Top 7 Ways to Get Cables Under Control

How cords and cables can get themselves into so many knots and create such a mess is one of the great mysteries of mankind. Many times I have plugged a device in and neatly tucked the cord behind the desk, only to return and find that it has somehow recreated a ship knot from the 17th century. Well, it’s time to take a stand. I’ve put together this quick tip sheet on how to clean up those rebellious cables. For a more in-depth look you can check out Office Cabling: A Small Business Guide.

  1. Hide the Cords

Although using foam pipe insulation or a cardboard roll is an easy way to hide the cables, it won’t technically stop them from being tangled. But hey, at least you won’t have to look at it.

  • A foam pipe liner can be sliced down its length for easy cable entrance/exit
  • A PVC pipe with a little DIY work can be a great cable holder that doesn’t stick out too much from room decorations.
  1. Binder Clips are Your Friends

A well-placed binder clip can do wonders for organization. Strategically clip cords to the back of your desk or to a support leg can ensure they don’t go rogue.

  1. Use a piece of Pegboard

Using zip ties or cable wire, mount your cords and external devices to a peg board. This will ensure a nice clean location for all your cords to meet. There are plenty of examples of this being pulled off expertly.

  1. Label Your Plugs

Simply using a labeling system for your plugs can go a long way. Add a little picture or letter in sharpie to your plug, that way when it is plugged in you know exactly where that cord is ending. This is the type of time saver you can’t imagine being useful until it is.

  1. Create a charging station

Color coded cable ties. Simply using a different color for different types of devices when you tie them apart can also come in handy when you eventually need to separate them. Even if you are just throwing all your cords into the same drawer for storage, wrap em and throw a colored or labeled piece of tape around it.

  1. Do You Still Own a Cassette Case?

If you’re like me, you probably still have a few old cassette tape cases hidden behind, under, or in the back of some long forgotten area of your home. Well, they have a use again. Those clear plastic cases make great homes for your smaller cords (earphones and the like) when not in use. Go fish some out of the nether and dust ‘em off. It’s their time to shine again.

  1. Go wireless When You Can

I mean what year do you think it is?! Seriously, though, there are a number of cordless options for a number of devices these days. I wouldn’t recommend it for everything, but if it’s something that you can go cordless without sacrificing lots of money or transfer speed, I’d go for it.