How To Build 10 Simple Coffee Mug Storage Using Scrap Wood

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If you're a DIYer, chances are good that you have at least a few pieces of scrap wood lying around waiting to be used in your next project. Scrap lumber has so many creative uses — whether we're talking about a random 2-by-4 plank or a small piece of plywood. The possibilities for reuse are nearly endless. If you've been noticing that your pile of scrap wood is growing and you've run through all the projects on your to-do list, consider creating some coffee mug storage. Get ready to dive into your DIY supplies for any one of these favorite kitchen creations: cubby shelves, ladder shelves, hangers, floating shelves, lazy Susans, and more.

As you peruse this list, you will notice that many of the coffee mug storage solutions don't require buying anything. Whether you just want a handy place to store a mug for your morning cup of Joe or you need to display a lovingly curated coffee mug collection, all it takes to increase your storage space is a few wooden boards and, in some cases, some simple carpentry skills, supplies, and tools. Additions that might be useful to have on hand include dowels, Shaker pegs, cup hooks, old-fashioned metal coat hooks, and paint stencils, among other accessories. Basically, you have free rein to put your own creative stamp on your new coffee mug storage solution using scrap pieces of wood.

The first idea on our list goes vertical. You need a flat base, a pole, and some hooks or dowels to hang the coffee mugs. You can make a standard-sized countertop stand for four to six mugs from a piece of 2-by-2 scrap wood used as the pole. However, this is one of those ideas that you can scale up (or down). You could, for example, use a 4-by-4 cedar post to make a giant floor-standing coffee mug tree for a kitchen corner. Whatever size you choose, this wooden mug stand needs a solid, sturdy base.

Ready to upgrade your coffee mug storage with a cool DIY that keeps them tidy and within reach? Try this coffee mug cubby shelf! Each mug gets its own cubby, so it's best for those with a collection of unique or sentimental cups that are worthy of display. You can use either plywood or dimensional lumber for this idea. If you have 1-by-4 or 1-by-6 scraps left over from another project, those would work perfectly. Construct a grid with coffee cup-sized cubbies and hang it on the wall. You could also make a mini countertop version.

This idea is one of the simplest on our list because it requires nothing more than a single piece of scrap wood plank and a few cup hooks. Stain or paint the wooden plank, add some cup hooks, and hang it on your wall for instant coffee mug storage. We love this 10-piece set of Xhipy Vintage Bronze Metal Wall Hooks for about $10. Whether you hang it vertically or horizontally, alone or in a group of three or four, this idea is about as versatile as it gets.

This idea is a riff on the previous project. Instead of simply attaching a board fitted with hooks to the wall, combine multiple planks into a ladder before mounting it on the wall. How many rungs you add to your ladder depends on how many coffee mugs you need to store. This could be just a couple of horizontal rows of coffee mugs or something larger. Personalize this DIY by adding embellishments — for example, stencilled words or greenery — to the rungs or side rails. You could also leave the wood raw for a rustic vibe.

To make this project, you'll need four pieces of scrap wood, which form the top, back, and two ends of the shelf. Install a short curtain rod underneath the shelf and hang S-hooks from it. You can hang coffee mugs from the hooks and display houseplants, decor items, or coffee-making tools on the shelf above. In fact, coffee mug storage is just one way to use this simple shelf. For a variation on this idea, expand the shelf into a box frame and fit it with multiple rods.

You could DIY a rustic coffee mug storage solution in a day with this easy method! What size of floating shelf you create depends on the scrap wood that you have on hand. Coffee mugs only need a few inches of space each, so you could, for example, make mini floating shelves out of untreated 4-by-4s you've had sitting in your scrap pile for a while. When it comes to decorating these shelves, the possibilities are basically endless: stain the wood, paint it a bold color, stencil on some decorations, or hang a metal rail underneath.

In addition to using up old scrap wood, this coffee mug wall rack and towel holder combo makes life easier in your kitchen or coffee station. A single piece of scrap wood with some cup hooks and a towel rail affixed to it does all the work. If you have an industrial kitchen, choose a towel rod and large hooks made from rustic cast iron. For an cottage or farmhouse aesthetic, use a stained 1-by-4 and attach a pastry cutter you got at the thrift store to keep towels off the kitchen floor.

If you're wondering what to do with all of the short end pieces of wood you have lying around your workshop, this idea's for you. Pick out six small pieces of wood to fit the letters C, O, F, F, E, and E. Stencil a letter onto each piece or attach some BetLight Cast Iron House Letters to them and affix a sturdy screw-in hook under each letter. Craft a frame from shiplap and some trim and glue the letter-adorned scrap wood inside. Mount the whole thing to a wall in your kitchen.

If you have some longer pieces of 2-by-2s, you can build a countertop tiered spice rack to store your coffee mugs. Like most of the ideas on this list, you can make your spice rack any size you like. It could have just a single tier for a small mug collection or you could expand it into multiple shelves to hold all your coffee-making paraphernalia — everything from your French press and moka pot to your sugar bowl and stirrers. You don't have to put any holes in the wall, making it renter-friendly.

For a genius coffee mug storage idea that doesn't take up any cabinet space, consider DIYing a cabinet space-saving lazy Susan. Pick up a Woodpeckers Steel Lazy Susan Turntable and cut a circle from some scrap plywood or solid wood. (You'll need access to carpentry power tools for this project.) Affix the wood circle to the turntable, following the manufacturer's instructions. Place your new lazy Susan on your kitchen countertop next to your coffee maker or wherever you need coffee mugs in easy reach. Fill it with mugs and you're done!