Cable Organization
I want to talk about the tangled mess of cables under our desks and behind our TVs. Do you see a mess there? When you need to add or take away a component, is it frustrating to have to find the right cable? Is it an eye-sore?
Well, here are a few simple steps to organize that mess and make it safer and easier to access.
Supplies needed: Some Velcro ties or zip ties (can be found at your local hardware store), a good power strip, and something to label with (can use bread bag clasps, label-maker, or you can buy fancy tags specifically for this task.)
1. First you want to get rid of any cables that are not connected. If you find that either end of a cable is not connected, just pull it out and get rid of it. Put it in your electronics recycling bin to take to e-waste.
2. Plug in a good power strip that has a surge protector. It is better to have all your items plugged into a strip than trying to connect them all to the wall outlet. You can get strips that curve or attach to a wall, or even where the plugs come out from the sides. Be sure to get a strip with the right number of outlets, plus one or two extra for the future.
3. Get rid of the excess length. Many of the wires in your bundle are probably way too long. Pick the wires where there is excess and wind each of them up (leaving a little extra) and secure with a Velcro tie or a zip tie.
4. Identify. I like to go the extra step and tag both ends of each cable so that you know which unit they connect. You can attach a label that just has the same color at both ends, or actually write the name of the component on each end of the wire (or at least at the wall or power-strip end). It is really great to have these labels when it is time to unplug something!
5. Finally, work to see if there is a way to get these cables off the floor. You can use a rack attached to the underside of your desk to corral all the cables, or even a box or basket for a power-strip to hide all the cables and make the area look neater. I like this cable corral from Cable Organizer. Small cup hooks on the back of a unit can work well to hang coils of wire also.
You are done! Easier to access, easier to clean around, and it looks so great! |
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Before and After
Cords
Before
I shared these photos last year, but it seemed appropriate to show these with this issue. This “before” photo is underneath a typical desk with a computer, networking, and printers.
After
In this office I used a cable basket that hooks up underneath the desk and houses the power strip and allows coils of cords to hang from the sides. This creates a much cleaner look under the desk, and prevents cords from getting kicked or pulled by accident.
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Cari's Tech Favorites
PaperKarma
PaperKarma is an app for your iPhone that makes it very easy to unsubscribe from unwanted mailing lists. If you receive mail addressed to you that you don't want, simply take a photo of it on your iPhone, and PaperKarma will unsubscribe you. It is that easy. It is free, so try it today! |
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Hide those ugly cables!
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Cari's Product Favorites
CableBox
When your cords are somewhere in view, I like to use a box like this to hide everything. This box fits your power strip and all the cables attached to it along with their excess bundles. This costs $30 from The Container Store. |
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About Cari:
Cari is a Residential Professional Organizer and Personal Photo Organizer in the NE Areas of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. Cari specializes in organizing home offices and photos. Cari also provides Daily Money Manager services.
Do you have digital photos that need organizing? Ask about our remote digital photo organizing services.
Cari also offers maintenance services to help you keep your home office in shape, and your papers up to date. Weekly, monthly or even quarterly sessions will help keep your paper life and bills under control.
You can find more information about Cari and her services on our website: Cari's Custom Organizing |
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