Soap supplies tend to add up fast. A few fragrances here, a few molds there – all of a sudden your kitchen is completely taken over. Storage is limited for many soapers, especially those just starting out. Luckily, the soapmaking community has fantastic advice for soaping in small spaces. We asked people to share their tips in a recent Facebook post and there were so many great responses. Check out some of the tips below.
Stack the supplies up, not out
Don’t I know this only too well! I try to go as vertical as possible in terms of shelving to store supplies and curing soap. -Vanessa
The counter/vanity/sink area in my master bathroom is my soaping area. Very small space, but I’m utilizing the high ceiling by installing wire shelving, wall mounted spice racks for EO/FOs and rolling Rubbermaid drawer sets for storage under the counter. It’ll do for a beginner! -Sarah
Soaping has totally taken over my former dining room. I have a six foot tall shelf where I keep most of my soaping things. To make better use of vertical space, I’ve added a pair of shoe racks (perforated bottoms so the soap can cure), and three small baker’s cooling racks. -Robin
Utilize all available space in your home
I soap in my kitchen, wrap, box, and pack up orders in my living room. -Donna
Luckily, I have a very handy hubby and he made some shelves on the wall in our laundry room…I would love a bakers rack to store all the soaps curing…right now, they are on every possible counter and table top available… -Colleen
Colleen with The Old Cypress House stores her supplies on custom shelves.
Utilize as much space as possible! I used to cure my soaps on top of my closet and keep my ingredients (that didn’t have a strong smell) and molds in big boxes under the bed. Each time a new item got into my home, I would make a spot for it, so that I always had somewhere to put it away once I was done using it 🙂 – Marte
I craft downstairs and store everything upstairs in my office area! -Jessica
I have a folding table and 2 shelving units in our small spare bedroom. I also use stackable soap molds and drying racks. The drying racks are on rollers. -Kristy
I soap in a corner of my kitchen, slowly taking over my dining area lol. Storage is in a closet built in my room, bins, boxes etc. -Amorcito Crafts
I have a couple places in my home. The cabinet is from my grandma and I love the pull out drawers. This has cut down on my stuff taking over the kitchen. -Angie
Angie with Sunshine Soaps uses several spaces in her home for supplies.
Get creative with your storage supplies
I live in an apartment & don’t have room for drying trays. So I just put regular items to use. The broiler pan with the open slots, the bottom oven rack pulled out of the oven & sitting on top of an open BB box, and cardboard with slots cut out using a box cutter all serve as my curing racks. Not pretty, but functional. -Maggie
My husband and I turned a TV cabinet into a craft cabinet. I need a new one as this is filled, or a shop….lol. -Martha
I’ve just moved from melt & pour to cold process soaps. Found myself cleaning out the top of my closet so I can put racks up there for soap to cure. I have the added challenge of pets, so I have to make sure fur doesn’t end up all over everything. I was also motivated to start clearing out my spare room. Every bin storage box that gets donated to Goodwill gets filled with soaping supplies. But I actually have fun organizing and rearranging when I’m not busy reading blog posts on soaping. #soapingisadditictive -Melanie
If I had a tip or two to offer, it’s stackable shelving units and cube shelves and storage bins, those have been a lifesaver! -Lane
I get those produce boxes that have tabs and stack to cure my soap in, but I am still hard pressed to find space considering I make over 70 types of soap. -Kathee
I haven’t been soaping for long but hubby made me this curing shelf that fits perfect behind the door. Even though the shelves aren’t deep they are perfect for bars of soap and save space! It’s VERY shallow so only 1 bar of soap will fit but its awesome as it literally takes up zero space! The door is fully functioning. The only thing I would do differently next time (he will be doing this in my teenage daughter’s room for her “girl stuff” make up, hair clips and the like) is make sure to leave space for the door knob. I have a habit of swinging doors too quickly and dented 2 bars of soap before I left an empty space where the door knob is. 🙂 You can actually see one of the dented soaps in the pic LOL – 8th row down, rose clay soap second from the end. Door knob smacked it. If making the shelf, stay away from white if at all possible. I have a few dye stains and though so far they have all come out, its a pain to have to do so! I am thinking next time a wood stain will work better as the colorants won’t show up as much as they do on white. -Brook
Brook with Brook’s Common Scents stores her soap in shelving behind a door.
My soaping station is always a mess, but I store everything in a large, old dresser and one of those wire grid shelving units, but I’m outgrowing my space! I keep all my cured soaps and bath bombs in a little cabinet. -Rachel
Shelf stackers, stacking boxes, and baskets in my extra closet. It is not ideal, but I can store like with like. -Dawn
I cut boxes in half so they fit under my bed and label them with things like essential oils/fragrance oils, botanicals, lye, tools ect. and cure soaps in an old desk/cabinet. -Amanda
Do the best with the space you have
I choose dinner or soap. “There can be only one” in my apt. Soap it is! -Mac
Thanks to everybody for sharing such awesome tips! We loved seeing your creative storage solutions.
