Office Entanglements: 5 Cable Management Tips

Take a look around your workspace. How many cords do you see? If you’re like most people, you probably have at a minimum a cord for your laptop, a phone charger, a printer cable, maybe a lamp cord? If you have a desktop computer, you might have a monitor cord, one connecting your keyboard, one for your mouse, and even an old-school telephone with a cord.

Cords are everywhere. Not only are they ugly, but they also make our space feel disorganized. A workspace that’s organized and free of clutter means more productivity and a clear head.

Ready to get your workspace into shape? Let’s start with cable management. Buckle up, because we’re diving into the world of cords!

1. Consider Wireless Devices

First things first: get rid of as many cords as you can. Keyboards, mice, and other electronics are all available in wireless versions. Using Bluetooth technology, you connect these devices to your computer and you don’t have to worry about any cords. The more wireless electronics you have, the fewer cables you’ll have to manage.

2. Shorten and Consolidate

Your cell phone or tablet charger next to your bed should be long, as you probably want to be able to charge your phone or tablet while you lay in bed and use them, right? At your desk, though, you don’t need a 6-foot long phone cable.

Instead, use the shortest cables possible. Shorter cables mean less cable to hide. You should also try to consolidate them. If you have two monitors, for example, try to get a dual HDMI port so you only two short cords going to the dual port. Again, fewer cords mean less work on your part.

3. Label Them

Once you’ve got the cords and cables you need to manage, it’s time to label them. You can use mailing labels, zip tie labels, or pieces of masking tape. Use the material of your choice to label each cord. You’ll thank yourself later when you need to unplug something.

4. Mount Power Strips

Instead of laying your power strip on the floor, mount it to your desk, bookshelf, or other furniture. You can even get desks with built-in power strip holders so you don’t even need to mount them. This gets the cords up off of the floor and hidden underneath your desk.

5. Hide Them

Even with a mounted power strip, you still might have some rogue cords and cables hanging around. There are other ways to hide them, such as with paper towel tubes, cord clips, cable covers, and cable trays (curios about these? Check out this link to learn more about cable trays).

Cable Management Your Coworkers Will Be Envious Of

With these cable management tips, all of your coworkers are going to regale you as the master of cable management solutions and want to know your secrets. You’ll wow them with your organized office space and increased productivity, but don’t be stingy with the tips!

If you found this information useful, share it with your friends and coworkers and be sure to check out some of our other articles to improve your workspace even more.