Living Small – Organizing Small Cables

Irritating pile of cords and plugs

When you live in a small space it’s necessary to keep things organized so you can find them.  Recently I got very irritated over having so many cables to connect and charge our iPods, iPhones, iPad, hotspot and phones, but I could never find the one I needed.

Jon knows all the names for them – USB, mini-USB, firewire cords, lighting connectors for iPhones and iPods – somehow we need to have all of them at different times.

Twist Ties

I started by separating, folding cords into short lengths and securing them with twist ties.  When I use the cord, I wrap the twist tie around the end so I have it for when I’m done. This is particularly great for cables that have a large brick attached to them.

Folding the cord into short lengths

Folded cord secured with twist tie

Toilet Paper Tube:

Great for multiples of the same type of cable. 

• Fold the cables up
• Hold them all in your hand at once
• Insert them in a toilet paper tube
• Be sure to have all the cord ends sticking out the same end of the tube.  This greatly simplifies things when you want to find a particular cord. 

4 cables stored in 2 toilet-paper tubes

Keep all the cable ends out the same end so you can find what you need easily

Keeping It All Organized

Once you have all your cords contained, you need a way to keep them together, but neat.  The toilet paper tubes help with this a lot.  I found that the packaging some of our reusable containers came in was sturdy and would work well.  The tubes stand up in it and there is room for the connectors as well. 

Everything contained in a small box

Happy Organizing!

Alicia
 

Our living smaller series:

• Fitting In A Small House
• Living Smaller – Organizing Small Cables
• Living Smaller – Go Vertical
• Living Smaller – What To Do With Clothes You Don’t Wear

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