Your phone, tablet and laptop all need a cable to charge, your smart speaker likely requires one, as well as your television and a slew of other appliances — in other words, it’s nearly impossible not to have loads of cords in your life. But just because you need a bunch of cables, doesn’t mean they have to turn into a tangled and chaotic mess. There are a number of organizing tools out there to help you keep them under control.
Not only do organized cords look nicer, a tidy space can help keep your brain from being overwhelmed by clutter, which can increase productivity and your attention span, says Jamie Hord, founder of Horderly Professional Organizing. To help you find the best cable organizers for your home, office or any other setting, we consulted experts about what to look for. Then, we gathered expert-recommended and highly rated cable organizers based on their guidance.
SKIP AHEAD How we picked the best cable organizers | The best cable organizers | How to organize your cables
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After speaking with organizing experts, it became clear that there are a handful of things to consider when shopping for products to help you manage your cables and cords. Here’s what they recommended thinking about as you shop:
- Type: There are a number of different kinds of cable organizers. If you are traveling, you may want bags with different compartments to keep phone, laptop and smartwatch chargers. If you are looking to streamline the cables behind your desk, cable ties can help you coil up long cords to keep them tidy. To cover all needs, we rounded up various types of cable organizers.
- Aesthetic: In many cases, your cable organizers will be visible on your desk. Experts we spoke to suggest finding items you won’t mind looking at or that have a minimal footprint so they aren’t as noticeable.
- Price: Our experts agree that you do not need to spend a lot of money on tools to streamline your cables. All the products that made our list cost less than $30.
Gydandir Leather Cable Straps Cable Ties
Marissa Hagmeyer, co-founder and COO of the Neat Method, likes these leather cable ties because they are aesthetically pleasing and allow you to store cords that aren’t in use. Simply wrap up your cord (like a phone charging cable), then snap this leather strip around it to keep it neat and tidy. This set comes with a total of 20 ties in five different neutral shades to help accommodate all sizes of cables.
Nite Ize Gear Ties
While the cable ties above snap closed, these are bendable wires that can be wrapped and twisted around cords to contain them. This means you can easily adjust the fit, making them as loose or tight as needed. Hord recommends these for any cables you have hanging around or to tighten cables that are plugged in but dragging on the floor. The ties have a tough rubber exterior that provides good grip and the six inch length is best for wrapping up small to medium appliance cords, according to the brand.
Zgdyui Cable Management Box
Prevent piles of cords from accumulating and turning into a tangled mess, by placing different cables in different compartments of this box, says Hagmeyer, who also suggests labeling each compartment so you know where each cord goes. This acrylic box has a clear lid, eight compartments and comes with eight white cable ties so you can secure your cords before placing them in the box.
Bluelounge Cable Box Organizer
If you have a bunch of different devices in one area, a surge protector can be a safe way to prevent power spikes from damaging your gadgets. But a bunch of plugs hanging out in one area? Not so attractive. This streamlined box can hold your surge protector to make it look a little more appealing, says Hord. That way you aren’t stuck looking at a mess of cables and plugs. It is 16-inches long and made of flame retardant plastic, according to the brand.
Wrap-It Cable Clams
This six-pack of cable clams are especially useful for wrapping up cords behind appliances, says Hord. Rather than having loose cords when kitchen appliances — like your toaster or blender — aren’t in use, these allow you to conceal the cords behind the gadget. They have adhesive on the back, so you stick the top part of the strip to the back of your appliance. Then, you wrap the cord up and use the strap to velcro it in place so that it is hidden out of site.
Fyy Travel Cable Organizer Pouch
If you’re going on a trip, haphazardly throwing your cables into your bag will likely result in a jumbled mess. Instead, store them in an organizer pouch. This one is slightly larger than a phone and has ten different netted pockets for organizing cords. Each pocket can fit a cable up to three feet long, according to the brand. It zips shut to keep everything contained and comes in 15 different colors. This pouch has a 4.5-star average from over 19,100 reviews on Amazon.
OHill Cable Clips
Keep your desk organized with this pack of 16 cord holders. Stick them on the back of your desk and thread your cables through them so they aren’t jumbled on the floor. These can also be stuck to the back of an entertainment center or anywhere else you have cords. This set comes with clips that can hold one to five cords. They have a 4.4-star average from over 60,000 reviews on Amazon.
How to organize your cablesYou know what to look for in cable organizing tools and have specific products that seem like they’ll fit your needs, but what’s next? According to our experts, there are a few basic steps you can take to quickly streamline your cable and cord situation. Here’s what they recommend doing:
- Start by doing an edit: Whether you want to clean up a bag of cables or you want to focus on a specific area (like behind your television stand or desk), the first step is to do an edit, says Hagmeyer. “Take time to go through all the cables and determine what devices they belong to,” she says. This will help you determine what you need and what you don’t. “Those whose purpose can’t be determined or any unnecessary excess of the same type of cord should be recycled at your town’s next e-waste event.”
- Get cords off the floor: Long cords have a tendency to pool on the floor, which looks messy and can cause them to tangle easily. Instead, loop the excess length and wrap it with a rubber band or twist tie,” says Hagmeyer. Hord offers up another way to deal with long cords behind a dress, nightstand or entertainment center. Buy Command hooks and affix them to the back of your furniture, then loop the excess cord onto the hook to get it off the floor, she says.
- Contain loose cables: If you are traveling with various chargers or have a drawer at home full of cables, wrap each one individually and use a cable tie to keep it wrapped. You can even label the cable ties so you know what that cord is used for. If you are traveling and have a pouch with compartments, stick the labels on those compartments so you never have to search for the charger or cord you need.
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Jamie Hord is the founder of Horderly Professional Organizing
- Marissa Hagmeyer is the co-founder and COO of the Neat Method
Bethany Heitman is a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers topics like beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, she spoke to organizing experts about what to consider when shopping for cord organizers.
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