Cable Management Ideas You Didn’t Know You Needed

Cables can be a mess. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do to make your working area neater. 

Here are some cable management ideas which will save you quite a few headaches.

Why Should You Have Good Cable Management?

But why bother?

Why can’t you just let your wires run across the floor in disarray?

First of all: tidiness.

Organizing all your cables will do wonders for your personal space. It will make your home or workspace look significantly cleaner, better organized, and more professional.

But maybe you don’t care about looking tidy. That’s fine.

Having good cable management tools is great for practical reasons too. 

Fewer wires running around means a safer environment, especially if you have kids or pets. It also prolongs the lifespan of your cables! Loose cords that can be stepped on or bent easily don’t last as long as well-preserved ones.

Easy Cable Management Ideas

What can you do to keep your cables tidy?

Here, we are going to go over some of the most practical cable management methods. We’ll look at some DIY ideas that use everyday supplies as well as some special products you can buy.

Zip Ties and Cable Clips

We’ll start with the most obvious choice for most.

Self-adhesive cable clips can stick onto most flat surfaces, including walls and ceilings. You can then clip your cables in to keep them secure. If you need to attach something simple like an Ethernet cable, these are your best bet.

Zip ties, on the other hand, can be used for several cables at once.

Whenever you have a collection of wires running from one place to another, here is what you can do. Wrap a zip tie around all of them to secure them in place. Then, separate each individual cable with an additional zip tie parallel to the other cables by attaching them to the first zip tie that holds the entire bundle of cables.

When it comes to affordable and intuitive wire management ideas, cable clips and zip ties can do the trick.

Bluelounge CableBox

Here is a more elegant solution.

Bluelounge’s CableBox is ideal for the cables running under your desk. The CableBox is just that - a box for your powerstrip, with openings at both ends for your wires. Instead of having multiple cables tangling at your feet, they are all contained in a single neat box.

One drawback is its price, which may be too high for some. It also cannot be mounted on walls.

But for around $35, it’s an easy way to conceal cables.

Sendowtek Bamboo Charging Station

Need some cord management ideas for your mobile devices?

The Sendowtek Bamboo Charging Station is designed exactly for that. It’s an intricate wooden holder for all your devices, including phones, tablets, smartwatches, and AirPods. Your cables plug into the back of the box and are kept neat and tidy.

So yeah, it may look like just a slab of wood.

But it’s far more than that.

The charging station is great if you own many smart devices. Those who only own a phone, however, may not get much use out of it. Keep in mind also that the wireless headphones built-in charger only works with AirPods.

Duct Tape

Look - if it works, it works, right?

As far as cord clutter solutions go, this is as basic and as cost-effective as you can get. Bust out your trusty duct tape roll and secure those cables however you see fit. If you’re feeling crafty, you can combine it with zip ties for extra security.

The drawbacks?

Well, it’s duct tape.

It obviously won’t look very good, let’s be honest. You’re sacrificing aesthetics for cost. But if you want risk-free cable management, don’t write it off.

Dotz Cord Identifiers

I think most of us are familiar with the following scenario:

A whole bunch of cables going in and out of countless devices, and you have no clue which is which. Even if your wires are neatly arranged, they can still be confusing.

You need labels.

That’s exactly what Dotz Cord Identifiers are. They are small color-coded cable management tools that attach to your cords and help you identify them at a glance.

They’re affordable, they stand out, and they clip onto nearly any cable.

The bad news is they won’t help you with messy cable arrangements. But they’ll do wonders for your troubleshooting and workflow.

Cable Sleeve

Cable sleeves bundle all your cords into one confined fabric tube.

They’re quite effective. If you need to take out or add a cable, you just unzip the sleeve. It’s affordable, hassle-free, and versatile.

The drawbacks are that they’re kind of an eyesore. Plus, you can’t mount them on walls without additional tools.

Toilet Paper Rolls

Here are some neat cord organizer ideas you may not have thought of.

I know toilet paper rolls may sound crude as tools for cable management, but here is the thing. Do you have one of those drawers full of old cables running loose and getting tangled up? Separate them, wrap them up, then tuck them into toilet paper rolls.

That way, everything is organized.

You can even put labels on them if you have lots of cables. It’s convenient and costs zero dollars.

Evriholder Cable Zipper Cord Organizer Kit

At first glance, the Evriholder cable organizer looks like a fancy sleeve.

To an extent, that’s what it is.

But this is a specialized sleeve designed to be extra flexible and durable for the best cable management results. And while it is more expensive, it looks way cooler than an average cable sleeve.

Stick-On Wall Hooks

You probably have a few of those around your house already.

But have you thought of using them for managing your cords?

There are a few ways you can make this work. You can use them to secure long cables running along the length of your space. Or you can make an impromptu organizer for cables that you use frequently.

Are they as good as other dedicated cord solutions? No, but they’re cheap, versatile, and you likely have some handy already.

PZOZ Cable Clips

If you work at your desk a lot, this next gadget is phenomenal.

The PZOZ Cable Clips are special cord organizers that attach to your desk. They give you quick and easy access to your phone or laptop charger, as well as other cables you might need. One of them can hold eleven cables at once, keeping everything within arm’s reach.

Not only is it super convenient, it’s also inexpensive.

Wrap Up

While we all know the pain of dealing with too many wires, there are plenty of solutions around. You can resort to either inexpensive or free DIY cord management ideas, or purchase dedicated tools.

Now, none of them are completely perfect.

But if you try at least some of them, I promise your life will be much easier. Scout your options and see what works.