The Coffee Mug Storage Idea You'll Love If You're Low On Cabinet Space

Some of us would be absolutely hopeless without their morning cup of Joe or Earl Gray. However, kitchen cabinets everywhere are practically screaming in frustration about the inefficient way most people store their absolutely necessary yet bulky, oddly-shaped mugs or tea cups in cabinet shelves. Whether your particular method involves precarious, haphazard stacks or a wasteful single layer with unused dear air above, there has to be a better way, right? The answer is absolutely. There are so many clever hacks for maximizing cabinet space while storing coffee mugs out there to make the process work better for your needs. But what if you could take it a step further and avoid taking up any cabinet space at all for your favorite decorative mugs you grab every morning?

Erin Dittmer (@allinspiredwellness) shared on Instagram how she used a hanging kitchen pot rail to create a genius coffee mug storage solution to free up tons of cabinet space. By installing the rail just under her upper cabinets and adding hooks, Dittmer was able to hang eight coffee mugs and eight espresso mugs along a three-rail system. Since the rail hangs from the wall under the upper cabinets, this handy solution significantly increases your mug storage without taking up any additional space, while creating extra unused cabinet space where the mugs used to be. Plus, it's pretty to boot. Total win-win-win! The DIY is incredibly easy and novice-friendly, requiring only a rail system with hooks, a pencil, a level, and a drill to accomplish in less than an hour. So dive right in!

The premise of this DIY project is simple. Select a rail system with a length that works for your particular space, whether you plan to add a small rail for holding a few mugs by the coffee maker or a create full-length setup like on Instagram. Dittmer used three $9 IKEA HULTARP rails and matching HULTARP hooks. These are available in two sizes and three finishes, and come with hardware to connect multiple rails to seamlessly tailor to your kitchen setup.

Once you have a rail system that matches your kitchen's aesthetic and space requirements, have a buddy hold the rail in place while you ensure that it's level. Once you're happy with the placement, use a pencil to mark the location of the anchors on the wall. Follow instructions for rail installation, then use mounting hardware suitable for your substrate to secure it to the wall. After the rail is installed, hang compatible hooks large enough to comfortably hold the mug handles. Space them evenly apart based on the size and number of mugs you plan to hold.

When deciding which mugs to display, choose matching or nicely coordinated mugs for a cohesive, streamlined look that matches the aesthetics of your room, since they'll be in full view. An eclectic, curated collection of mismatching mugs or teacups could also work if the mugs have a common thread that makes them feel at home with each other and in the space. Keep your old, stained corporate-branded one-off mugs behind closed doors, opting to showcase only your decorative mugs.