How to Take Control of Runaway Cables

How many times have you looked at someone’s desk (maybe even your own) and seen something that looked a lot like illustrator and New York Times blogger Christoph Niemann’s recent post? When you have to plug in computers, monitors, printers, routers, and who knows what else to a power outlet, you’re not only putting yourself at risk of an electrical fire, but you’re building a mass of wires that can make the most minimal desk look like a mess.

There are a few solutions to wrangling loose cords into an organized arrangement. I myself have fallen in love with adhesive Velcro tape. Say what? Yes, this sticky crafting tool can be very handy in your home office.

I first affix one side of the tape (let’s make it the hook side) to the back of a power strip and place the other side (the loops) on the underside of my table, at the rear. I can then fasten my power strip onto the underside of my desk and off the ground.

I then use Velcro cable ties to bundle excess cables. Stick a long section of the hook adhesive behind the power strip and — voilá — your cords are fastened to the desk and dangling wires are forever banished from the home office.

For those who’d rather use a single-product solution, there are a few companies that try to get a handle on your cords. Belkin offers the Conceal Surge Protector for $50. It works like a power strip, but instead of wires sticking out from the plug board here and there, each outlet has a hook that routes cords in a single direction. This is a solution for those who don’t mind cables hanging off their desk as they reach the floor. If you want to clean it up a bit, use zip ties to collect and route cables down a single table leg and to the surge protector. The power box can be placed on your desk, but you’ll still have to deal with all those excess cables.

The $17 WireMate wraps excess cables, as they run from your peripherals to a power outlet, within a small box that attaches to the back or side of your desk. If your desk doesn’t have sides or a back end you can attach the WireMate to a wall.

How do you deal with all those cables running off your desk?

SOURCE: nytimes.com