Cake storage ideas and tips with Paul Bradford

We often get a lot of people asking us for cake storage ideas and tips on how to save space. Not everyone has the luxury of a store cupboard for all the tools and ingredients that become a necessity in the life of a cake decorator.

So we thought who better to ask than our very own Paul Bradford for some Pro tips on storage options.

Although Paul often has the luxury of more space than many reading this, he also has lots more tools and ingredients than most so that he can accommodate large groups of students on attended courses (as well, as lots of lovely gifts from various cake suppliers). This makes space management crucial. Luckily Paul has picked up a few tricks over the years.

Making your own cake dust storage box

 This one is really simple and you probably already have all the materials in your house. 

When it comes to storing cake dusts then cake box lids are your best friend. Whether you are buying your cakes in or not, you most likely have cake boxes lying around for deliveries etc (if not they are cheaper than chips!). What you might not know is that the often discarded lids of these boxes make for excellent storage boxes.

These boxes are flat pack and sit only 2 inches deep so are perfect for storing all your dusts and if you already have boxes lying around then it won’t cost you a thing! As you can see from the pic to your right, Paul’s storage drawer is just stapled box lids fitted to the get the manageable sizes to fit in the drawer. Very simple, very cheap and very effective. 

Make more room on the floor by storing from height

To ensure maximum floor space, Paul reaches for the sky when it comes to storage. Using book shelves, shelving systems and even filing cabinets to store his gear. Paul is able to organise his different tools and ingredients without it getting in the way of his or his students working space. However, his favourite storage item has always been the IKEA shelving units shown below. They keep everything off the floor, sturdy and can stack one on top of the other, adjustable shelf spacing and definitely worth the investment.  

Paul says…

“IKEA do a variety of shelving systems that are excellent for storing cakey goods. I also use book shelves, filing cabinets and anything else I can get my hands on.”

“You can always improvise with anything you find around the house, but it’s important to leave yourself with as much floor space as possible. Personally, I like using things like filing cabinets because it means I can utilise the storage inside, whilst keeping everything organised as much as possible”

 Short of space but not of pennies?

A more expensive, but efficient, option is to buy yourself a craft storage unit for your cake decorating goods. Prices vary depending on the quality and size, but they take up minimal room and are a worthwhile investment.

You can search online to get an idea of what’s on offer where you’ll be sure to find some pretty smart storage solutions.

Paul also uses under bed storage units from B and M, which he notes are very cheap and excellent for storage as well as when you need to travel with your tools and ingredients.

A Unique way to store your ribbons

Ribbons are notoriously hard to store. We’ve all been in a rush, raking through the drawer searching for a specific ribbon colour and you have to give up and reach for an alternative! Wouldn’t it be great if we could see all the ribbons neatly laid out in front of us where you can see at a glance the one you want.

Paul has a unique way to ensure that his ribbons don’t get tangled or lost in the bottom of a drawer. He feeds his ribbons through a wooden dowel which he then hangs on the wall and just pulls off the ribbons as he needs them. This takes up little room and saves a whole lot of headache when it comes to both mess and cluster.

However, if you want to go fancy, there’s this rather nifty combo ribbon wheel build specifically for the job.

Summary

Take some time to plan your storage and make sure it works for your workspace. Use the space you have to it’s full potential and don’t get lazy, keep it as tidy as you can, which makes for a better energy when decorating your cakes. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get some good storage items, be inventive, but crucially remove clutter and make stock management as easy as you can. It’s the little things that make your job a lot less frustrating and more enjoyable!

Have you tried any of Paul’s tips? Have any storage tips of your own? Let us know in the comments below!