Laptops, desktops, iPads - in this day and age, we have more cables than we know what to do with! Without organisation, those cords will soon get tangled, leaving your house looking messy and your mind feeling frazzled.
If your home is being taken over by wild wires, it's time to act! Learn how to organise your wires and keep them that way today with our selection of DIY cable organizers - they'll change your life!
1. How to hide an extension lead
Extension leads may be convenient, but they're not the prettiest of things.
Get the benefits of an extension lead, without the mess with a DIY cable organiser. All you need is a pretty cardboard storage box and some sharp scissors - just make sure it's big enough to house your extension lead.
Cut wide slits down the centre of each end, and pop your extension lead inside. Feed your cables through each end, and voilà - a neat and tidy way to keep all those wires tidy.
2. How to keep your wires tidy
If it's not so much organisation, but tidying your cables are in need of, we have just the thing.
When cables are left to their own devices, they unravel all over the place, becoming tangled and twisted in the process.
Agustina came up with the easiest solution ever, that also happens to be super pretty - DIY cable ties using ribbon and wire. They'll keep your wires neat and orderly so you can say goodbye to time spent untangling!
3. Tidy your cables with an over-the-door shoe organiser
We love shoe organisers here at Expert Home Tips. They're handy for tidying almost everything, including your countless cables.
Pop one over the back of a cupboard or office door, and you'll be able to stash all your chargers and other electricals inside.
TOP TIP: Why not label each pocket to make things even easier? Cables don't get much tidier than this!
4. DIY cable tidy
If it's transportable cable storage you're in need of, check this out.
Vicky Myers Creations' Fabric Cable Tidy is a wonderful way to keep phone, camera and tablet chargers neat and organised.
This is a lovely little craft project, requiring only very simple sewing skills. If you want a cute DIY cable organiser that's easily transportable for holidays and the like, this is it!
5. The cheapest DIY cable organiser ever
Organising your cables needn't be complicated, something Darkroom & Dearly has showcased with her DIY cable organiser, made from a simple shoe box and some cardboard.
This simple solution is ideal for chargers and cables both big and small. It's pretty, it's practical and cost just a few pennies - what more could you want?
6. Cable wall stickers
In an ideal world, we'd hide all our wires from the world. However, this is easier said than done, and keeping all of your cables completely out of sight is almost impossible.
Chargers are one thing, but for cables that run down the wall, such as those powering your TV or laptop, options are much more limited.
You may not be able to hide your cables, but you can improve the way they look. These Leaf Cable Stickers will keep your wires from flailing around all over the place, and we think they look pretty cute too.
These would be great in a kids room, the kitchen, or even in the office.
7. Hanging phone charging station
How many mobile phones are there in your home? Two? Four? more?
All those mobiles can lead to lots of chargers being left around, messying up your kitchen and living room.
The answer? A designated charging station.
Positively Splendid has solved the problem of charging with her DIY Fabric Phone Charging Station.
This clever little sewing project will give your family no excuses to leave their phones charging willy-nilly around your tidy home.
8. Binder clips
Got a few binder clips hanging around? It's time to put them to good use!
Binder clips are all you need to keep chargers at your desk easily reachable, identifiable and neatly organised.
Count out the number of wires you have, and attach the same number of binder clips onto the side of your desk. Thread the wires through the metal ring to keep them in place.
You can choose to label the tops of the binder clips to make your DIY cable organiser even more effective.
9. DIY Charging station
How many electrical devices do you own? With cameras, iPads tablets and more to charge, every socket in your house will be in use!
How about charging everything in one place?
A DIY charging station will truly transform the way you charge by keeping all your chargers in one box. With individual holes for each device, you'll never have to waste time searching for your chargers again!
Learn how to make yours in the video above.
10. Washi tape labels
If you spend to much time trying to distinguish one wire from the other, Washi tape's what you need.
Last on our list of cable organisation ideas is Washi tape labels.
Washi tape is a traditional Japenese paper. Whilst it sticks like tape, you can customise it like paper, making it an ideal tool for cable organisation.
To use, simply write the name of the cable on the tape, and fasten it around the wire. Cut, and repeat with the remaining cables.
We hope our selection of cable organisers have been helpful. How to you prevent wires from ruling your home? Let us know in the comments below!
CANT WAIT TO START USING SOME OF THESE
We hope you love them!
Hi Stephanie, for the cables on my computer desk, I use a length of foam pipe lagging. Because it is already split lengthwise, I can have each cable emerging from a different point according to where its associated device is. The lagging then tucks at the back of my desk, it keeps the cables tidy and (mostly) keeps them from tangling as cables are prone to doing (I sometimes think they have minds of their own!). When I need to replace the cables, say because I've changed a device, I simply pull the cable out via the split in the lagging and feed the new cable in, again via the split, if pulling out a cable also pulls out others (because, despite my best efforts they have tangled) then, reseating them is no real problem. As to Washi tape, I use short lengths of ordinary masking tape and a permanent marker, I find this to be very effective and VERY cheap, of course, the masking tape gets worn and grubby over time but it's so cheap and easy to replace that is not a consideration. You can not only wrap the tape over your cables, as in the illlustration of the Washi tape, but can also use some to label plugs, with the same proviso regarding wear and tear. Thanks for all your efforts in gathering heaps of useful tips - and passing them on!!
Hi Donatello46! Foam pipe lagging sounds like a genius solution. We love a money-saving tip around here. Thanks for getting in touch!
THERE IS A GOD ! I was wondering how I co Utd deal with all the wires I have... thank you
Hi Victoria, we're glad you found the solutions you've been needing!
Good Morning, Lovely ideas, but hubby is an electrician and said, putting extension leads or power cables in boxes or pouches is highly dangerous because of the heat that can build up and is a fire risk. Regards, Julie
Hi Julie! Thanks for getting in touch and we're glad you love the ideas. We take safety very seriously so thank you for letting us know. If anyone does attempt these, we'd suggest turning electronic devices off at the wall when not in use and to not leave them unattended.
I agree it's a safety issue. However, the issue could be largely mitigated by creating a small hole on the top surface, and on the opposite side, a small hole close to the bottom. There are a few other / air flow variables, but I think you could make this vent its own heat fairly easily.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for all the clever ideas for keeping wires and chargers tidy.
You're welcome Tracey!
when transporting cables for holidays etc I loosely fold mine and place in a flattened toilet roll inner - saves them getting tangled during transportation
That's a great idea! Storing your cables in a flattened toilet roll inner can help keep them organized and prevent tangling during transportation. It's a simple and effective way to protect your cables from damage and save you time and frustration when you reach your destination. You may also want to consider investing in a cable organizer or case to keep your cables tidy and protected during travel.
Great ideas here! Thanks for sharing ?
We're so glad you enjoyed them!