Not just for coffee: 9 uses for a mug

We're pretty big on mugs round here.

Mugs are sturdy, and comforting, and come in so many shapes and sizes.

If you’ve downloaded my free Magic Formula for Buying Great Gifts, you’ll know that versatility is one of my ‘7 tests for gifting success’. And while mugs may sit in the ‘drinking vessel’ compartment of your brain, these handy things can be used for so much more. Which is why they make fantastic gifts. Even better when they are personalised. 

1. To sip and cradle a warm drink. Whether you prefer tea, tisane, coffee, milk, or hot chocolate, this is the obvious way to use a mug, and probably its original intended purpose. 
2.Not a fan of hot drinks? Use a mug to slurp some soup! Minestrone, miso, or ramen are my faves in a mug but
3. Store your writing and drawing tools on your desk. Pencils, colours, paint brushes.
4. Hide a plastic plant pot. Make your windowsill pretty with an array of cacti, succulents, and other small plants. When you water your plant, the plant pot can drip through to the mug base beneath. Also brilliant for herbs in the kitchen for easy snipping.
5. Fill with water to pop a posy of fresh-cut flowers from your garden or the wayside and brighten your surroundings.
6. Arrange your daughter's headbands on her bedroom shelf.
7. Keep beauty tools at hand on your dressing-table. Tweezers, make up brush, combs are stored safely.
8. Store re-usable drink straws and/or chopsticks. Easy to grab, kept together, and less clutter in your utensils drawer. Nice.
9. Empty loose change out of your pockets into a fun mug. Once the mug is full of coins, bank it in your holiday savings, donate the money, or exchange it for notes ready for your next shop.

Do you have any other great uses for a mug? Let me know in the comments below, let's see if we can grow the list from 9 to 90.