How to declutter and organize the cables on and under my desk?

Question

Computer cables and external devices are a continuous source of frustration for everybody who likes a clean working environment. The more devices you add to your home office, the more disastrous the situation under the table becomes: cords falling behind the desk, ugly cables running along the sides and under of the desk, making it almost impossible to clean and remove the dust.

This is not my office, but I've seen similar "setups:"

I'm looking for good tips/products which help me in keeping the all cables somehow under control and organized.

Answer 1

I saw the Monster Cable-it system the other day and thought it looked intriguing. Warning: video at that link plays automatically.

The difference from other cable management systems is the zipper device that makes it look easy to install.

The product is available in three colors (black, white, gray), three diameters (S, M, L) and two lengths (8 and 16 feet). The diameters are rated for S: 3-5 cables, M: 5-8 cables, and L: 8-12 cables.

While most spiral wrap that I have seen is truly spiral, this is more of a zig-zag wrap-around arrangement with a straight slot down its length.

Answer 2

Lifehacker has a ton of ways to organise cables - my personal favorites:

1. Using under-the-desk basket thing from Ikea: Go!
2. Using a rain gutter as cable and power pack management. This is my favourite Go!
3. This guy used several techniques, maybe you can make use of them? Go!

Answer 3

Another organizing tool (one that I've used myself) is hook-and-loop strips (more familiar as Velcro). They are available from a number of sources. I've bought Case Logic brand at $1 a piece in a six pack (although Provantage has them for a little over half that at $3.26). I bought an eight-pack of no-name ones at a dollar store* the other day for, you guessed it, a dollar.

I like these better than zip ties, since they're easier to remove and won't cut into insulation (if you overtighten zip ties). The advantage of zip ties is that they're much less expensive (and I think easy-to-remove versions are available). I use zip ties for longer term installations and where expense is an issue.

* Are there Euro stores in Europe?

Answer 4

A long time ago I read an article on reducing cable mess behind your desk.

The poor man's solution was to use an old CD spindle, cut gaps in the sides of the lid and 'flow' the cables through it. (I can't locate the article)

Similar pics:

To give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Except the cables came in one end, were all rolled up inside, and then exited on the other side.

I haven't tried this myself.

Answer 5

Maybe I'll get downmoded, but my advice is to throw away. Maybe some gadgets do not belong there.

If you can't throw away, maybe try running shorter cables (generic power cables, CAT5 ethernet, audio are the easiest to tacle IMHO). 5 extra feet of printer cable is pointless waste and by definition can't be organized. The picture above shows many such cables.

[whatever is left should be organizable with most of the wrapping and zipping system above]

Answer 6

Checkout suggestions from The Closet Entrepreneur on reducing the mess under your desk and Reduce cable clutter from Lifehacker.

Common suggestions include:

• Going wireless. Although this won't always decrease the clutter behind your desk, it definitely can help
• Getting an iMac. No joke.

Answer 7

I literally laughed out loud at the image in the question. I feel your pain.

It can definitely be frustrating.

I think the absolute #1 method of cable management is your steadfast friend the zip tie. Judicial use of these (especially if you can color code them) is incredibly effective at getting you stuff under control. If you can begin to route and tie related cables together, you will begin to build bigger and bigger trunks that will only branch out where they need to for you pieces of equipment. This is also very useful if your power sources are all centrally located (allowing you the possibility of building a single big trunk in the middle that can branch off to your power sources when they need to).

Answer 8

Use a docking station, at least you centralize the place where all cables go to.

Connecting peripherals should be done with USB extension cables or hubs.

Tie cables together with tie ribs, but I like the cable wrapper mentioned in another answer better.

Have one large PVC pipe (or whatever large hollow pipe you can find) and let all the wires go through it. It reduces the visual clutter and you can always paint it to make it look better. Plus an advantage of the pipe vs tie ribs is that cables are easily disconnectable and removed.

Answer 9

Twist ties which generally keep cables bound together that come with hardware etc are actually pretty good. I keep all of them - then when I need to keep some cables tidy, I get a few out.

Twist ties are the lengths of plastic with a metal spine which can be bent easily.

Answer 10

At home, I use "Cup Hooks" on the underside of the desk. These are hooks designed to hold small tea/coffee cups, and are similar to the kind of hook you'd see holding a lamp, or potted plant from the ceiling, but they have a small flap of metal covering the open part of the hook (think of the hook that holds the shoulder strap on a bag). This keeps the cables in, but I can remove a single cable without messing with all the rest. I ran a series of them on the bottom side of the desk, about every 8-10 inches, this way if a cable is too long, I can loop it around two or more hooks and get a length that is within 4-8 inches of perfect.

Answer 11

It might be weird, but I figured for myself, that alle the converters and multipliers and not the wires itself are causing the mess. So I bought one of the Kassett Boxes from Ikea, shoved it all (including the router and stuff like that) in there (why ordering the mess if I just have to hide it ;) and put it on an onubstrusive spot under my desk. Afterwards Velcro Tape for the wires was sufficent to get it cleanly ordered and still be flexible.

Answer 12

I just spotted this cute cable organizer from Neatorama's NeatoShop:

Answer 13

Short of adding in your own trunking, one cheap way of keeping cables tidy is to use Spiral Wrap:

http://www.cabletiesandmore.ca/SpiralWrap.php

I came across this many years ago when working for the family business, which manufactures generating sets. They use it for tidying the multitude of wires on the gensets/inside the control gear they make, but it's just as well suited for tidying up computer cables.

You're best off purchasing such stuff from an electrical wholesaler, as I remember a few years ago seeing one of those companies that only sells stuff via infomercials, selling short runs of Spiralwrap for "home wiring" uses at exorbitant prices.

Answer 14

Here's another handy item: Cable-Safe