One in four Americans is working remotely from home in 2021. By 2025, the number of people projected to be working remotely stands at 36 million. More and more people are setting up offices and workplaces where they sleep, eat, and socialize.
As good as this sounds, moving your office at home does have its downsides, like the messy cords you constantly have to deal with. Between your smartphones, laptops, game consoles, desktops, TVs, internet routers, and other devices, your home is jam-packed with electronics. Electronics that come with multiple cables.
Cable management for all these devices is crucial because it keeps your home safe from electrical hazards. But how do you keep them organized if they’re so tangled and everywhere? This guide will make cable management easy for you because we’ve listed some of the best organization tips you need to know.
Start By Reorganizing Your Device Placement
When you set up a workspace or something like a media center, you give thought to what goes where. You organize your devices in a way that keeps your cords and cables coherent and rational. Now, the problem arises when you get more devices, and you simply place them wherever they can fit.
The cables and cords also follow suit, and the next thing you know, you have a full nest of wires tangled together. The bigger problem with cords and cables is that most of them look alike, so you no longer have any idea which cable belongs to which devices.
One of the best ways you can fix this issue is by rearranging your devices and organizing your device placement anew. This will give you the best opportunity to organize all those confusing cables using the tips we’ll highlight below. By the time you’re done with them, you’ll not only have organized cables, but you’ll know what cable goes where.
Label All Your Cables
How many times have you found yourself unplugging one thing, thinking it was the other? This happens all too often, and it could take a few minutes before you actually figure out which cable you need to unplug. The problem is, not all devices handle abrupt power loss well, and you could be in the middle of a project whose progress you don’t want to lose.
The best cable management tip you can utilize here is labeling your cables and cords. Labeling cables is easy, and all you need is a sharpie and masking tape. Label each cord in a way that you and others who use the devices will understand.
Try Using Cable Ties and Flexible Conduits
Cable ties are by far one of the best solutions to cable management. If you want to address the abundance of your cables, cords, and wires, these cable ties will be a lifesaver. Microfiber cable ties are especially better for the job because they come really soft and are so much easier to remove.
If your wires have become an eyesore, you can go a step further and get flexible underfloor conduits. Conduits are like corrugated hose pipes for your cables, and you can be sure your cables will be out of the way and totally safe.
Use Cable Sleeves and Cable Clips
Cable sleeves are similar to conduits but stand above ground. They will cover and compress your cables, making it easy for you to keep them in one place. It’s like bundling up all your cables together and turning them into one thick cord hidden away by the sleeve.
They’ll not only be neater, but they’ll be a lot easier to manage as well. Cable clips, on the other hand, are designed to attach to desks and what you do is suspend smaller cables on them. Things like phone chargers and earphones can be all over the place and are very easy to tangle.
With these clips, you can organize them and keep them out of the way, plus you’ll always know where they are. Cable clips come in many shapes, sizes, and colors and are mainly made of plastic. They will keep all your cables clipped in the right position at all times.
Make Sure You Get the Correct Measurements
One of the top cable management tips involves knowing the exact length of devices that allow you to manage your cables. For instance, you need to get the right measurements for your cables when purchasing conduits, wide ducts, surface raceways, and wire looms. Wire looms are essential as they’ll protect your wires from environmental elements such as rain, snow, and sunlight.
Avoid Overfilling
Since there are many ways to manage your cables, you need to avoid overfilling whichever method you choose. If you get a wire loom, then don’t overstuff all the cables you have into one. You risk damaging your cables by crushing them, and you’ll also damage insulation and risk signal leakage.
Additionally, overstuffing cables together may lead to overheating, and you risk a fire hazard. When you purchase your conduits and wire looms, ensure you follow manufacturer guidelines regarding capacity. Ensure you understand the diameter of your cables before you bundle them together and use sleeves or conduits with larger diameters.
Avoid Bending Cables
While all cables and cords have some level of flexibility, you don’t want to bend them too much as you risk damaging them. This is an essential cable management tip if you’re dealing with fiber optic and networking cables.
These will lose signal when you bend them beyond their radius. One of the best things you can use to protect your cables is cable trunking. This is a protective covering and routing system designed for electrical wires and cables.
It’s either installed on the walls or on the surface and will also serve the purpose of hiding unsightly cables. There is also mini trunking depending on the length of your cords, and you can look here for more.
Cable Management: What You Need to Keep Your Cables Under Control
If you have been dealing with haphazard cables and wires, then you undoubtedly need these cable management tips. They will help you manage and organize your cables the right way. In turn, you’ll get to hire all those unsightly wires, keep your workspace looking great, prevent wear and tear, and prevent fire hazards.
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