Method For: Taming All The Cords

What is it with cords? They are the WORST! They are ubiquitous, unsightly, tangled, hard to identify and, unfortunately, essential. UGH. Before I get going on how to tame your home’s cord situation I’m going to give you some advice. Don’t do any other decluttering on the day you tackle your cords. This one category can quickly spiral into overwhelming if you think of it as only part of the room you’re working in. If you come across cords while decluttering in a room just set them aside and deal with them at another time. Then pull this blog up and follow the steps I’ve outlined for you. Taming cords can be done!

Step One: Declutter

The first step toward taming cords is to gather them (mostly the charging variety) from every room in your house. It’s likely that there is a box or drawer with a nest of tangle cords in multiple rooms so be thorough (don’t forget your kids’ bedrooms!) One of the challenges with decluttering cords is how many different variations there are so I’ve pulled together some of the different Apple varieties in a visual (above) for your reference. This is a project that’s good to pair with something else fun like Netflix since detangling and identifying cords is monotonous work. When you come across one you can’t identify, use it to start your declutter pile. If you don’t know what it’s for AND it isn’t currently being used the chances are miniscule that you’ll ever need it. (If you do you can always get a new one for cheap.)

Now that you have everything sorted, go through and declutter any cord that is fraying or otherwise damaged. If you have more than 5 (or less, depending on the number of people in your household) of any single variety put the excess in the declutter pile. You should be left with several ‘families’ of similar cords.

Step Two: Contain

For your loose cords I suggest 2 things. First, these colored Velcro Ties to wrap them. You can use one color for each ‘family’. That way if you are returning one you can easily identify which family it belongs to. Second, I like these zip bags to contain and store loose cords. Keep them in a bin or drawer so they are easy to access while keeping things neat. I am not a fan of acrylic cord organizers that require you to wrap cords up small enough to fit in a small compartment. If it’s too high maintenance, you won’t maintain it!

For cords that are in use I have a few favorite products to help tame and minimize them. These magnetic cable clips attach to the side of a desk, nightstand, etc. to keep cords off the floor. This outlet concealer addresses plugs that jut out and prevent your furniture from sitting flush against the wall. I used it in our bedroom and now can actually push the bad against the wall, yay! Also works great in a kitchen for any bigger appliances (microwave) that have big, chucky plugs. For your Echo, Google home or other Voice Assistants this Cable Coaster tames the cord so it isn’t visible and it comes in so many cute colors.  Also works great for iPads or other tablets if you use them on a stand in the kitchen. And lastly, this sleeve is what I use to tame the tangle of media-related cords (cable, modem, etc.) so they are not as visible. I can’t wait for the day that crap is all wireless and taming cords is a things of the past!

Step Three: Systems

Speaking of wireless, I highly recommend a wireless system for charging your smaller devices. That way you only have one cord to plug into the wall and you don’t need to plug in each individual device. That means WAY LESS cords in your life! There are so many to choose from. I like this disc-shaped guy for a neutral room like the kitchen. It’s easy for anyone to toss their phone on it and it comes in lots of colors.

For the bedroom I like a multi-device solution. This one is great for the Apple ecosystem, charging your phone, Airpods and watch wirelessly. Here is a similar system for Android users.  And if you are really into quality and speed of charging this Belkin model is the Mercedes of wireless chargers. I don’t have one so can’t personally attest but it’s very well-reviewed and apparently charges super-fast, a good option for a common area in a home with teenagers!

Lastly, we don’t want to forget about the car, since it can be a cord-magnet as well. I love this retractable charger. It’s not wireless but it has multiple different kinds of ports and retractable cables that tuck away immediately. Plugs right into your charging port.

As you can see, taming cords is possible and once you’ve done it your home will feel so much less cluttered. It’s amazing how those things infiltrate every room, I swear they breed while we are sleeping! You can find all of the product recommendations in this post in my Amazon Storefront. If you need an accountability partner to help you through your cord situation I’m here to help – a coaching session or two may be the scaffolding you need to turn the corner with your decluttering. Click here to learn more!