Why You Can Trust CNET Make your cords look neat and organized with these remedies
If your cords are an eyesore, you need these tips.
Don't let your cables get like this.
With phone chargers, routers, TVs, laptops, power tools, speakers, smart devices and more around your home, you're bound to wind up with a tangled mess of cords.
There are a lot of ways to wrangle your cord problem beyond Pinterest fixes that include binder clips, toilet paper rolls and shoeboxes. (They aren't always the most aesthetically pleasing solutions.)
Here are some of the best ready-to-go options.
Set up a charging hub
Charging cables are one of the most aggravating types of cord problem. Phone and tablet chargers are often lost or jumbled with other cords around outlets. The solution is creating your own charging hub. There are some great devices on the market that can help.
The Okra USB Charging Station has six charging ports and a nice little stand to organize your devices. I like the stand option because it keeps everything neat.
The USB Charginghub 400 has four USB ports and a 5-foot power cord to reach anywhere you need. Simply plug the USB end of your chargers into each port and you have a dedicated area to charge devices. When I tried out the 400, it was very easy to use. I was also surprised by how small it is. It was barely bigger than a pack of cards, so I could hide it just about anywhere (like behind a vase on my entry table) when it wasn't in use.
For the home office, the Desktop Charging Hub s500 helps you declutter your desk by offering a slot to hold each device. Plus it eliminates the need to crawl under your desk each time you need to plug something in, much like the Griffin PowerDock 5. The Charging Hub s500 also eliminates the need for a surge protector with surge-protected outlets and dedicated power ports.
The only thing I found annoying about the s500 is that its emergency shut-off gets triggered easily when anything bigger than a phone is plugged into it. I plugged a portable cooler into it and it shut off within 10 minutes the two times I tried it.
Eliminate charging cords altogether
The Bluelounge MiniDock USB Charger.
Instead of organizing your charging cords, why not just get rid of them all? Charging stations that plug directly into the wall and charge your phone or tablet without a cord, such as the Bluelounge MiniDock USB Charger, are fantastic for nixing the cord clutter.
Charging mats, such as the Duracell PowerMat, are another route. There's just one cable and all you do to charge your device is just lay it on the mat.
Roll those bigger cords in
If you think wrangling cords with zip ties is unsightly and tedious, there are devices out there that can roll up those cords for you.
For larger cords, the RoboReel not only winds up cords, it also senses heat and will turn off the power to a device if it's overheating. It also shuts off power if a cord gets severed, preventing electrical shock. This type of device is great for extension cords that you use often in the garage or home workshop.
USB charging cables, headphones and other small device chargers can be coiled using products such as Recoil's cord-winders. Recoil's winders are available in three different sizes and come with a stand for propping up on your desk or counter.
Update, Jan. 4: This article was originally published on Nov. 17, 2015 and has since been updated.
