Too many mugs. AIBU? DH thinks it would be rude

[MythicalBiologicalFennel]

We have a small kitchen and too much stuff. The work surfaces are covered with spare mugs that don't fit in the cupboards which are full of food (we both love cooking and TBH eating).

I've had enough and chosen 6 mugs for the mug tree. The other 15 mugs (yes, 15) are going into storage to be used as the chosen 6 get broken. I felt a great sense of relief and gained a bit of working surface!

I thought of taking a picture of the 15 mugs and sharing it with friends and family. DH thinks that would be rude as all of those mugs have been presents. I love all the mugs, some of them make great cups of tea but we just don't have the bloody room. DH hinted that another mug might be coming my way for Christmas from his side of the family so they might take offence. TBH every year they ask what I want for my birthday/ Christmas and I ask for nice chocolates or flowers because we have too much stuff and it impacts on our quality of life (messy, cluttered house). Every year I get at least a new mug and a new bloody tea towel. They are lovely and it never ceases to amaze me that people care enough to give me presents. But I don't need them. My family are occasional mug givers but would not take offence at being told to stop.

Would I be unreasonable to share the picture with family and friends explaining we are putting excess mugs into storage? The photo is from above so you cannot see the patterns of the mugs and take offence that yours wasn't Chosen.

I think it would be a playful visual reminder to people that 4 people don't need 20 mugs. I am ready to be told it would be rude.

The picture thing is a little odd - we live away from family too but wouldn't be sending mug/clearing out pictures - but to be honest if your family are that oblivious then the picture probably would go over their heads and not stop them buying you more junk for Xmas.

I think you need to explicitly say "please don't buy us stuff/kitchen stuff/whatever for Xmas, we're having to get rid of things as we just don't have the room".

And charity shop the mugs - it'll take you years and years to break another 15!!

Had a reread. 6 mugs wouldn't last a day in our house of 4 ( more if anyone calls)
When doing up kitchen many many years ago I had one cupboard made into a mug cupboard. Ok I should have had 2. The shelves were fitted a bit bigger than our tallest mug .It helped greatly but over the years we have got lots more . As it has been said different mugs are used for different things. Some have special memories for us.
Put some hooks up for your mugs.
I can't imagine anyone with just 6.
If you feel strongly say something.

Why would you think anyone cares that you’re putting some mugs into storage, let alone want to see a photo of them?

I'm sorry OP but no-one gives a hit what you keep in your kitchen or not !! Clear it out and don't share with anyone 😳

It is an excellent idea to share with friends and family who usually gift that you are hoping for consumables only because you are overwhelmed with stuff and are afraid you will be invited to one of those hoarder shows.

IME people never get subtle hints like I guess your photo is meant to be (we gave too many mugs don't buy more etc).

Agreed. If anything, people will really miss the entire point. Instead of reading your caption about having too many mugs and needing to pack some of them away, they'll just look at the photo and think "Ooh, look: MBF likes collecting mugs. Well, we know what to buy her for Christmas, then!"

I second putting hooks under a cupboard or two - it's otherwise dead space, so it's a great way to use it. You could always get another couple of mug trees to economise a bit on space, but the problem with that is that, everywhere that sells mug trees always includes 6 'free' mugs with them! It would be like buying a new kitchen bin and finding that the manufacturer has already pre-filled it with rubbish for you

It is a boring photo to those who dont buy you mugs and could appear rude/passive aggressive to those who do buy you a mug.

Perhaps say to in laws you have had a clear out and cant believe how many mugs you have and you have had a hard time deciding which ones make the mug tree and now have back stock. Hopefully they take the hint.

Or when they ask what you would like say "something I can use as we are really short of storage space, chocolates or flowers would be ideal"

It’s not rude really, just really odd. Not the storage part, just the photo part. We have a family WhatsApp chat as we all live in different areas and share pics of family, pets etc but sharing a collection of mugs is just a bit strange? But YANBU , it is your choice! I wouldn't do it though x

OP Can I steal your photo idea. Some idiot at work has decided secret Santa mugs are a good idea.

YANBU to put them into storage, though I admit to being a bit of a mug for mugs myself! A bit U to actually send a picture around, though. Those who gave you them as presents might feel hurt, and those who didn't might think 'what an odd thing to take a picture of!'

Dont do the photo. It's fine to pack away the spares, but the spares photo has the possibility to upset someone who gifted you one of those mugs, it just seems like there's no upside to showing that photo, but lots of potential downside.

Only 15 spares, my mother the hoarder had a cupboard with 92 in, we all took some to our places of work 😊

I don’t see the point I packing away the spare mugs when you know you’re going to be getting more.

Just keep your Top 6 Mugs and donate the rest to charity. When you get more, do a one in one out from your Top 6. I do get the hierarchy of mugs though.

Entire thread worth it just for this:

occasional mug givers :)

Wouldn't you be forever washing up with only 6 mugs between 4 people?

It’s the little stuff like self mug management and lack of mug tree conversations that make it worth it
well, I can assure you that before or since we got married many moons ago, I have never had a mug conversation with DH

If anything, people will really miss the entire point. Instead of reading your caption about having too many mugs and needing to pack some of them away, they'll just look at the photo and think "Ooh, look: MBF likes collecting mugs. Well, we know what to buy her for Christmas, then!"

so true!

Bin all stained or chipped ones (or break them and use them in the bottom of terracotta plant pots).
Keep at least 8-10.
Don't post a photo. Everyone knows we all have too many mugs. Everyone does. We buy them for each other because they strike us as something the other person would like/laugh at/find apt. It's not that we're assuming they are short of drinking vessels.

Wouldn't you be forever washing up with only 6 mugs between 4 people?

We have 4 mugs between 4 people, they probably get used about twice a week either when we have visitors or when the DC have a hot chocolate!

I'm finding it difficult to care

I put a bunch of mugs in storage. I found them again the other day and I think I’ll charity shop them, they are the duffers of the mug collection.

No it’s just rude. If you don’t want the ones you have give them to a chairity

Bin them.

We have 4 little coffee mugs that we use with our nespresso machine which we use every day (we only drink coffee)
We also have two tea cups for guests and two large mugs for anything else, they all hardly get used and live at the back of a cupboard.

If anyone buys us a novelty mug DP either takes it to work to go in the office kitchen or it goes in the charity shop bag in the garage.

some christmas mug advantages are that they always bring out the superize ones for this time of year and they are brilliant;a big mug of tea mmmmm

i did see a brussel sprout mug i want t get my dad for christmas in asda.sorry mind is wandering off topic.
why do people picture everything?