In this day and age, with the many electronics that we use, cable management can be very difficult. Cables and cords can look messy and they can take up a lot of space, too. Before you know it, if you don’t have some sort of cable management, you can find your desk cluttered with cables to connect to your computer, cables to connect your mouse cables, keyboard cables and more. Cables can really get in the way of doing your work and the clutter can make you feel very unproductive. So, how do you manage your cables effectively so that your desk looks tidy and you can get more done?
Your Desk
One thing you can do is start with a good desk. Try to purchase the desk that has cable management in mind. Many modern office desks are built with holes for cables and wires to connect to the electrical outlets. These holes are set in out-of-the-way spots on your desk and do not hinder the placement of other items that you need to work.
Types of Cord Management Systems
Even if you have a desk that has some cord and cable management built in, you will still likely need to find some management solutions that are particular to your situation. Each office space has different needs. Fortunately, there are many types of cable management that can make your workspace look neat and tidy. Here are some of the cord and cable management solutions that you may find helpful:
- Clips – There are several ways to use clips. You can clip cords to the wall, to the legs of your desk, or other places. They can be simple or decorative so that they look attractive and make your office look nice.
- Hubs – Hubs usually stand up and are placed on the floor or on your desk and they have features to prevent excess cord lengths from sitting on the floor. It prevents them from getting tangled and it looks much neater.
- Wraps – These allow you to wrap the cords neatly around the gadget and help you use less space on your desk. They come in many fun and interesting designs so they can be used as part of your decor.
- Cord catches – Catches hold the part of your cord that you would connect to your computer so that they are easily accessible from your desk. They are most helpful for items that do not need to be connected all the time but are used often.
- Cord identifiers – These are clipped to the cord or wrapped around the cord to make them easily identifiable. They come in many designs like colored cubes or twisty cords that wrap around the cord itself.
- Cable straps – Straps can help to store and identify the cords when they are not in use.
- Cord tubes – These are used to gather all of your cords together in one place so that they take up the minimum amount of space on your floor and look neater.
- Under desk management – This type of cord management can be permanent or temporary. They are attached to the underside of your desk or the legs of your desk to help control the cords and keep everything neat.
If you spend a lot of time at your office desk, you want it to look neat. You want to maximize the space that you have available to you and you want your electronics to be available to you when you want them. Above all, you likely want to be productive when you are working. Cord and cable management systems, combined with a quality office desk, can help you achieve all of that.