Last Updated on January 1, 2023 by Diane Hoffmaster
Are you trying to declutter the kitchen this month? It is definitely high on my to do list! One thing I really need to focus on is what to do with too many coffee mugs! If your cabinet is overflowing like mine, here are 10 creative uses for coffee mugs you might want to try!
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Why am I looking for coffee mug hacks?
Over the years, I have acquired a whole lot of coffee mugs. I got them from students when I taught preschool, as gifts from friends and family, and they come in sets of dishes when I really only needed the plates and bowls.
Now I find myself looking for creative uses for coffee mugs because my cabinets are overflowing with too many mugs! Since I pretty much only use one or two a day, this leaves me with dozens of the darn things just taking up space.
If you have too many coffee mugs like I do, here are a few ways to reuse them, rather than sending them off to the thrift shop!
10 Creative Uses for Coffee Mugs
If you are trying to declutter and go green at the same time, I definitely encourage you to repurpose coffee mugs whenever you can.
Thrift stores are already overflowing with old coffee mugs and probably don’t need too many more. Here are a few mug upcycling and reuse ideas to try:
House Plant Cuttings For Gifts
For plant lovers, root your cuttings in water until they are ready to plant. Then, fill your mug with soil and some small stones on the bottom for drainage.
Give your plant loving friend a gift from your own garden without buying a fancy pot! Don’t have the energy to sprout your own cuttings?
Head to the nursery and buy small trays of flowers and plant those. Check out this cute coffee mug planter. It would make a great Mother’s Day gift!
Coffee mug gifts for friends and family
Have a friend who loves coffee? Make a gift basket for them that includes some good coffee, a mug, and a coffee scented candle.
Do they love hot chocolate? Fill a mug with a single packet of hot chocolate mix and a few chocolate dipped stirring spoons.
There are a ton of cute things to put in coffee mugs. Just because YOU have too many coffee mugs, doesn’t mean everyone else does! Or you can make upcycled coffee mug candle holders for your friend, a teacher, etc.
Coffee Mug Mosaics
If you are wondering what to do with too many coffee mugs, have you thought of trying a few coffee mug crafts?
You could make break up those particularly colorful coffee mugs and turn them into unique mosaic designs. Make stepping stones for the garden or whatever other creative ideas come to mind!
More Decluttering Tips
- Creative Ways to Reuse Wine Bottles Instead of Tossing Them Out!
- Gift Wrapping Station Ideas to Help Keep You Organized
- Upcycle Candle Jars into a DIY Succulent Garden
Use them for storage
Whether you stick one on your desk and put pens in it or put some in the art closet to hold craft supplies, storage is one of the easiest uses for coffee mugs.
You could also put them on the bathroom counter and use them to hold cotton balls or cotton swabs.
Anywhere you have little things gathering, you could put a mug and keep them organized. Helping you get more organized is a great way to repurpose coffee mugs.
Warm someone up who really needs it
Ever look outside and see that snow plow driver looking like he is freezing his buns off? When you know he is coming, make up a mug of hot chocolate and bring it outside to him in one of your extra mugs.
No need to worry about it not coming home and you just made the day of one very hard working and chilly individual!
Bake someone a birthday cake
Looking for tasty coffee mug hacks? Have an older neighbor or an office friend with a birthday coming up?
Make a coffee mug cake, frost it, and put a candle in it to wish them a happy birthday! Check out the video below for a delicious coffee mug cake recipe! Or, head over to Amazon and pick up a Mug Cake Cookbook and start baking!
Turn it into a coffee mug bird feeder
This is one of my favorite uses for coffee mugs! You will need a small dessert plate to go along with it. Just lay the plate on a flat surface and glue the mug onto it, laying sideways. Make sure the handle is pointing upwards.
Tie a string to the handle of the coffee mug and hang it in a tree. Or just set the coffee mug bird feeder on a small table under an awning to protect it from the rain. You could also try this DIY suet feeder made from a coffee mug!
Bring them to work
I bet your break room at work could use a few new coffee mugs! Mugs at work get a lot of use and are often stained, cracked and otherwise in need of help.
If you have too many coffee mugs, bring them to work as an office donation. If your work doesn’t have a break room, as around to see if friends and neighbors need them.
Turn them into homemade candles
Homemade candles are a wonderful gift idea. Just pour candle wax into old coffee mugs, add a wick and give as gifts.
You could even paint the mug before gifting, just make sure your recipient knows it is painted so they don’t try to reuse it as a mug for hot liquid when the candle is gone!
Invest in a candle making kit that has all the supplies you need to get started.
Make some money from them
Sell your old coffee mugs on Craiglist or Ebay and make some money. There are a lot of crafty people who are always looking for inexpensive coffee mugs!
There are a ton of ways to use old coffee mugs around the house, especially if you are crafty. If you absolutely can’t think of anything to do with them, donate them to a thrift store or check with your local homeless shelter.
There are plenty of ways to rehome your unwanted mugs! Have any other uses for coffee mugs that you want to share?
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Check out this post if you love finding new uses for old things!
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I’ve never tried a coffee mug cake. Looks to be super simple – need to find a good recipe!
I so needed to read this. I literally have boxes of coffee mugs in my garage that don’t fit into my cabinets. I really need to re-purpose some of them.
These are all good suggestions. I only buy ones that really speak to me and then hang on to them until they are way part their prime.
I just found an amazing mug recipe for red velvet cakes. I can’t wait to make them again. Delish!
It’s like you came into my kitchen and then decided to write this post. I have a bazillion mugs that are just sitting in my cabinets doing nothing. Thanks for the great ideas!
Now that I am using (and losing!) readers, stashing them in a pretty mug helps a lot.
That is a great suggestion, thanks!
Is there a pattern for the mug jacket with mittens above? Here’s hoping!
No, I’m sorry!