I HATE it when people use MY coffee mug!!

by Nancy
(Red Deer, AB)

Treat yourself to a really distinctive coffee mug!

I work in a small office, with about 15 of us using the same small kitchen area for coffee. Like everyone else, I brought my own coffee mug from home.

Granted, it’s nothing fancy. But I like it and it’s mine. It just grosses me out when I see someone else is using it.

It feels kind of petty to march up to someone and accuse them. But still, it’s MY mug.

It’s like the world is divided into two groups of people… people who are really possessive about their coffee mugs… and those who just don’t care!

Any suggestions on what I should do, without sounding weird?

ANSWER:

Nancy, hi

Funny you should raise this right now.

I recently heard the same complaint from a live-in carer who was looking after my mom at home.

There’s a huge carer community out there, all looking after the sick and elderly in their homes… and sharing their experiences on Facebook groups.

And, you guessed it… one of the things they HATE is when they bring their own coffee mug into a home and other people start using it!

It seems we get really attached to our coffee mugs!

Sure, partly it’s a hygiene thing. You don’t want someone else’s slobber on your coffee mug.

But I think it’s more than that.

I think the mug you drink from is part of the coffee ritual. It’s part of the experience. And when you open the cupboard and find you coffee mug is missing… well, the whole experience is spoiled!

As for what to do, maybe get yourself a really distinctive mug. Really colorful. Or really tall. Or with a really cool message on it.

That way nobody can pretend they didn’t notice, or didn’t know it was yours.

Yeah… get a crazy mug and then walk it around the office and say, “Check out MY crazy new coffee mug!”

If anyone else has some coffee-mug-rage stories to share, add a comment below! 😊

Best wishes,

Nick

Comments for I HATE it when people use MY coffee mug!!

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ON POINT!!!!
by: Kashish

Whatever you wrote about your feelings of someone sharing the coffee mug… ughh Omggg!!! It feels like you’re reading my mind and heart. I feel exactly the same if someone takes my coffee mug. Let me tell you.. this article I searched for it - "Why I cannot share my coffee mug?" Yep.. that’s me who literally searched for this article and came across such a relatable article. Thank you for putting our feelings into a webpage.

I Keep My Mug In My Desk Too
by: Myra N

I guess some people assume if you put your mug in a common area that it's free for anyone to use. That being the case, I always keep my mug in my desk drawer.

On the flip side of that, I don't feel compelled to use any of the mugs in the common area even when I didn't have my own mug. I'd go to the cafeteria and grab one of the paper coffee cups. I know the mugs in the common area have been washed, but still...yuck.

I hid my coffee mug
by: Dan

I know it sounds extreme, but I used to hide my coffee mug in my desk drawer every evening.

Not dirty! I'd wash it first and then before leaving for the day, put it away in the drawer. That way, the next morning I knew my mug would be waiting for me!

Really strange dynamic... the whole "coffee mug at work" thing. NO idea why some people thought other people's coffee mugs were fair game. No obviously not OK to use another person's mug.

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