How Do You Organize and Hide Cords?
Organizing your electric cords is a requirement for anyone wanting a clean room free of dangling wires or tripping hazards. That said, it is not always obvious how you can successfully hide cords because if you do it incorrectly, you can pull on the cord connectors, which can weaken an HDMI or USB port. Additionally, tying them improperly can lead to pinched wires.
If you tuck the cables into a corner, they will gradually unwind, or they will clutter the area behind your electronic components where they might eventually get snagged on something. To properly hide your cords, you should consider which types of cords must be hidden while keeping in mind three strategies that involve tying, hiding, and clasping.
How do you organize TV wires?
In general, the wires that are connected to your TV look relatively the same. This similarity across wires makes finding a specific wire rather frustrating. Additionally, if your wires are running in the same direction, they tend to blend together, making it even more difficult to determine which wire is which.
A rather simple way to ensure you never have to guess which wire is the one you need is to label them. To do this, all you need is a label maker to quickly get organized.
Another easy way to keep your TV wires organized is to use a cable holder. There are many styles to choose from, but they all work great and provide the benefit of keeping your wires neat and free of unsightly tangles.
How can I hide my cable box?
Of course, the quick answer regarding hiding your cable box is to put it in a cabinet. However, many cable boxes rely on infrared remotes. An infrared remote requires a line of sight to work. This means that putting your cable box behind closed doors will not work unless you do not mind opening the doors every time you want to use your remote. Fortunately, you can purchase an infrared (IR) repeater to address this issue.
To set up an IR repeater, you need to simply place the emitter on the inside of the cabinet and in line with your cable box. Next, you need to place the receiver on the outside. Additionally, if you want a more discreet setup, you can place an IR receiver in a main receiver and set the main receiver near your TV.
If you do not have the option of using a cabinet to hide your cable box, you can use a wireless HDMI kit to send IT commands and a video signal. This setup allows you to place your cable box in a nearby closet or as far as 200 feet away and out of sight.
How do you wrap wires together?
To safely and easily wrap your wires together, you will need wire ties. These ties are specifically designed to bundle your wires together and keep them organized. Additionally, wrapping wires will help prevent damaging them. Wire ties are available in a variety of sizes and colors, and they come in a variety of materials. For instance, you can choose between Velcro or plastic. The type of tie you choose usually depends on your personal preferences or needs.
How do you reduce wires behind a TV?
A simple thing you can do to reduce the amount of wires behind your TV is to shorten the wires. For instance, the length of each individual cord is often more than you need. Manufacturers make them long because extra length is more convenient. However, too much wire will cause an unsightly mess. If you cut the wires and strip the ends, you can re-attach them to your component and enjoy a cleaner space.
Conclusion
Depending on your components, you should find hiding your cords pretty straight forward. That said, if you still cannot choose, the aforementioned cable holder is the way to go as it works for stiff cables, mouse cords, or wires that cannot be tied or hidden. Finally, the best thing about cable clips, as they are sometimes called, is that they work with wires of different thicknesses.
Originally published at https://www.bluekeyworld.com on February 18, 2020.