Thank you for this post.They are providing information to tips for soaping in small spaces.Soaping has totally taken over my former dining room. I have a six foot tall shelf where I keep most of my soaping things. I will sharing your post to other users.
I purchased a plastic mold from you a few years ago. I finally used it over the weekend. I let the soap cure… but it was a nightmare getting the soaps out of the mold. Im pretty sure that the soap wasn’t as hard as it should be, which is fine… but any ideas about an easy way to remove the individual soaps?
Thanks…
With plastic molds and cold process soap it can take over a week for the soap to be hard enough to remove easily from them. Check out tips on using Cold Process in Plastic here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/unmolding-cold-process-soap-from-plastic-molds/
I am making CP soap and my wire cooling rack may not be stainless steel. Is that problematic?
If the racks are aluminum they could react with the lye that hasn’t fully saponified out yet.
True!! Ruined a batch of soap and an aluminum cookie sheet of two.
once the soap has cured I do not have to use something to store it on with opening at the bottom. Can i also store it in a wine cooler sometimes my house can be hot?
cold compress soap
As long as you are flipping the soap so each side gets airflow you shouldn’t have any issues. I would recommend flipping the bars every 3-4 days if you are placing them on a flat surface.
I’ve been interested in making and selling melt and pour soaps but after reading about that lady with the FDA visit I feel discouraged. I live in a one bedroom apartment with two cats. I definitely don’t have a dedicated space for making soap and the landlady certainly won’t allow metal cages over the light fixtures. It’s almost stricter than running a restaurant. Do I really need to keep track of the lot #’s for every ingredient and which lot #’s are in each batch?
Hi Anna, there are some things that are very important to keep track of. I would recommend reading this article we wrote on Cosmetics vs Drug Claims as well as the one on how to label your soap:
https://www.soapqueen.com/business/understanding-fda-cosmetic-vs-drug-claims/
https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/how-to-label-cold-process-soap/
As for light fixtures, what the inspector was talking about were bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, the lights need to be covered. You also need to keep track of the recipes you make and what you use, I would recommend a system like Soap Maker 3 to make it easier on your end.
Am I supposed to be storing my essential oils in a fridge??
Essential oils store best in a cool, dry place. That can be a basement, cabinet, garage, or the fridge if you like.
Hello! I love all of your soap advice. In your videos that I have watched, you use a glass bowl for your soap mixture. Can a plastic bowl be used? Also, can a plastic stick blender (with metal blades) be used? Thanks!
You can use stainless steel or plastic as well. Just make sure the plastic is heat resistant because you are working with higher temperatures.
I got my mixing bowl(s) at the Dollar Store. There are rather large ones made to pour from. Just be sure to wear your gloves. The pour spout tends to drip.
What’s the best way to cure my soap? And do I cure AFTER I’ve cut my log into bars?
Yes, you want to cut your soap into bars and then place them in a cool, dry place with good airflow. That will help them cure in 4-6 weeks. Learn more about curing and storing soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-store-handmade-bath-products/
Hello! I have a question with storing soaps. I have been noticing my soaps to look like they are sweating maybe so maybe they are too hot and need a cooler location? There is some moisture on the top of them and when i touch it, that smells almost like vinegar I guess is what I could compare it to. This didn’t occur in winter, just summer which has been hot and dry. Would this be sweating? Would it resemble a vinegar smell? When i use them in the shower, they don’t smell like that.
Are those cold process or melt and pour soaps? How are you storing them?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Sorry. Yes, they are cold process soaps. I have them in a room on a white coated metal rack that allows for a lot of air movement, and and they are kept out of the sun. I do have air on, but maybe its not cool enough?
Hmm, I’m not sure why they’re sweating. Is it pretty hot in your house? Do they have any salt in them? Also, how long did you stick blend the recipe for?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, I have the same problem since moving two years ago. I’m pretty sure the room that I’m keeping my soaps in has high humidity. Actually I know for sure because I got a humidity gauge. It was double what the norm is. I now run a dehumidifier in that room in the summer and the soap stopped sweating
Thank you so much for this topic. I moved to my current apt. for two years now. I live in a studio apt. so space is a challenge. I was hoping I would find somewhere, but here I’am two years later, and no luck. So all the tips posted are so helpful. I can’t wait no longer, Since I’ve read this article I’m inspired, I feel positive. I can make it work. Selfing vertical is a great idea, I also plan on using the cabinet under my sink and the bottom self in another lower cabinet. I already have a shoebox full of EOs. I’m also being mindful GMP. Because I want to start a business. So thank you so much, for all the tips and please keep them coming they are very helpful.
Absolutely, the soapmaking community has amazing advice and we love sharing their tips and tricks. Many soapers have limited space, so they do what they can with what they have. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I love what has been displayed here. I see that some soapers are able to make soap and store it in a room and find a space in their home, and then sell it. It seems so simple. But when I applied for a business license in Georgia, I was told that I could not make soap in my home to sell. I was told that I had to rent a space outside of my home to make my products to sell.
