Create an Electronics Bin

Gather cords, chargers, gadgets, and batteries from the random spots they occupy and give them a hidden, under-bed home.

1. Line a clear rectangular box with a cut-to-fit rubber mat to keep items from shifting. Make sure the box has a lid to block dust. Gift-wrap center, $29, containerstore.com. Grip-It drawer liner, $3, organizeit.com.
2. Customize the box with fabric drawer organizers, creating large sections for bulky items, like extension cords, and small sections for things like cameras. Skubb boxes (white), $8 for six, ikea.com.
3. Put delicate or oddly shaped objects, like headphones, in their own nook.
4. Clamp extension cords to keep them neat. Mega clamp, $5.50, and small cable clamp, $1.50: cableclamp.com for stores.
5. Slip earbuds and other gangly cords under elastic bands to prevent tangles. Separate batteries by size in a divided box. Grid-It! elastic organizer, from $15, containerstore.com. Battery-storage organizer (similar to shown), $5, organizeit.com.
6. Label clear pouches or small zippered bags and fill with easily misplaced minis, like memory cards, flash drives, and cartridges for handheld video games. Clear zippered envelopes, from $3, containerstore.com.
7. Use rubber cord flags to mark USB wires and camera cords; label each with permanent marker (keep a marker in the bin for new additions). Kable Flags, $7.50, organize.com.
8. Give adapters a home so you can find one in an instant.
9. Stash this-might-be-broken-or-obsolete items, like remotes and keyboards, until you have time to test them, then throw out whatever is dead.