Have you ever thought you were plugging something in, like the toaster, only to realize it was the coffee pot? Or you went to unplug your lamp, but it turned off the alarm clock?
Without fail, cords seem to always get tangled and confused. And these days, with so many electronics, we have more and more cords to keep track of.
It can be so frustrating to try and guess which cord belongs to which device. Keeping them all organized may seem impossible, but it can actually be done easily, and with items that you already have around the house.
If it seems like your cords get mixed up and in the way often, try some of these simple and inexpensive solutions.
1. Put a labeled bread clip around each cord.
These little plastic clips always seem to be on hand. They come on almost every loaf of bread and package of buns you get from the store (unless it’s one with a twist tie).
Though small, bread clips can work wonders for telling cords apart. And it only takes a couple of seconds to label and put them on.
2. Keep all of your old cords and chargers in a divided storage box.
You can pick up affordable divided storage boxes from places like Amazon, Target, or even Walmart. Or if you have a crafty side – you can just make your own from a shoebox (as pictured – instructions here).
3. Separate cords with binder clips.
Binder clips are good for more than just holding together huge stacks of paperwork. They also work great for keeping your cords off the ground, and apart from one another.
Simply attach a few to the side of your desk, and weave your cords through the fold-back loops (as pictured above). And Voila! Your cords should stay separated, and easy to reach.
Large clips usually work just fine, but you can even use jumbo ones for bigger chargers.
4. Store cords inside toilet paper rolls.
Instead of tossing the cardboard tubes away after your TP is all out, you can still use them for plenty of great DIY projects – like keeping your chargers organized.
Try gluing (or taping) the rolls upright to the bottom of a plastic storage box, side-by-side. This will make nice and secure compartments where you can store your chargers, without having to worry that they’ll roll around and fall out again.
5. Or keep cords inside of old cassette tape cases.
These days, most people just get their music as cloud downloads on their phones or music devices. But back in the day, cassettes (and records, of course) were the best way to listen to your favorite albums.
If you still happen to have some empty cassette boxes lying around, you can definitely put them to good use again. They will easily fit small cords and headphones, or any other tiny items lying around your desk.
6. Get a Cordie Cable Organizer.
Okay, so you may not always want to have to craft something out of old household items to keep your cords organized. But this small desktop accessory is a nice, inexpensive option that can do the dividing for you, and will keep your chargers from sliding off the desk.
Find them on Amazon here.
7. Keep cords inside tins.
Both washed-out food containers and cute vintage tins from antique shops are perfect for storing cords and chargers that aren’t in use.
And once you’ve filled a few of them up, you can put them all together in one large storage box, and label the lids for easy access.
8. Color code cords with stickers, tape, twist ties, etc.
Tried and true, color coding things has always been a reliable way to stay organized. To make it even easier on yourself, you can also label them along with the color coordination, so you don’t forget later on which one was supposed to be “purple”.
Have you tried any of these methods? How do you keep your cables and cords organized?
