Cable Organization – Contain the mess!

After spending too long detangling cords and searching for the right one I knew I had to do something about it. There was also that time when a critical printer cable got tossed because we didn’t know what piece of equipment it went too.

How to organize your cords and cables

1. Gather all your cords and go through them and throw out any that you don’t need. I had a million phone cords and ethernet cables. I have no phone line and have been wireless for years.
2. Use a label maker to label cords that go to specific equipment such as cameras, DVD players, etc. In the future do this whenever a new electronic device comes into your home. We once tossed a critical printer cable

   

3. Wrap all your cables so they don’t get tangled. You can use twist-ties, zip ties or even zip lock bags. There are a few tie wraps that I prefer:
   • Zip ties – These are cheap and sturdy. The downside is you need scissors to cut off the tie and it’s not reusable.
   • Reusable Rubber Ties – these are my favorite and I have them in several sizes. I use them both in my office and the garage.
   • Reusable velcro cable ties – these are great because they’re reusable and work great when you need a strong tie such as for extension cords.

     

4. Purchase a multi-drawer organizer (or even better if you can find one around the house) that you will use to store your cable
5. Divide your cords and cables into categories. Create a label for each drawer and add cords.
6. optional – add a basket to the top for something you use often – for us this is USB cubes and phone battery backups.

Love organizing projects? You may enjoy these

• 10 Steps for Organizing Your Fridge
• K-cup Coffee and Tea Organization
• Turning a Hallway into a Mudroom
• How to organize your important documents including passports, birth certificates and marriage licenses

Why do I love organizing projects so much?

1. Save time locating your stuff
2. Saves money because you don’t purchase duplicates
3. Helps to work towards minimization because it makes it easy to find what you should get rid of (like cables for electronics you no longer own or duplicates)