How To Turn A Dollar Store Plunger Into A Stylish Coffee Mug Rack

Could your home coffee bar use a lift? Look no further than your nearest dollar store, where @bargainbethany on Instagram showed us how you can combine the most unlikely odds and ends with a little ingenuity to create a hip new home for your mugs. All she needed was a piece of scrap wood, a pair of brackets, and, in place of a dowel from a hardware store, she used the handle of a humble brand new dollar store toilet plunger, which cost just over a dollar. You'll also need a drill, some screw-in hooks for the mugs, and hardware to bolt the bracket to the wall. 

After removing the business end of the plunger, stain or paint the wooden board and plunger handle to your liking. Once they dry, fasten the board to the top of the bracket and bolt the bracket to the wall. Then, slip the handle through the front loop of the bracket and screw the hooks into the handle, spacing them far enough apart so your mugs won't bump into each other when they hang from their handles. Ta-dah! You're ready to hang your mugs and open your own home coffee bar. 

Sure, we've covered fancy ways to upgrade your home coffee bar, but sometimes a little DIY is more satisfying — and it's certainly easier on the budget. Since this is an open-view storage solution, everything you put on it has the opportunity to elevate the look. Search for things around your home that you can repurpose, here. For example, a vintage tin can provides a stylish way to hold a bag of coffee beans while protecting their flavor from taste-sapping air and sunlight. It's aesthetically pleasing, while also being one of the absolute best ways to keep coffee beans fresh. And a cute makeup brush holder, like this rotating brush organizer by Diesisa on Amazon, can keep sugar, creamer, and stirring sticks close at hand, ready to serve you the moment you roll out of bed.

You may already have a favorite mug or two that you want to show off. Otherwise, if you're still feeling thrifty, head to your nearest second-hand shop and find a few that you would love to hang on the hook. They don't necessarily have to match, but pay attention to the shape of your coffee mugs, as it can make or break the coffee experience, and also consider how color influences our senses (this is why drinking coffee from a green mug can make for a better morning cup). Then, step back to admire your homemade coffee nook and a job well done. Here are 14 coffee essentials that baristas swear by if you want to keep taking your home coffee bar to the next level.