In an era when we frequently buy and replace electronics, most people end up with a collection of random cords, cables, and chargers. They get easily tangled, and we lose track of which cord matches which device. We resist pitching them because we have a vague feeling that we might need them.
Today we are finally going to dump out that drawer and deal with them. Your challenge is to find 15 cords and cables to remove from your space. Here are a few tips for how to proceed:
- Gather all of the cords to a large, clear table.
- Untangle them and spread them in lines. I suggest that you group them by type, if you are able. Categories will likely include:
- Phone Chargers
- Game Chargers
- Tablet Chargers
- Computer cables
- Ethernet cords
- Camera cords
- TV cables
- Earbuds
- Audio/Visual cords
- Extension cords
If you have trouble identifying a wire’s purpose, here is a post that gives you a video guide to common household cords:
http://www.labnol.org/gadgets/visual-guide-to-computer-cables-connectors/10694/
- Remove any that you currently use or would like to use. Throw the rest away.
- Label the cords using a piece of masking tape or a label maker. For example:
- Consider using a cable tie or clip to keep the cords from becoming twisted again. Here are a few ideas for how to store cords:
If you can’t find 15 cords, that is perfectly fine. The true goal is to eliminate the knotty mess and keep the “active” cables in an orderly fashion. Ready? Tell us how you did!
What great storage ideas and so sharing these with my husband now, as he is the one that usually organizes all our electrical cords and cables here.
Janine Huldie recently posted…How to Make Perfect #MakeItAMovieNight Mummy Cookies
I love the idea of the ornament box, since you can probably get these at a great price right now!
I HATE cords and chargers!! My husband wont let me organize them, since he knows what they all go to, but he wont ever organize them. Drives me INSANE!!! – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
Gingi recently posted…Tamanawas Falls Trail on Mount Hood in Oregon
Maybe he could tell you and you could label them. Once they are labeled, you can organize them without fear of losing track of what is what! (Husbands seem to have quite the influence over this one….)
Thank you for the reminder Seana, we need to go through our array of phone cords and charges that we no longer use. My hubby has a thing about keeping “useful” cables. 😉
Jill Robson recently posted…How to take the struggle out of purging.
I wonder if keeping useful cables is a guy thing… I am married to someone who has a ton of them in the basement. I’ve been working on getting him to get rid of them forever – we’re all in this together!
so many great ideas! I love the container one with the box divider or the toilet paper rolls. I need to share this wiht my hubby!!!!
karen recently posted…January Use Your Words
One of those boxes is actually an ornament box, which I think you could get a pretty good deal on right about now. Aren’t they great?
My challenge is actually keeping my phone charger in my space. Apparently, writing “Mom’s charger, hand’s off” with a Sharpie wasn’t good enough. Maybe if I use some of these ideas, the boys won’t steal mine when their own charger cords come up lost. I love these ideas for organizing them.
Jean recently posted…Savoring the Slow
Ah yes, the “disappearing” charger. Isn’t this true for so many of Mom’s supplies? Why do kids think Mom’s belongings are a back-up for their own? Maybe you should try locking it in place 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Jean!
thanks for sharing useful information on Cables & Chargers
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