Transform Old Coffee Mugs And Flowers Into A (Cheap) Beautiful Centerpiece

If your cupboard is overflowing with items you hardly ever use, perhaps it's time to clean it out and make some room for new things. You can always donate to a good cause or find other creative ways to upcycle kitchenware. But if you're finding it emotionally difficult to discard certain items — like those old coffee mugs you've been collecting over the years — you can transform them into vases for floral centerpieces that would add whimsical grace to a dining table.

This idea is one of the easiest, most brilliant ways to repurpose old coffee mugs, adding a cool personal touch to any festive table — from dinner parties to picnics and special events like birthdays and weddings — for a fraction of a florist's price. Even if the mugs are missing handles or have minor chips, you can hide such defects with lush arrangements packed with flowers and greenery. 

To create the most eye-catching flower arrangements in coffee mugs, cut the flower stems so they're 1½ to 2 inches taller than the mug, measuring from the bottom of the bloom. You can add a piece of floral foam to the bottom of the mug so the flowers stay in place, but if you arrange them diagonally, they'll support each other and give the arrangement structure. Start by overlapping sturdy greenery to create a base, leaving space in the center and edges to add the flowers.

Choose a variety of colors, shapes, and textures for visual appeal, or stick to a monochrome palette with various shades of the same color to match your event. Pick the largest, nicest flowers for the center of the mug, and tuck the rest evenly around the middle and the edges of the mug until it's full on all sides and looks balanced. 

If you're looking for centerpieces that last longer than fresh-cut flowers, try filling your repurposed mugs with potting soil and planting succulents or cacti. Since these sturdy plants don't require a lot of water, they will grow well in mugs even if they don't have drainage holes. Be sure to use a well-draining growing medium that doesn't retain as much moisture and is prepared for cacti and succulents.

With a little more effort, you can turn those old coffee mugs into a brilliant kitchen windowsill herb garden or centerpiece as well. Herbs prefer well-draining soil, too, but they will need to be watered more frequently than succulents — that's why you'll need a drill with a ceramic bit to place a hole in the bottom of the mugs.

Put a small piece of masking tape where you want to drill the hole so the drill bit doesn't slip and scratch the mug. Drill carefully, slowly increasing to medium speed. If the bit gets too warm, dip it in cold water periodically so it doesn't crack the mug. When the hole is done, remove the tape and rinse the mug to remove any dust. This will work best with mugs that are not too thin or delicate, as they will be more likely to crack.

Choose herbs that you use often, as you will need to keep them pruned so they don't outgrow the mug. Thyme, marjoram, chives, parsley, and small varieties of basil, such as "spicy globe," will do best in a small container. You could even regrow green onion roots, which you would otherwise throw away. Put them on a sunny windowsill or nearby table to brighten up your kitchen and add a fresh touch to your recipes.