How do I get around this? This has put a damper on my “potential” business. How can I rent a space when I don’t have the income to support the rent?
You may talk with other crafters in your area to see if they know of a space that’s affordable, or if there’s a possibility of sharing a space to split the costs. Someone on teachsoap.com/forum may have more tips.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you so much for the information.
I’m in need of ideas for storing all of my FO’s & EO’s. I haven’t counted the total amount (probably a hundred or more easily), but right now it completely fills the extra (full size) fridge in my garage. I bought the refrigerator exactly for this reason, but I thought I would be able to fit a lot more in it. instead I still have a kitchen countertop covered as well as a large cabinet full! I have them alphabetized and in boxes on the shelves of the fridge. But that only accommodates about 2 boxes high. I don’t want them broken or leaking and I just can’t figure out another storage solution! I would very much love to hear others suggestions and ideas! where do you keep yours?
We’d love to hear tips as well. You can also get advice on teachsoap.com/forum. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I soap in my kitchen and recently bought a wire rack for curing and oils. Having pets i am always cleaning and dusting..i mostly use our spare bedroom for storage….no guests..lol
Hi Andrea! I’m literally doing the same thing!
You may be able to find a mesh cover for a kitchen rack at a restaurant supply store. That should help with the cleaning! LOL
Years ago, I moved my laundry room to the garage to have it on the main floor and converted the old laundry room into an office, which RARELY got used. I even installed kitchen cabinets (overhead and below) in a pattern that could contain your kitchen sink (no sink in mine) and it became a catch all. When I started soaping 3 years ago, I decided the counter and cabinets would make a good soaping area. There is even a utility sink for convenient clean up and a safe place to make the lye water. As time went on, my oils, colors, scents, molds, utensils, etc increased and my perfect space was too small. I discovered, my scales, molds, etc can go on top of the cabinets (I am very tall) to keep the counter mostly free. I discarded my oven rack for curing and now I use the rack in the closet for curing soaps (a wire rack: perfect). I added a very small fridge on the floor and all my oils sit on it so I still manage to keep the counter relatively clear for soaping and a rarely used room is used all the time now.
I’m in the process of moving, so I’m not sure exactly what will go where, but my oils will probably have to go on a rolling cart in my bedroom or in a second fridge in the garage (I’m in Las Vegas, and I don’t think they’ll be happy in the summer heat). Other than that, I have lots of adjustable shelving so I can set the shelves exactly where I need them and drying racks that hold oodles of soap.
My EOs live in a couple of wooden wine boxes that I put strapping handles on, then lined with foam that I cut out to fit the bottles.
One thing I’m sure of – everything will be on a single level. After 3 years of running up and down two different sets of stairs to get everything together, I’m not doing that again.
I live in a one BR apt. and a small one at that. I am so relieved to find that I am not the only soaper with little space to soap. I have almost given up Soaping because of it but glad I didn’t. It keeps the old brain working trying to figure out where to put something new.
In desperation, I have had to come up with some pretty wild ideas. These are a few: I put my soap where the unit and hot water heater (helps it to cure), hang things on a wall that is out of the way such as an enclosed place for your washer and dryer (hang on wall on dryer side). You can utilize the inside of doors to put hanging racks on but they are hard to find, possibly you have a door that never closes so that would be a good place for a wall shelf behind it, stackable bins are a life saver especially if they are on rollers, and finally, I use flat (about 6-6″ high) plastic containers with lids and slide under the bed and out of the way-great for your packaging items. Hope this helps! Finding room where there is none can be very frustrating indeed! Good luck!😊
Great tips Betty, thanks for sharing! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Anyone have any tips for a space practical way to store lots of plastic molds (like milky way molds)? I love them but those stinkers don’t compact well. I have them in a plastic storage box but I keep thinking how much better the space would be used by other supplies. There must be a better way!
Could they hang on a wall?
How about something like a lid saver or a fabric hanger with pockets, built on the lines of a shoe hanger? You could stack couple in each pocket or just one, front and back, then hang several in a closet or on a wall. Contact me if you want me to make some. [email protected]
I have lots of them too and have found they don’t stack well. I keep mine in a long box (actually I have 2 boxes, a copier paper box would work well) stored upright like in a file cabinet. It’s the best most compact way I’ve found to deal with them, and you can fit quite a few of them in this way.
I put leg board on both sides of my plastic shelf unit and hang my molds on the page. Had to punch holes in some of them. Be careful not to punch the cavity like I did one of my favorites.
Sorry peg board and hang on pegs.
When I started, everything was in my dining room/kitchen. We decided to turn one of our spare rooms into a dedicated soap curing and storage room. We also use shop racks to cure our soaps as well as for storage space. Right now I have but could use 5 more LOL.
Ha, it’s amazing how fast that space fills up!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I fortunately have a dedicated hobby room with shelves, cabinets and closets.