This In-Cabinet Solution Doubles Your Coffee Mug Storage Space

Coffee mug collections are one of the small joys in life. Whether you have a mug from every state you visit or you're just a sucker for a fun design, these playful cups tend to accumulate rather quickly, and before you know it, you have a massive collection with nowhere to put them. Rather than dedicating multiple cabinets to housing your many mugs, you can instead consolidate your collection into one cupboard by using one simple storage hack: extra cabinet shelving. At first, this tip makes it sound like you'll be cramming coffee cups into stuffed kitchen cabinets. However, these shelf inserts allow you to take advantage of the empty space above your shelf to carve out more storage room. 

Rather than just filling the cabinet shelf to the brim and then having to find a new place to stash the rest of your collection, you can add an insert and organize the cups on top of it. This also solves the issue of being forced to jam-pack the shelf, which makes it tough to see which options are available (they're also constantly in danger of spilling out and smashing). If you're wondering where to purchase such an insert, fortunately, there are tons of options. 

If you want to create additional kitchen cabinet space but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it, then there are some budget-conscious options you can try. The first is the VARIERA shelf insert from IKEA, which retails for $14. It's nearly 18 inches wide and 5 1/2 inches deep, allowing you to place a good amount of cups across its surface area. If you have some room in between shelving, you can also buy the shallower version, which you can then stack on top of the deeper one. This will give you another layer of space to work with while still allowing you to clearly see all the mugs underneath. The shallower model is almost 13 inches wide and 5 inches deep, and costs $10 at IKEA.

Similarly, you can get the Simple Houseware Expandable Shelf from Walmart for $17. There are two differently sized shelves included in the bundle; one is 12.7 inches long and 9 inches deep while the other is 11.25 inches long and 8 inches deep. Simply stack them on top of each other, providing plenty of accessible space for your mugs. You can also buy two sets if you have a wider cabinet, maximizing the empty vertical space in the unit.

If style, rather than budget, is your main concern, then you'll want something with a little more flair. The inside of your cabinets can easily look as curated as the rest of your house thanks to cult brands such as Open Spaces. Their Shelf Risers retail for $72 for a pair, but they're made with aesthetics in mind. Measuring 15.6 inches in length and at 11 inches deep, these shelves allow you to fit a good amount of cups. The legs are made from white plastic while the shelf itself is a minimalist white oak veneer, creating an Instagram-worthy vignette in your cabinet.

Similarly, if you have wooden cabinets and want risers in more organic materials and colors, then the Wood Shelf Risers from Food52 might be a good fit. Made in Japan, they cost $55 for one wooden shelf and one white shelf. They are 11.6 inches long and 8.66 inches deep, and their minimalist and clean look will instantly make you feel like you're in a designer kitchen as soon as you open the cabinet doors. And, if you want to elevate your design even further, these kitchen features are definitely worth splurging on.