, my husband and I manage the building we live in so we have a small storage room next to our apartment that I was able to find room for a cople of shelving units.... one for my cake stuff and the other for overflow from grocery shopping. Just find a small space where you can go up if you can't spread out.

Debbi

I forgot...

For your tips & other cake things that you need quick... I bought a draw thing that people use for nails, bolts, washers etc. I put all my tips, flower nails, glitter, glue gun, templates, eatable pens, icer tips, doewl sticks, & more & more in that thing! It is a lifesavor!! It sits up on my counter & doesn't take up much space at all. Everything is right there were I need it. I marked each drawer from 1 to whatever for all my tips. It is so easy & helpful! I love it!! The tool drawer thing only cost about $9 at Walmart. Believe me it is wonderful!!

I love that thing! I remember you saying that! Due to that tip, we have that drawer system in the bakery I work for! I just haven't gotten to Walmart yet, but I am definitely adding that to my must have list.

OMG.. I feel you.. I have a bottom cabinet that had one of those lazy susans in them. Those things are not cheap.. Anywho, I took it out!! Hubby through a big fit, but my pans were not letting it do a full turn. They would get stuck in the middle back.. SOOOO my only solution TAKE IT OUT!! The cabinet at the top also has a lazy susan.. But that works out great for all my little things. Like vanilla, salt, cake boxes etc. I have recipes shoved in every corner of our cabinets. When I print out a recipe I fold it and stick it in the cabinet. I need some organization. I really need a place to put order forms at. I was thinking about getting a big cork board and placing it on one of my walls. That way I just tack the order up there and out of the way!. I have a drawer that is ONLY mine.. It has alot of little cake tools in there.. I was hoping I had my hubby convinced of turning our little garage into a butlers pantry.. But who knows, the wall is still up! AAHHGGG I need more room!!!

LOL, That's funny Briansbaker. I have that lazy susan thing too. I put all my spices up on the top part then the one below the countertop I put oil, flour, crisco & a few other things. I love that thing. I don't do character cakes so my pans are a little bit more organized because they will stack up nicely.

I just bought me a filing cabinet 2 wks ago. I'm trying to get the books, recipes, contracts etc organized. My computer desk is always messy no matter how organized I get! That I will have to start working on more!! LOL!!

We have a three kids and very little storage space, so a couple of months ago I took over the linen closet. I just got some small baskets for my towels and started keeping some under the sink in each bathroom. Then put the sheets for each bedroom in a bin or on a shelf in the closet.

Most of my cake/candy stuff fits there for now. I have to get a set of square pans for a wedding cake soon though so we'll see what happens next

I live in an apartment w/ a small kitchen and little closet space. i keep all my cake pans in the cabinet in the kitchen (i don't have many other things other then cake pans in them), and for the rest of my stuff i went to target and bought a 4 drawer plastic file cabinet that i keep my cookie cutters, small ramikins, food coloring and that kind of stuff in. Then i also bought a small 3 draw box that i keep all my tips and bags in. It works out well and it makes it easy to bring my tips places!

I have my recipes organized in my computer and just print them out as needed. That way, I can keep them in certain categories.

Gotta keep this short & sweet, I'm at work, shhhhh!

I have one of those three drawer plastic things on wheels.
You can get it as big or as small as you want and just wheel your stuff from to room. It's a big help!

Good luck and let us know what your solution ends up being

I moved a 3 shelf bookcase in my kitchen and bought some clear plastic storage containers at the dollar store - now I have room for all my books and my supplies! Except for my pans, which are still out in the utility room on a shelving system. All in all, it works out pretty good though.

My solution is that i need a bigger house!!

I know what you mean! My DH is actually considering enlarging my kitchen!!! Hooray!! I have to wait until next Spring to get started, but I've already started making notes on where I want extra storage for my cake "stuff"!

I took over the closet in my children's playroom. I put in shelves and it stores all of the craft items I've collected. My girls love to Make stuff. My 3 year old gets up from nap and says can I do a craft now? She "helps" nearly every time I make a cake.
I took the top shelf in that closet and bought a couple of large keepers. I labeled on the keepers which pans are in them. I also stored my cookie cutters in there.
I have a cabinet and drawer in my kitchen that hold all my other cake stuff. I seem to be constantly reorganzing them. My books are in that cabinet too.

I keep telling DH I needed a bigger kitchen his answer is "make more cakes"

I have a small (very small) upright freezer in the garage that was not being used. That is where I have put my pans. Since I am new to this, so far they all fit. But I am looking at getting more pans and don't know where they will fit. Right now my stuff is in plastic boxes stacked here and there. Amazing that I was just wondering what everyone else does with all their stuff.
I think the general consensus is . . . get a bigger house/kitchen.
Cyndi

you guys are so funny!

like a lot of you i've found that some of the best cake-stuff organizational containers are designed for carpentry tools or office materials. when it comes to organization, sometimes it's best to look at ideas that may not have been specifically designed for a purpose, but meet the need better and less expensively than something which may be have been "specifically designed". i've always found tip boxes to be fairly useless, as one small slip disturbs them and they have to be set up again on their little nubs -- the plastic sectioned container for "nuts and bolts" that cost $3 works so much better, closes tighter, and i don't have to worry about them sliding around.