Why you need this renter-friendly coffee mug hanger trick in your closet – and expert-approved alternatives for tiny spaces

You might have one in your kitchen holding all your coffee cups, but have you ever thought about using a coffee mug hanger in your closet?

This unusual home organizing idea isn't just for your kitchen, and is particularly handy if you're struggling to get the accessories in your closet organized. Interestingly, our experts are divided, with some preferring alternatives that they've shared.

From holding belts to dog leads, this super affordable and renter-friendly solution has been doing the rounds across social media, and could be just what your small space needs. We gave it a go too, and think it's worth keeping as a quick-fix option.

Why you need a coffee mug hanger in your closet

Hanging space is at a premium in almost every home, and Holly Blackey of @breathing.room.home has found a savvy solution that doesn't require permanent wall or closet fixtures – coffee mug hangers. 'I love when one item has multiple uses,' she writes. 'Like real, practical uses.'

In the video, which has amassed over 28,000 likes, Holly demonstrates how this humble hanger simply slots under her shelf and can be used to organize purses, hats, and even clothing.

'Purses, hats, and dress-up are only three of the ways I’ve recently used this in clients' homes – but the list could go on and on,' she continues. 'I’m sure you’re even thinking of something in your home that would be good for: belts, scarves, dog leashes. I mean… clearly I’m way too excited about this.'

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

It turns out, though, that not all pros are as keen on this closet organization idea.

Tracy McCubbin, founder and CEO of dClutterfly, says, 'I cannot get behind this project because by using it, you lose so much hanging space.'

She explains, 'It's a lateral organizational move at best. You are giving something up to get basically the same amount of storage. Baseball hats can go in a bin [such as the Wire Frame Wide Fabric Bin available at Wayfair] or stacked up on a shelf.

'Purses should never be hung by their straps, as it causes cracks in the leather. Anything else you would want to hang on the coffee mug hanger could most likely go on a regular hanger.'

You can also purchase accessory hangers, such as the Whitmor 10 Hook Accessory Hanger available at Amazon.

As Ben Soreff, professional organizer at House to Home Organizing, warns, 'We want to be careful when adapting organizing solutions for different tasks than originally intended,' but, unlike Tracy, he's not totally opposed to this unusual way to organize a small walk-in closet.

'With that being said, a coffee mug hanger may work in your closet for certain items,' he says. 'If space is limited and you don't have an available shelf, you can use a coffee mug hanger to hold handbags. In this case, you want to make sure that the hooks are far enough apart.'

As he adds, the goal of using a coffee mug hanger in your closet, highlighted by Holly, is to make retrieving items easier. 'If that isn't the case, then it isn't really helpful,' he concludes. 'Any items smaller than a handbag would probably not benefit from using this type of hanger.'

So, whether you believe that a coffee mug hanger is one of the things most organized people have in their closets, or would prefer to try a different space-saving closet technique, like the soda can hack to double tiny closet storage, this hack just proves that what works for one might not work for another, and that's totally okay. After all, storage solutions should always work for you and your space.

We tried it

Head of Solved, Punteha van Terheyden, purposefully only allowed her builder to give her 20 inches of hanging rail space when he designed and constructed her floor-to-ceiling built-in closets.

She says, 'It was a deliberate move to stop me buying too many clothes. If I don't have space on my small rail, I have to clear something out before considering shopping.'

With that in mind, Punteha tried this coffee mug holder hack in her closet, but with a twist.

She says, 'As the professional organizers above have stated, losing hanging rail space for this hack is not ideal, and I am not willing to give up a single inch.

'However, where I did find this tip helpful is in my shelving space. These are tall spaces, and there's room to pop a coffee mug holder to one side.

'It helped make use of dead vertical space in my closet, and I've found it handy for purses and accessories such as belts, which can get a bit lost in closets if they do not have a dedicated home.'

She gives this tip a 6/10 and adds that whilst it's not worth losing rail space over, if you have vertical space between shelves, or lots of rails to play with, it's worth a go. She adds, 'If you're renting, this is a great way to customize your closet storage space without adding anything permanent that your landlord might object to.

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Meet our experts

Ben Soreff

House to Home Organizing focuses on helping clients by creating systems tailored to their individual needs.

Tracy McCubbin

As Tracy has been professionally decluttering and organizing since 2006, she has extensive knowledge of which hacks are worth trying, and which are best left when it comes to home organization.

Wondering how to aesthetically organize a closet? Yours can be both functional and beautiful with the advice from our pros.