Best Tips for Managing your Cables

One of the most frustrating things about technology is the clutter that power cords and cables can create. The presence of messy cables is not only unsightly, but can also be hazardous. With more people working from a home office, setting up high-quality home theaters and otherwise using their living spaces for tasks or activities that were once only available outside the home, most people are living with more cables in their lives. That’s why it’s important to learn and employ some easy and effective cable management techniques.

Finding the right cable organizer options for you

Whether it’s for a home theater, home office, garage or even your kitchen, you’ve probably experienced the stress of cluttered cables. Luckily, there are many options for organizing and concealing cables that are not only easy to install, but effective.

Why is cable management so important?

There are really good reasons to address cable clutter and how to deal with it. Apart from how unappealing a floor full of messy cables and wires can look, it can also present a few hazards that you’ll want to prevent:

Tripping hazards

One possibility is that the cords may become a tripping hazard. Pets, children and even adults can find their legs and feet tangled in piles of cables, even ones that seem pushed out of the way. Tripping over cables can cause the device it’s connected with to fall, risking breakage or injury.

Risking electric shock

Cables can also be tempting for some pets to chew on, which is dangerous because of the risk of electrical shock. Well-organized cables can be kept safely out of reach.

Risk of fire

Speaking of electrical shock, messy cables can also create an electrical fire hazard. The cables can overheat and spark a flame when they’re bunched up and subject to crowding, twisting, bending and other unsafe positioning.

Increased stress

On top of the safety hazards, messy cables can burden your workday and contribute to stress—extra clutter can create anxiety, distractions and reduce productivity. Plus, cleaning areas where cables are located is more challenging when you have to reach through and around jumbled wires and cords to sweep, dust or vacuum.

Tips and tricks to organize and hide cables

Different rooms of your house might benefit from different methods to hide wires for electrical devices and appliances. For example, a home office may have options for desk cable management built into the desk, in which case bundling the cords together might be the best solution. On the other hand, you might want to be able to completely conceal cables in a main room of your house, such as the living room. Here are some suggestions:

Managing TV cables in a living room or home theater

For a space that gets a lot of foot traffic or that you’ll spend a lot of your down time relaxing in, it’s not just important to keep cables organized. You’ll likely also want to use a cable concealer to hide TV wires so they’re out of sight. For hiding cables, there are options such as a cord cover that conceals them against a wall, or a cable organizer box. You’ll need to make sure you can still access the power cords in case you need to swap out or add devices, but this method is most ideal when you don’t plan to move the TV or home theater setup around, since the cord hider will be installed against a wall. Some cables, such as audio and speaker cables, are even safe for installing inside of your walls for near-total concealment.

Some other things to consider include opting for devices that have fewer cords, use Bluetooth connectivity or have cables that can be more easily concealed. One great option is a projector setup that installs in the ceiling, with a pull-down screen, rather than a traditional television. Projector setups often involve fewer cables running to and from the device and create a simplified, slightly more theatrical way to enjoy watching movies and shows just as you would on a regular TV.

Organizing cables in a home office

If you use a home office, you might struggle with having more cables than you’d like to deal with. Some people work in occupations requiring numerous pieces of electronic equipment, like multiple monitors, computer docking stations, laptops, hard drives, charging stations and other devices. Your desk might even require plugging into a power source if it’s a motorized standing desk. The cable situation in a home office can get out of control easily the more that you have to power your workspace. This is where working with a cable organizer is key. You might be less concerned with hiding cables in an office space, but keeping them tidy is important, especially if you’ll be taking pieces of equipment away with you regularly.

Cable management goes beyond staying organized

A surge protector is a necessary hub for plugging all of your cables in, as it will help keep the power stable and prevent electrical spikes that can damage your electronics when you have multiple devices plugged in. From there, you can organize the cables according to your setup. You might feed them through cable holes that many computer desks come with. Other desks provide built-in cable storage and organizing devices that allow you to wrap the cables and place them in one area. Again, using cord organizers that bundle them together in a loop are a great option to help keep them contained.

Other rooms and spaces can benefit from these methods, too. Figuring out what your goals and needs are is the first step. For instance, unplugging and storing appliances when not in use is not only a way to keep cable clutter away, but it’s more eco-friendly to unplug electronics when they’re not in use. This might work for a kitchen or a garage, but not necessarily in a home office or TV watching area. You might also decide to cut down on electronics altogether in a bedroom to practice good sleep hygiene and keep the space separate from your digital life.

Cable management is easier than ever

Regardless of your level of technology, every room in your home most likely has some form of electronic devices that use power cords. As a result, there are more options for organizing cables than ever before. Whether you’re looking for simple cable management ideas or hoping to hide your wires altogether, the methods are largely accessible, affordable and easy to do yourself to create the living space you want.