Are Electrical Cords Ruining Your Decor?

Ever since electric power became the household norm 100 years ago, we’ve acquired more and more cords connecting us to our outlets. In our kitchens, there’s a plug for every appliance. In our bedrooms, chargers have to be available for our phones, tablets, and laptops. And then, of course… there’s the entertainment center, a veritable hydra of connective cables.

While electrical cables are a necessary thing in our homes, they can often ruin the look of your well-considered decor. Here are some ideas to eliminate the snake-nest of cords in your home to give it a cleaner, more organized look:

Put a power strip in your bed stand drawer

This option is great for charging cords. It’s usually easy to drill a hole in the back of the drawer where you can string the cord through without it coming out the front. Charge your phone and tablets inside of your drawer at night and wake up to find them as refreshed as you are!

Get cord ties

Often, there’s more length to cords than we need. You can roll up all the extra footage and tie them up so that there’s more order to the system. This is a great option for entertainment cables, internet connection cords, laptop chargers, and anything else with too much length. You can easily buy cord ties online, or make your own using twisty ties or zip ties.

Go wireless whenever possible

Wireless options are becoming more and more available. Few of us are even plugged into cable with our televisions. We simply stream things from the Apple TV or a Roku. Some companies are even making wireless charging ports. Whenever possible, streamline your electronics with wireless options.

Once you’ve moved away from using certain ports, consider covering up the outlets with a plain plate, which will give the area a much cleaner look.

Make a cord box

A cord box is a fantastic DIY option for areas that are congested with cords. It’s especially useful for computer areas because cord boxes can be easily adjusted for any additional devices and plugs that you have. Simply find a box that you like the look of (often a shoebox, or something used to ship a device) and punch out whatever holes you need. Keep the mass of cords in the box. In virtually no time, you’ll have a much cleaner look around your computer area. You can also store things like headphones and speakers in the boxes to keep things organized.

Reconfigure your outlet setup

It’s possible to adjust your outlets so that you’re able to plug devices in closer to where they’re stationed and used. You can also bundle together outlets and light switches into one area. This is especially handy when you’re doing something like remodeling a kitchen. Instead of having outlets and switches distributed along the wall, you can concentrate them into just one or two areas.