16 Genius Ways To Reuse Old Coffee Mugs In Your Home Instead Of Getting Rid Of Them

Whether you're a caffeine hound or not, it is remarkably easy to grow a collection off coffee cups over the course of a lifetime. Whether you bought a matching set as newlyweds that you now never reach for, have gathered them on every vacation since you were 10, or just receive them a lot as gifts, you can find your cabinets quickly overwhelmed with coffee mugs. And in reality, many of us only reach for a rotation of a handful for our morning cup of joe. Many decide to whittle down these collections simply by giving them away to a charity shop, or throwing them away altogether. But before you decide to junk these cups, consider the many ways you can put them to use in your home. Coffee mugs can make darling bird feeders in the garden, help organize cluttered surfaces like your bathroom vanity, and provide an opportunity to exercise some creativity during arts and crafts hour. Here are 16 of the best ways to repurpose coffee cups in your daily life. 

Did your favorite coffee mug meet an untimely end when it fell off the counter? Don't toss it out just yet, and instead try to make a mosaic piece with the larger pieces. You can create a stunning mosaic DIY on garden pavers, flower pots, or end tables. If you need to break the pieces up a bit more and don't know how to cut mosaic tile, try wrapping the mug in an old cloth and use a hammer to gently break up the pieces. Be sure to sand down any sharp edges before using your creation.

Many people wait until spring to put out a bird feeder, but they are actually very helpful in the winter as food is more scarce. All you need to turn and old coffee mug into a bird feeder this winter is a ribbon, bird seed, and a twig. Fill a coffee mug with any bird seed, then stick a twig in at the side. Fill the mug with a bit of water and let it freeze over night, then tie it to a tree branch with a ribbon, yarn, or rope, and voila! 

Practice your green thumb with a little coffee cup gardening. Not all plants need a ton of room to be happy, and many will only grow to the size of their container, so if you have a succulent or other condensed plant you want to keep small, a coffee cup is the perfect thing. Succulents (and many other plants) do require drainage, so you may want to drill a hole in the bottom, or at the very least be sure to use a very gritty, well-draining potting mix to prevent water logging. 

What's cozier than sipping on a cup of coffee next to a candle? Sipping on a cup of coffee next to your own DIY coffee cup candle. Melt down some soy wax on the stove, add a few essential oils, stick a wick at the bottom of the mug, and pour the wax slowly. Be sure to only do this with mugs that are made from heat-resistant materials, as the candle would be a hazard otherwise. 

Add some personality and color to your desk by using an old coffee mug as a pen cup. If you have a mug you already love the color or design on, you can leave it as-is, or you can dress it up with ribbon, buttons, glitter, fabric, or even a fresh coat of pain to make it unique to you.  

Your beauty accessories deserve a beautiful stand, and coffee mugs are perfectly suited to this. Just select a favorite coffee mug to dress up your bathroom countertop or vanity and put your brushes in handle-side down. As an added bonus, this will keep the bristles from being crushed in a drawer, as well as less likely to get damp or dirty, keeping them in great shape for longer. 

Frogs and toads love to curl up in a cozy, sheltered space to wait out a storm, hide from predators, and even hibernate, and an old, large coffee mug can work beautifully for this. In a shady, secluded part of your garden, turn an old coffee mug on its side, and fill it partially with soil so it's even with the ground, leaving a few inches of room for any of our amphibian friends. You can add small rocks and sticks to make it even more comfortable! 

If you're looking for a summer craft for kids, rolls of paper and watercolor paints can make the time fly. But, you'll always need a few old mugs for dipping brushes and mixing paints. Repurpose a few old coffee mugs instead of using throwaway plastic cups. Then, keep them stored in the closet with your art supplies for the next craft day.

Who wouldn't love a coffee cup cake stand cute enough for the Mad Hatter? Just take a coffee mug and an oversized platter in a complementary color or pattern, and mark down the center of the platter. Then, using some super glue, attach the coffee mug upside down and allow it to cure fully according to the glue's instructions. There you have it — the perfect display for sweet treats. Because it's attached with glue, avoid the dishwasher, and stick to hand washing this delicate stand. 

Even if you don't want to take on making your own candles from scratch, you can still use them as stunning tea light holders. This is the perfect choice for cozifying your home in the autumn and winter, and can also keep the brightness of the actual candle down, offering a lovely, diffused warm light. Mugs made with elaborate patterns or semi-translucent ceramic can produce an especially moody lighting display.

Creating a whimsical centerpiece for your next dinner party is easy with a few shallow vintage coffee cups. Between each cup, place some faux moss and flowers, then with glue, stack another cup on top. Accent the piece with whatever you fancy, be it silk blooms, costume jewelry, feathers, ribbon, and so on. This look is especially cute with mismatched teacups, but you can go for a mod route with polka-dot patterns or a kitschy tower of old diner mugs.

Coffee cups are great painting accessories for amateurs and pros alike. You can store your washed and dried paint brushes in one, keeping them protected from being crushed or forgotten in a drawer. It is typically recommended that artists store paintbrushes upright, to help bristles keep their shape. Coffee mugs are the perfect depth for a variety of brushes.

Whether you're a bonafide seamstress or embroidery enthusiast, there's no doubt that a pin cushion is a must-have. But they can look as beautiful as your beadwork when placed in a coffee cup. DIY your own pin cushion, or just pop your go-to cushion inside. If the cup is too deep for easy access, use scrap fabric beneath to elevate it to the desired height. 

You don't need a huge back yard to create your own herb garden! You can plant a number of easy-to-care-for herbs in coffee mugs, and when it comes to fast-spreading herbs like mint, this is even better because they are contained and can't take over other plants. Plant your favorite herb in a well-draining, organic soil mix, poke a hole in the base with a small drill to give it some drainage, give it a nice sunny spot in the home or on your balcony, and enjoy fresh herbs straight from your coffee mug. 

You can make a delightful floral display with a coffee cup. Short-trimmed blossoms and buds are ideal for this since they don't need the high walls of a traditional vase to stay upright. But if you dream of long-stemmed roses, you can still achieve this with a floral arranging hack where you use regular tape to create a grid over the top of a vessel. This supports the bouquet and allows you to make more extravagant designs. 

If you are looking for an eco-friendly alternative to gift wrap, consider stowing goodies in coffee mugs instead, especially if you have a mug that reminds you of a loved one. You can fill it with flowers, tea bags, mini candy bars, and so much more. Instagram user @scarlet.cee even lined this mug with a vintage handkerchief to make it feel extra colorful and festive. This would make a particularly great gift for a coffee lover or as a teacher appreciation gift, since they can repurpose the mug as a pencil cup.