Feb 11, 2015
By: Chelsea Haley, DKI Ventures, LLC
For National Electrical Safety Month, we advise you to pick those cords up off the ground and be electrical safe. Sometimes this is easier said than done, especially in an office with multiple computers, phone lines, printers and other electrical appliances. This is why we put together a list of simple, practical approaches to hide and store those electrical cords in a safe manner, to prevent tangling, tripping over or damaging the wiring.
Cover ‘Em
If you have spare extension cords lying around, you could also follow Martha Stewart’s organizational tip to store these with this tidy up approach.
Inspired by this approach – Prevent damage by sliding foam tubing over each cord. This approach prevents damaging the wires if stepped on, but still try to place these out of the way for safety.
- Cut the foam tubing to your desired length (whatever the cord length that lies out in the open along the carpet).
- Using a utility knife, cut a slit in the middle of the tubing.
- Carefully (as to not further tear the slit) slide the slit over your cord(s) to cover each one.
Access ‘Em
These days, everyone has a mobile phone, and some use theirs for business purposes to make and answer sales calls, check mail, etc. Here’s an easy approach to keep all of your unplugged cords together and untangled. Place a row of your required amount of oversized binder clips and slip your unused cables through for easy access.
Hide ‘Em
She’s at it again – Martha Stewart teaches us how to eliminate cluster of cords lying under your workspace.
- Some desks include a hole and cover to feed cords through, but if not, drill a hole through the desk (big enough to fit all your desktop cords).
- Then, mount a power strip under your desk, and plug in each wire.
- Wrap each cord separately and place in a wire basket, suspended under your desk with wire hooks.
- Optional: Label each cord before placing in the basket to easily identify each.
Purchase ‘Em
If you choose not to DIY, there are several organizational items you can purchase, within budget:
Room & Board Cord Management Straps
CableOrganizer.com