Free Up Space In Cabinets With A Dollar Tree Mug Storage Hack That Doubles As Decor

Coffee cups deliver daily comfort — not to mention caffeine — to many people. That's probably why they get prime placement on kitchen shelves, even though their handles make them tricky to stack. They also take up a lot of real estate, which can leave other cabinet residents cramped, buried, or stashed in inconvenient locations. Fortunately, bringing order to the cabinet chaos is possible. There are a number of ways to turn budget-friendly items into space-saving mug storage solutions. Several involve building a mug-hanging rack with Dollar Tree items. You can even construct a mug tree with products the discount retailer carries. In addition to taking advantage of unused vertical space, this project is a charming way to display favorite mugs on a counter.

To fashion a mug tree, buy a Cooking Concepts Bamboo Cutting Board and The Original Super Glue Wood Glue at Dollar Tree. Sometimes the retailer also carries little Cooking Concepts French rolling pins that work well for this project. If your local Dollar Tree has one of these or a wood dowel with roughly the same dimensions — 12 inches long and 1¼ inches wide– be sure to grab it. Otherwise, get a dowel of this size at a hardware store or home improvement center. Finally, gather a long drywall screw and four screw-in hooks that are large enough for your favorite mugs' handles. Want to add some extra flair? Find paint or stain for the wood and a decorative trunk topper, perhaps a figure from a pack of Crafter's Square Wooden Peg Dolls. You could paint it to resemble a member of your household or a TV character you enjoy.

The first step of crafting your mug tree is measuring and marking. Place one pencil mark on the center of the cutting board and another on one end of the dowel, in the very middle. Select a drill bit that's the same size as your drywall screw and use it to drill holes in the two marks. Next, make the hole in the cutting board a little wider with a bigger drill bit, which will help the drywall screw sit flush with the board. Sand away any splinters that crop up. 

After that, drill the drywall screw through the bottom of the board until it pokes through the other side. Slather the drilled end of the dowel with wood glue, then place its hole on the tip of the drywall screw. Drill the screw further into the dowel to secure it to the board. Once the glue has hardened, paint or stain any portions of the tree you'd like to upgrade. Add a few coats for a rich-looking finish, and be sure that it has dried completely before moving on.

Your project's next phase involves attaching hooks to the mug tree's trunk. Decide where you'd like the four hooks to go, making certain there's enough space between them so your cups don't crash into each other. Drill tiny holes at these locations, and then screw the hooks into the holes. When the hooks are in, glue your final to the free end of the dowel. Then, adorn your new creation with cups and decide how to organize your kitchen cabinets now that there's some room to spare.