18 Clever Organizing Tricks and Storage Ideas

Use Velcro Tape

There are plenty of cord organizers on the market, but Carrick Rowe, an interior designer in New York City, suggests using Velcro tape ($5 for a 15-foot roll, textol.com) to keep electronic cords in check. “I’ve screwed a small hook into the bottom of a desk and hung bundled wires up and out of the sight line,” she says. Another idea: Make your own cable binder from a stretchy trouser sock with the toe cut off.

To keep tabs on which cord belongs to which machine, attach adhesive file-folder labels with the names of the cords’ owners (lamp, TV, DVD, phone) near the plugs.