While there are many ways to repurpose old mugs for storage and organization, one of the best might be an upcycle that keeps your desk organized and clutter-free. Mugs are often perfect for stashing pens and other supplies, making it far easier to grab what you need without rifling through drawers. As they provide storage, mugs can also help free up space in your drawers that could be used for other things. There’s an ingenious twist on this fun storage solution that takes a small amount of fabric to make an adorable caddy for an old mug, creating a practical and stylish DIY desk organizer for your home office.

This is a creative way to repurpose your old coffee mugs, or you can make use of a thrifted or secondhand mug. The DIY involves some simple sewing and is totally customizable, allowing you to choose any fabric you like and make it the perfect height and diameter of the mug you are using. You can also adjust the size of the pockets you create to accommodate your storage needs.

While this caddy is perfect for a desk, you may find it useful in other places, like in the kitchen to hold small utensils or in the bathroom to hold grooming essentials. You could even create a sleeve for a travel mug and use it in your car to hold things like scissors, glue sticks, and extra pens for when you need them right in your car’s cup holder. This technique would also work to add some style and personality to an old glass jar for home office storage.

To create a fabric caddy, begin by measuring the height and diameter of the mug you are using. These dimensions will determine the size of your backing fabric swatches, which envelope the outside and the inside. You will also need two additional fabric pieces that fasten on either side, creating the inner and outer pockets. Use complementary fabric colors for the inside and outside sections, or mix and match patterns with each piece for a charming patchwork look. Great options for the closures include cotton ties, lace trim, or satin ribbon.

Attach the fabric for your pockets to the top and bottom of the main fabric backing, with the top of the pieces facing each other. Mark out where you want your pockets on the larger piece, and then measure and fold the smaller panels to create the desired width of your pockets. Sew the pocket fabric to the backing along the bottom and along each pocket seam, creating small pleats to make the excess fabric lay flat. Install the ties by laying them along the exterior pocket panel, adding stitching to keep them in place at the edges. Sew on another full size piece of backing along the outer edges, leaving a small open space along the edge to pull the pocket of fabric back through. Fold in half and place the finished piece inside the mug, securing the ties underneath the handle. You could also add fabric trim, quilting, or other decorative accents, like vintage buttons, to customize the caddy.