We have all been there, rushing about to get some important tasks done and suddenly your phone is just about out of battery life and isn’t it always when you can’t complete the task without it? Now to quickly find the charger!
Nevermind the huge tub of tangled cords that you peer in occasionally, only to back away thinking 'that task is for someday!'.
It sounds like a dream to have all your cords organised and easy to access doesn’t it? Well here are some easy ways to achieve it and make 'someday' today.
Sort
The first step is to gather all your cords and cables into one location.
If you have a drawer or box filled with cords and cables, sort them out onto a big table. Start by untangling and separating them, this may not seem like the most enjoyable task but trust me it will be worth it.
Declutter
Get rid of any cords for items you no longer have, some cords will have their brand noted somewhere to help you pair them up. Make a pile of the ones you can’t identify.
Organise
When you identify a cable label it for future reference, there are many different products to help or you can simply use masking tape.
The priority here is to identify and label the cords; it doesn’t need to look perfect as long as it is functional.
Stop the tangle by corralling your cords with rubber bands, Velcro, zip lock bags or specific cable organisers found at hardware stores and organising stores, or store them in a container with dividers.
Some cords will remain a mystery and you are unsure if they are useful or not, set up a container labelled ‘unknown cords/cables’, this is your catchment area as you find unidentifiable cords and cables. Label each unknown cord ‘found’ and note today’s date. Next time you declutter you can go through this container and declutter the ones you haven’t used in a long time. It's also where you will store any other unknow cords you find.
Tip: If it's...
- a cable that can be easily replaced (you may know this from sight or you can enquire at your local electronic store)
- it's been sat unused for a long time
- you are finding storage challenging and have many items in limbo
Then could you dispose of it, knowing that you can replace it if you ever need to?
Create new habits
As you declutter unwanted electronics, make sure you find any related cords and keep them all together to take to your local e-waste facility, sell or donate.
As you get new items, label the cords straight away and your future self will thank you!
Don’t delay start today.
Sara