Do you have more ink pads than you know what to do with? In this post, I’ll show you how to store ink pads, so you can have them all in one place, easily accessible and ready for use.
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So, you’ve discovered the joys of stamping, have you? How neat it is to stamp in your journaling Bible, on greeting cards, or whatever paper stamping craft you can get your hands on!
But then, comes the dilemma… How on earth do you store all those stamps and ink pads? How to keep them organized and accessible?
I’ve already covered how to store your clear stamps in a previous post, so for this post, we’re focusing entirely on those pesky ink pads.
Many years ago (like, in high school!), I collected wood-mounted stamps, and made homemade birthday cards for family members. Eventually, though, I gave up trying to collect more stamps, because they took up so much space! And likewise with the ink pads…where was I supposed to put them all?
But then in 2016, I started Bible journaling, and my ink pads suddenly became much more useful. Inevitably, I acquired new colors and my collection grew. I had no choice but to find a solution for the ink pad storage dilemma!
Especially now that I’ve started making hand-stamped cards again, having a great storage solution for those ink pads has helped tremendously. It just makes it so much more fun and easy to use them, when they’re organized, you know?
How to Store Ink Pads
So, how can you actually store those ink pads? Whether you’re a beginner Bible journaler, an experienced paper crafter, or anything in-between, there’s an ink pad storage solution to fit your collection and your needs.
As you’re perusing these storage solutions, think about the number of ink pads you have… But also, what kind of space do you have to put the ink pad holder on (like a bookshelf, drawer, or desk space)? Do you want portable ink pad storage that you can carry on the go? Or maybe you want a permanent solution that looks good and works well on your desk? These are all things to consider in deciding how you’ll be storing your ink pads.
1) Plastic storage box
If you only have a few ink pads (say, less than 10), storing them in a plastic box is the easiest way to go! It’s also a great portable ink pad storage option, if you know you’ll want to carry your ink pads with you, say, to another room in your house, or to a Bible journaling or crafting group.
For example, if you only have five ink pads to store, you could easily just purchase a pencil box or other small plastic box, and keep your ink pads in there. You could store them flat in the bottom of the box, and maybe even keep some stamp sets in there with them. Or, if you have a few more ink pads, choose a box that’s deep enough to accommodate the width of your ink pads (about 3”), and stack them vertically.
Prior to this year, I had all my ink pads stacked vertically in a box similar to the one above. Which worked well enough at the time, but since the ink pads were stacked on top of each other, every time I pulled one out it dislodged all the others (I had at least 20 at the time). Like I said before, a plastic storage box is best if you only have a few ink pads!
2) Ranger metal storage boxes
If you own a lot of Ranger brand inks (like Distress Inks, or Archival Ink), this storage tin is a great way for how to store those ink pads. Ranger offers these nifty metal boxes in several different sizes, which are made to fit each type of ink pad.
Check out all the options! There is a box for mini Archival Ink pads, one for mini Distress Inks, and another box that fits the full-size Distress Inks. And, since it’s an enclosed box, it’s easily portable for crafting or Bible journaling on the go!
3) Plastic storage towers
Now, we get into the more permanent, desktop style of ink storage. And for pure affordability, you can’t beat a plastic storage tower like this one from Scrapbook.com, which comes in a white or clear option. Each tower holds 12 standard size ink pads, and you could easily set several of them side-by-side, to create a 24 or 36-ink-pad holder (or more!).
I really love this style of ink pad storage, simply because it makes the ink pads so much easier to grab, use, and then put away. Stamping a Christmas or Valentine’s card, and need your red ink pad? It’s always in the same slot, so you can grab it easily, and then when you’re done using it, it goes right back where it belongs.
4) Wood ink pad storage
Finally, these are my favorite option, and the one which I currently use (that’s my own craft desk setup in the photo down below). Stamp n Storage makes these high quality ink pad holders, which are made of Baltic birch plywood, and come in several sizes for whatever type of ink pads you have. They’re very sturdy, and can be set on a desk or shelf, wall-mounted, or they also offer a special size to fit inside IKEA Kallax shelving.
I have the 36-slot slim ink pad holder (which houses my pigment ink pads, as well my Ranger Archival Ink pads), and also a 12-slot Distress Ink Pad storage holder. [NOTE: They sadly no longer offer the 12-slot option for Distress Inks…the 36-slot is the smallest size they have now.]
Stamp-n-Storage also offers combination storage options, including ink pad and refill storage, as well as ink pad and marker storage. And they have this handy ink pad size chart, which tells you which of their storage options will hold a particular brand/type of ink pad. For example, their standard size ink pad holder will fit both standard size ink pads, as well as smaller ones like Distress Inks.
You can find a few Stamp-n-Storage products on Amazon, but for the full line of products, it’s best to check out the Stamp-n-Storage website (they also have great storage options for other items, like markers, paper, and ribbons).
The Best Ink Pad Storage
So, there you have it… Four excellent ways for how to store ink pads! If you’re a newbie stamper with only a few ink pads, go with a simple pencil box or a Scrapbook.com 12-slot storage tower. For Ranger brand ink pads, the Ranger metal storage boxes are excellent. And if you have a growing collection of 20 or more ink pads, and you want the best storage solution available, I highly recommend the Stamp-n-Storage ink pad holders!
I’m curious…how many ink pads do you have? What brands do you like best, and what do you use them for (Bible journaling, scrapbooking, card making, etc.)? Share in the comments!
Hi! Thank you so much for visiting Divine Creative Love. I’m a Jesus-lovin’ girl, lettering artist, designer, and general creative-at-heart. And, I have narcolepsy. I blog about faith in God, overcoming challenges, and creative topics such as Bible journaling. If you’re new here, be sure and subscribe to my list so you won’t miss anything!