Whether you work from home full time, or you maintain a home office to work that side hustle, you know how paramount organization is. Today, our desks often have multiple devices, printers, speaker systems, desk décor, and all the accessories that come with the computer like mouse and keyboard. It’s easy to make a mess of all this. But don’t worry. We’ve got you covered in one area: wire and cable management
Life is crazy enough as it is. You don’t need tangled wires to push you over the edge. Here are a few tips to help you focus your life and make your way to a tangle-free workspace so you can focus on doing whatever it is you do best.
Go Wireless
Out of sight, out of mind, right? The first thing we suggest is looking into cord-cutting. There is a plethora of wireless devices available online and at electronics retailers. Many of these options are high quality and uber expensive, and others are affordable while still getting the job done. So there’s something for everyone. Take a look at Bluetooth keyboard, mouse and speakers for a start.
(Featured above is this writer’s favorite wireless keyboard, the Logitech K750. Not only is it cord-free, it’s solar-powered. So, no batteries either! Buy it here. )
Stay On Track
There are so many options of great gear out there. Our next suggestion is to look for gear that’s specialized. Let’s start with the desk itself, one of the most underrated pieces of furniture ever. You can get desks in all shapes and sizes, but for an extra step toward organizational nirvana, look for a desk that features cable management helps like cable slots and punchouts that are built in.
Hidden Power
Adding to what we just talked about, many desks feature concealed power strips on the underside or on the back of the panels. This is a great way to keep your foot space from being overloaded with cable spaghetti. Nobody wants power cords in their toes when they’re just trying to get that assignment done late at night. Here's the under desk power strip featured above.
Stop Desk Diving
Cable clips are a great option if you use a laptop or anything else that you need to move around. People are more flexible and adaptable these days, and with the quarantine years upon us, companies have learned to do the same. If you’re one of those swiss-army knives who does some work from home and some from the office, try cable clips. Each time you’re transferring your laptop from place to place it will be easy as pie to get plugged in. You won’t be ducking your head under your desk to find the HDMI hookup, even if you’re certain “it was right here!”
Cover Your Bases
One great way to organize cords that have to run along the floor is to use cable covers. They come in a variety of colors, materials and price levels, so you’re not going to break the bank or the feng shui in your home. Plus, these can usually be delivered lightning quick from our favorite online delivery service Amazon, so you can buy more whenever you need. Check out the ones in the above image here.
Power Up
Try a centralized dock to charge all your devices in one place. There are a lot of wireless charging options nowadays, so if your phone and smart watch charge that way, don’t fret. As with basically everything on Amazon, there are expensive and cheap options so you can find whatever works for your desk but doesn’t fry the wallet.
Accessories on Accessories
A lot of cable looks alike! Take the time to label what goes where, and the next time your little brother plugs his XBOX into your spare monitor, it will be an easy switch to get back to where you had it. You can buy cute little colored labels, or just use a little bit of colored tape. Some people might even go the extra mile and add a QR code to the label with a link to buy a replacement should it ever wear out. Another great tool are cable wraps. These are extremely cheap and can be picked up in any shape or color on, you guess it, Amazon.
Wear Long Sleeves
Cable sleeves are another great way to clean up your space without spending more than a few dollars. And if you’ve got a favorite, minimalist desk in a classic style, you might not have the option for hidden power strips or cable slots. That’s ok! Just wrap your cords in a sleek black cable sleeve, cut it to length, and you’re good to go. The satisfaction of wrapping them all together will have you smiling before you’ve even done a minute of work.
Regardless of your career path or situation in life, you need ways to stay organized. Our modern lives are simply too complicated. We don’t have time for messing around. Hopefully these tips have given you some good ideas! Is there anything we missed? Let us know!
