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Cable organization ideas

The spaghetti-like tangle of disorganized cords behind your TV or under your desk could be scarier than your Halloween decorations. Tame that frightening mess with these easy ideas.

Hide them.
Tuck your power strip inside something decorative, such as an inexpensive cardboard photo box from your local craft store. Cut holes in the side for cords (and for proper ventilation!) and you’re set.

Or, look for a ribbon box, which already has holes in the side, to make a perfect charging station. This one was featured on allyou.com.

ribbon box_AllYoudotcom

Label them.
Save the plastic tags from your baked goods and re-use them to label your cords. Theses sturdy tags make it easy to tell what’s plugged in, and where.

bread bag tags 2_Apartment Therapy

Image: Apartment Therapy

Alternatively, wrap a strip of masking tape or Washi tape around the cord, but leave a little extra to make a “flag” to write on.

How-to-Organize-and-Label-Cords

Image: The Chic Site

Even better? Wrap the plastic bread tags with Washi tape and then you have cute and removable tags.


Control them.

Use cord clips to tuck your cords along the wall or trim. These keep cords in check and make them less noticeable. Popular clip choices include the Command™ brand round, as seen on the Fox Hollow Cottage blog (image below), and flat varieties and Wiremold brand cable raceway.

26.-After-3.-Close-up.-Flat-Cord-Clips-in-action.-794x1230

Another way to tame those computer cords is to hang a small wire basket (big enough to hold a power strip) under your desk. It will not only keep the electrical hub off your floor, it also holds all the bulky cords up and out of sight.

under desk basket_Lifehacker

Image: Lifehacker

 

Store them.
When you’re not using a specific cord, having a system in place to store it will help prevent a jumbled mess. If you can sew and have a few scraps around, you can whip up this cord keeper in no time flat.

cord keeper_leafytreetopspotblog

If you’re not that handy, pick up some Velcro reusable ties or some Q Knot Cable Ties to keep your cords in order.

Once they’re all wrapped up, take your cable organization a step further and find a box and sort by type. I Heart Organizing took it to the next level with fancy dividers.

OrganizingCords10_IheartOrganizing

But you could make something similar—if slightly less sexy—using this instructable which uses a shoe box and toilet paper tubes.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

For these and more awesome ideas, check out our Life Hacks board on Pinterest!

 

 

About Missy Kellor

Missy works on the Corporate Communications team and reports stories to TDS employees and customers. This is right up her alley because she’s an extrovert and also a big fan of research (really, she’ll look up just about anything that strikes her interest). Missy is a native of Madison, Wis. with an undergraduate in Anthropology and a master’s degree in Life Sciences Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her interest in the Internet as a mass media shaped her work towards a PhD in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s also worked as an editorial assistant, copywriter, and production artist. In her off hours, Missy is a crafter, Pinterest addict, reader, wife, and mom of two kids.

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2 Responses to Cable organization ideas

  1. Pat November 26, 2015 at 12:02 am #

    Love the ideas about hiding the messy cords and plugs!

    • Missy Kellor December 1, 2015 at 9:42 am #

      So glad you found them helpful!

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