6 Cord Organization Tips for Your Apartment

Lots of apartment dwellers could do with some simple cord organization tips and guidelines. In fact, whether you own or rent a space, keeping your various cables and cords in good order can be a difficult task and a major frustration. Some basic guidelines will help you avoid a situation where stray cables, wires and cords are driving you crazy.

1. Separate Useful and Useless Cords

The plain fact is that many households have a whole lot of cords that they are just not using anymore. Many of these came with cell phones, digital cameras, laptops or other electronics that may be obsolete, lost or broken. It’s in our nature to save electronic items like cords and cables, but at some point, you have to ask yourself if these are becoming a burden and contributing to clutter in the home. Collect all your useless cables and take them to a charity outlet, or somewhere else that they can be useful instead of junking up your apartment.

2. Separate Cables by Type of Use

It also helps to separate cables according to how you use them. Having your appliance-grade extension cords in with your personal electronics cables can make things difficult. Make a separate area for extension cords as “tools” and another one for electronics cords.

3. Wrap Longer Cables Well

If you have a lot of long cables, another organizational tip regards the way that you store these items. Experienced pros often use the time tested “hand to elbow” technique to get evenly wrapped loops of cable that can be stored away in a compact space. Throwing tangled or unwrapped cables into a closet or space will just add to the problem.

4. Color-Coded Cords and Cables

If you are having trouble distinguishing different cables and what they are meant for, color coding can be a good solution. Simply apply colored pieces of tape to both ends of each table, and you’ll be able to see at a glance whether a specific cord is for cable TV, Internet, general home power, cameras, scanners, faxes or any other use.

5. Use Cable Sorting Hardware

Cheap Velcro strips are one way to keep cables in place when they are at work in any particular electronic installation. When cables and cords are in storage, you can use a series of cable hooks that are anchored into a sheet of vertical pegboard in your garage, workroom or other space. Getting this hardware will help you out immensely in your search for the perfect storage options.

6. “Install” Useful Cables

Another option is to make useful cables a permanent part of your home with clips, staples or other fasteners. Some cables get in your way when they are unsecured and move around over time. Fastening cables to baseboard, flooring or other surfaces can help cut down on a problem with cord clutter.

All of the above can help you make your home a more serene environment with “A place for everything, and everything in its place.”