Our homes are a smorgasbord of electronic goodies these days, from tablets to mobiles, laptops to games consoles. Brits on average own ten gadgets each. That’s more than 606 million gadgets across the UK!
Self-adhesive cable grippers can be placed wherever you need to keep cables secure and tidy
amazon.co.uk
These gadgets need powering and despite the trend for wireless technology, you can’t completely avoid those pesky cables. Add kids or pets into the mix and you have a potential disaster on your hands.
Keeping wires out of sight or reach is an ongoing battle in many households. Wires and cables are interesting to young explorers and our furry friends, either for a good chew or to have a play with. Here’s how you can stop them interfering with your tech and make your home look good at the same time.
Cable decluttering around the house
Self adhesive trunking for hiding cables above the skirting board, available in 4 colours
amazon.co.uk
Where you can, tack wires to just above skirting boards and around a room. There are plenty of cord covers available to conceal the wires. If you need to run wires across a room temporarily, lay a piece of carpet over the top of the wire and stick down with carpet tape. This prevents a trip hazard and makes the room look tidier.
Keep cables tidy behind TV units and out of sight of little hands
There are several ways to make a particularly cord-heavy area, such as the home entertainment system, tidy and nice looking. Firstly untangle any wires. If you’re not sure of which wire goes where, label each one for reference with a cable label.
Perfect for organising different kinds of cable behind the TV
amazon.co.uk
Bundle cables together with large cable ties and store within a hanging cable tidy attached to the back of the TV stand. Alternatively attach silicon cable holders or clips to the back of your TV stand and thread each individual cable through.
Reduce excess cable lengths with a cable winder which coils cables into a compact case. You can then hide this underneath the TV unit. This prevents investigation from small people or animals and makes it easier to keep this notoriously dusty area clean.
Keep charging under control
So many electronic items needing regular charging, each often with their own individual charger. It’s easy to see how the technology can spread and cause clutter. A simple solution is to create a charging station for small items such as MP3 players, phones, e-readers or tablets.
Avoid having to plug-in multiple chargers with this 3-in-one option
amazon.co.uk
Keep chargers in storage box with the station up high, out of reach from small children. Ikea offers an attractive cable management box which hides chargers and leads out of sight (and out of mind to small children) while being topped-up. Concealed and tidy – win-win!
Home office cable management
With so many gadgets available for the home office, cable chaos can quickly take hold. Dangling wires are tempting to pets and pose a threat for causing burns or electrocution. Pets may even get tangled up in the mess with a risk of strangulation.
An alternative to traditional cable ties, this Velcro strip can be cut to any length and used time after time
amazon.co.uk
Bundle wires and keep them together using cable clips or ties. Fix horizontal cable trunking under your desk to keep wires off the floor. Run cables from the power supply and up a desk leg, attaching with Velcro strips.
Protect any other cables with cord covers. These work by slipping over existing wiring to create a protective shell and are often scented to deter pets from having a chew.
Finally, train your pet – cats in particular, to avoid jumping onto your desk. Animals hate to get their paws stuck so use double-sided tape around the desktop and your pet will learn not to venture there.
Cable management gadgets will have those cluttered wires concealed in no time. And with cable chaos under control, a safer environment for kids and pets!
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