Organizing Cables & Cords!

Using  Toilet Paper Rolls & Duct Tape To Organize Your Cables and Cords!

I got this idea from a post that House on Ashwell Lane posted on my Organizing Mission Monday link party a few weeks back. I thought it was great. This was more of a variation of that idea. (but my 2nd solution is just about the same thing as hers) I’m not sure if this was her idea, or if she saw it somewhere else. But after I saw it, I started saving my empty toilet paper rolls. I also bought some duct tape in fun colors.

Solution #1  Creating Sleeves for organizing the electrical cord clutter.

I covered the toilet paper rolls with the duct tape. Since my office accent colors are lime green and hot pink I thought that was a natural choice. But I also liked the black and white and thought I might need something a little more calm.

I started with the pink duct tape.  It took 3 wraps around. I could have cut it width wise to fit and do closer to 2 1/2 times, and then I wouldn’t have had the over lap. It’s up to you.

Take the cord and wind it up so it is a little longer than the size of the roll.

Take the toilet paper roll and thread the plug through the roll first, and then work the bulk of the cord slowly in.

I realized as I put this extension cord through, that had I not used duct tape around the roll, it would have split.

There you go! I think that looks cute!

Next I covered a green one. That cord was not as large and I knew the cord would end up falling out. Hmmm…what to do?

I used a piece of tape to cover the ends.

Do that on both ends and then you don’t have to worry about the cord falling out.

My next one was the black and white one. I ended up using this one more as a pass through with a couple of bigger cables. I think I would rather have a paper towel roll… oh.. or even a wrapping paper roll for this (options are endless! LOL) but it gives you the idea. I did wrap up one of the smaller cords extra bulk into it.

So this is what the cords look like behind my chair now. I also labeled them for easy identification.

I also used the black and white on the other side of the room where it is more open and visible.

Solution #2 – Organizing Your connector and charging cords

Here is another idea and this one is really more the post that House on Ashwell Lane did. This was my original intent for saving the toilet paper rolls, because I wanted to figure out something for my camera connectors.

I covered four more rolls (saving toilet paper rolls in a household of seven doesn’t take real long..lol) and then had to figure out how to attach them together. I did not want to put them down in a box. I wanted to use them on my shelf and have the openings pointing out towards me, not up in the air.

I used the green tape to tape them together. Looks a little goofy… but its fun. (actually reminds me of sticks of dynamite from the Road Runner cartoon or something.)

But I still wasn’t satisfied. It was just sitting loose on the shelf and even though the four rolls were attached to each other, I knew that each time I pulled a cable connector in or our I would have to hang onto the rolls. So I decided to stabilize them in a basket.

Now I am back to having to reach down in and the shelf I want these on is up above my head. So….

I’m making progress, but still need some more stabilization. I tried and two more rolls would fit right in the empty spaces.

I didn’t end up attaching the extra two, there was no need to. I had cleaning clothes for my camera and computer and they worked in here perfectly!

It works for me! Obviously I can add to it if I need to. How is that for a low cost fun organizing project?

What do you think?  Like it.. think it is craaazzyy…. or are you going to start saving your toilet paper rolls (don’t save them if you aren’t going to do the project thought….or you will just end up with a bunch of toilet paper clutter!)

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I’m linking this post to:

(I went back to text links because I had such a hard time getting the buttons to link up nicely, and they were driving me crazy! Althought I loved using them)

A Bowl Full of Lemons
Sassy Sites
Tip Junkie
The Shabby Nest
I’m an Organizing Junkie
Belle Before and After
Thrifty Decor Chick
Beyond The Picket Fence
Handy Man Crafty Woman