The more gadgets and appliances we have, the more convenient life gets. But the clutter that comes with the cables of these gadgets can be pretty vexing at times.
From TV, satellite boxes, soundbars, table lamps to phones, tablets, and computers, we have to handle so many of their cords. You place them nicely and after few hours, they are magically again messed up. So we usually give up on organizing them and let them be. If you are here, it means you have finally decided to not push your messy cables under the table anymore and get rid of that problem for good.
In this article, we will introduce you to some cable organizers and tips to bring your cables in line. Different methods work for different areas and types of cables. You can choose the ones that suit your chord usage.
Page Contents
Types of Cable Organizers You Can Purchase
1. Zip Ties
Source: pinterest.com
To hold your cables together with zip ties is one of the quickest method for organizing your cables. You just have to straighten the cables in a bunch and bind them with the zip tie. They won’t get out of their way again. If the cables are of unequal lengths, you will have to make a loop of the longer cables 2-3 times and include it all in the bunch.
Zip ties work only for cables that are used in their particular space and not moved often. If you have to move any cable, you’ll have to cut the tie. Don’t worry about the cost as you get a lot of them together at a pocket-friendly price.
2. Cable Management Box
There are wide range of cable management boxes available on Amazon. In these boxes, you put your power strips and all the chargers. There is a small space from where all the charging pins or connectors are put out to charge your devices.
Cable management boxes are one the best method to hide messy cables and adopters’ cables to maintain the aesthetics of your room. You can find cable management products on Specs Talk. If you are low on budget, similar charging stations can be made at home as we will discuss below in the DIY methods to manage cables.
3. Velcro Ties
Velcro ties can be a good replacement for Zip ties and these have more functions. If you want to assemble your chords like earphones, chargers, aux cables, etc., you can easily store them by binding them with Velcro ties. Unlike the Zip ties, Velcro ties are reusable and you don’t have to cut them to free the cable. These ties are also used by travelers especially photo-video creators for organizing their cables and transport them easily.
4. Cable Management Sleeves
Source: amazon.com
Zip ties and Velcro ties only bind the cables together but what if you don’t want the bunch of wires to spoil the decorum of your room? Cable management sleeves hold all your cables and hide them from your sight. You can always place the sleeve full of wires in a corner and it doesn’t look bad. These sleeves are also useful if you want to save your cables from pets and small kids at home.
5. Power Strips Or Surge Protectors
Power Strips are not exactly cable organizers but they sure do keep your cables in place. Cables with their ends in the socket rarely get tangled and do not get misplaced. Power strips also allow you to set up your wires behind the table or at a specific corner in the room. We have mentioned a better cable management option using the power strips or surge protectors at the end.
Remember just buying a power strip and not taking any steps yourself to organize cables will only add one more gadget to your stock and the mess only increases.
6. Electronic Organizer Bags
These are the bags that have dedicated elastic-bound spaces for keeping charging and data cables. Most of them also come with mesh pockets to keep your pen drives, phone, tablet etc. They are perfect for your business travels or shoots where you have to use a lot of accessories.
7. Cord organizers for Earphones
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
If you travel frequently with earphones, most of the time you have to keep them in the pocket you know what happens next. These small cord organizers come in handy in such situations and save you a lot of time. There are different varieties of cord organizers for earphones ranging from small board structures for wrapping up to round carriers for making loops.
8. Cord Staples
For dealing with 1 or 2 hanging chords, the easiest way would be to install some cord staples on your walls or desk. They are more like a permanent solution and might not turn out very friendly for your walls. But your chords won’t be stuck anywhere after using them.
We hope the above-discussed cable organizers will make save your time and make your day productive. Few organizers are also recommended by CNET.
Best Way To Manage Cables At your Work Desk Using A Power Strip
If you have a power strip or surge protector, organizing cables can’t get easier than this for you. Follow these steps so next time you need a cable, you don’t have to go for a treasure hunt.
- Find a suitable place for your power strip. The place should be on some height so that your cables are not lying on the floor.
- We would advise you to mount it on your desk or on the wall below or beside your desk. If your power strip doesn’t support mounting, find a way to place it permanently so that it doesn’t move if you unplug your devices. You can use adhesives, strong glue or tape, or an industrial alternative to 3M tapes.
- Use the Zip ties or Velcro ties to make loops of the cables. Only keep the length that is sufficient to reach the power strip.
- After tying the cables, you can also use cord hangers or cord holders below your desk for more efficient organization.
Tips To Organize your Cables Using DIY Methods
Source: thespruce.com
“Go wireless” has been my favorite tip when I hear people ranting about messy cables. But what to do with cables you are using and can’t find an alternative for right now? Here are some DIY methods to organize your cables and use your favorite gadgets without having to fight with its cables first.
- If there are more than 8-10 cables, label them with their appliances’ names before using the cable organizers mentioned above. Labeling prevents you from plugging and unplugging the wrong devices accidentally.
- Use a box with different compartments for storing the cable. But do not forget to tie them neatly with velcro ties otherwise they will get tangles badly. You can also use DIY ties like raffia ribbons.
- The DIY charging stations are very popular among DIY enthusiasts for making a dedicated space for their cables. You have to place your power strip inside a box with all the chargers plugged. Then through multiple holes in the box, the charging cables can be accessed. You can label the holes for more convenience.
- You can create a cord holding rack by hammering or screwing long nails on the wall or a wooden board.
- A lot of people use the toilet paper rolls that are waste now. You can make a loop of your cables and place the cables inside.
- Cable hangers for holding different connectors can be made with different types of objects like paper-holding clips or rubber foams. You have to stick the foam on the wall and cut it at several places. When you put the cords on them, they won’t fall.
Conclusion
Organizing your cables efficiently makes your room look tidier and spacious. It also allows you to find the right connector quickly when in need. Tying and shortening cable length is the quickest way to arrange them. But that isn’t a permanent solution for the crises these cables bring to your work desk or floor.
