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Every time I get my desk situated the way I like, another gadget comes into my life — a hazard of the job — and mucks up my neatly arranged cables, turning them into a tangled mess of spaghetti. There are many options for cable management, including Velcro straps that wrap around your cords to keep them bundled, bins that you drop your cords into that keep them out of sight, or clips that make your charging and syncing cables tidy but still easy to reach. Over the years, I’ve tried nearly every method of cable management and finally landed on a solution that works for me. Everyone’s setup is different, so it’s important to consider things like whether you need to frequently mess with your cables, or whether you want them completely invisible or just neater so your desk doesn’t look like an octopus has taken up residence there.
To find the best ones available, I reflected on the methods that have worked for me, and looked to advice from tech specialists and writers about the cable organizers they recommend.
What we’re looking for
Type
Before you can wrangle your cables into order, you’ll need to pick the best tools for your situation. Options like straightforward Velcro strips or zip ties can bunch together unruly cables without breaking the bank, or you can snag something a little fancier like a set of clips to keep important cables handy under your desk, or a cable bag to keep everything tidy while you’re traveling. You can also get a rack to mount under your desk or other furniture to hide cables that might clash with your room’s whole vibe — though with these, you may still want to use Velcro or zip ties to keep the cords tidy.
I recommend organizing cables by the devices they connect to. Television cables should go together, for example, while the ones for your audio gear should go into a separate bundle.
Capacity
Some organizers work for only single cables or even single specific-size cables, while others can be adjusted to accommodate multiple cables of various sizes.
Portability
Organizers that are attached (whether by adhesive, clamps, or some other mounting method) are meant to be stationary, while ties and bags are great for travel or home use.
Reusability
Traditional zip ties and clips that attach using adhesive can realistically only be used once (and if you’re concerned about the adhesive damaging the surface you want to use, you may want to consider an alternative). Some desk-mounted organizers, including two listed below, require you to drill holes to attach the rack or organizer permanently. Velcro, wire ties, and, of course, bags are meant to be reused.
Best cable organizer overall
Type: Velcro tie | Capacity: Multiple cables, adjustable | Portability: Portable | Reusability: Reusable
I tend to reorganize my setup a lot — especially when I’m testing new gadgets — so I need something impermanent and flexible. These Velcro ties fit the bill, and I’ve been using them in conjunction with a cable tray (more on that below) to keep things neat, tidy, and out of sight.
They’re adjustable and reusable, eight inches long and half an inch wide, and can fit a variety of different-size cables. One tie can easily hold three USB-C cables or a combination of a USB-C cable and an HDMI or an ethernet cable. They also have a sliding design, which allows you to tighten them very easily. This pack of 100 ties can be used in different spaces all around your home, from your home-theater setup to your nightstand.
Best cable ties for your nightstand
Type: Steel-wire core with rubber coating | Capacity: Multiple cables, adjustable | Portability: Portable | Reusability: Reusable
Unlike our best overall pick, these ties, which come in a pack of 12, are made of rubber, which is less likely to wear over time than Velcro — if you’ve ever noticed the Velcro of your backpack or jacket gradually weakening with use or from collecting too much lint, you know the struggle.
Strategist writer Kitty Guo praises the Nite Ize ties for their flexibility, thanks to a steel-wire interior and a grippy rubber exterior, as well as the various color and length options.
Best cable-organizer bag
Type: Bag | Capacity: Multiple cables, adjustable | Portability: Portable | Reusability: Reusable
I loathe packing my cables into a bag when I’m traveling: They never seem to stay put, and I always have to wrap them too tightly to pack them into my bag’s pockets. Cable-organizing bags give you compartments for all your cords and charging bricks and keep cables from getting tangled with everything else you’ve packed and away from items that could damage the cables.
This Ruggard cable case was recommended to us by B&H senior technologist Mark Steinberg. One of the more interesting details he pointed out is the clear window that allows you to easily identify any cable you might need and minimize the amount of rooting around you’ll need to do. The case is weather resistant, and one side has 12 dedicated cable slots with elastic loops to hold cables securely. (You can store additional or larger cables in the pocket on the other side.) The Ruggard comes with six Velcro cable ties for keeping cables wrapped while in the case. And if you like the design but don’t need to carry as much, it comes in a smaller size that has six dedicated cable slots with three Velcro ties.
Best zip-tie cable organizers
Type: Plastic zip ties | Capacity: Multiple cables, adjustable | Portability: Not portable | Reusability: Single use
My setup changes too frequently for using zip ties, which can only be placed once and have to be cut to be removed. But they can be especially great for larger cables that you might have in the living room or in a basic sound-system setup that you want to just set and forget.
All of the zip ties in this pack of 100 are eight inches long, and you can trim off any extra length as needed. They come in black or clear, so you can match them to your cables if you like.
Best cable-organizer clips
Type: Self-adhesive clip | Capacity: Each clip holds one thin cable | Portability: Not portable | Reusability: Single use
I use a clip that came with an old accessory pack from years ago, but it works just like these ones from BlueLounge. This pack of nine clips, each of which holds a single cable, comes in a variety of colors that can help you decorate or organize your desk (they also come in black only). They make it easy to grab cables you attach and detach frequently.
Professional organizer Daniel Loya, the owner of Spaces Transformed, recommends these cable clips for keeping track of unruly cords that are always “slipping off your desk and out of reach.” Plus, he says, the self-adhesive backing can be easily removed.
Best cable rack
Type: Metal tray | Capacity: Multiple cables | Portability: Portable | Reusability: Single-use adhesive
Thanks to the number of gadgets I have to test at any given time, cable management often feels like a fool’s errand. The closest I’ve gotten to a tidy cable arrangement at my desk is using this under-desk tray. I got this to replace a plastic tray that came with my standing desk. Unlike that one, which used adhesive to attach to the underside of my desk (it fell off after about two years), this one uses two clamps to stay in place. Those clamps, while more time-consuming to set up, are easier to move if you get a new desk or want to shift things around. The sides of the tray have holes that you can feed wires through, so they’re not all poking out the top of the tray, and since it’s deeper than many other trays I’ve seen, the cables aren’t visible once they’re inside.
If you’re particular about keeping things neat, a few zip ties or Velcro straps like our picks above will help maintain order while the tray keeps everything out of sight.
Best desk-skirt cable organizer
Type: Mat with pockets | Capacity: Multiple cables | Portability: Not portable | Reusability: Reusable (with screws)
While I’ve been able to keep my cables out of sight and out of mind with the Quszmd tray, something with a privacy panel will ensure that every cable is hidden away. Sean Hollister, senior news editor at the Verge, says he used to have a rat’s nest of wires under his desk, and he tried a number of cord keepers and wraps before landing on the Mount-It, which he loves for its built-in pockets to house cables. The large mesh pockets open and close with Velcro strips, so everything inside is easy to access, and cables can enter or exit the pockets in multiple directions. Hollister uses them to hide a lot of messy cables as well as his ethernet switch. You can choose between 41-inch or 60-inch widths, depending on the size of your space.
Our experts
• Bobby Berk, Netflix’s Queer Eye
• Sean Hollister, senior news editor at the Verge
• Daniel Loya, professional organizer and owner of Spaces Transformed
• Mark Steinberg, B&H senior technologist
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