Somewhere in your house you probably have a snake pit of cords nestled near your electronics. If you have multiple pits of wild cables, then chances are you’ve tripped over them or run over them with your chair. Do you even remember which devices they’re connected to?
To help you organize your den of wires, Nifty came up with a handy way to make your cord chaos disappear. Behold the mighty shipping tube! This simple DIY project will provide a comfy home for your wayward wires without the need to spend money on a gadget to hide them.
MATERIALS
- Shipping tube
- Box cutter or retractable razor cutter
- Spray paint (optional)
- Measuring tape
- Duct or masking tape
- 2 screws
- Power screwdriver
DIRECTIONS
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Measure It
Measure the shipping tube according to the length of your desk, ensuring a proper fit. Using your cutter, cut it to size.
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Cut It
With your cutter, cut an opening about 1 to 1 ½ inches wide lengthwise down the center of the tube. Stretch the gap out in the cardboard, flexing it until it’s roughly 2 inches wide.
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Tape It
Place duct or masking tape along the edges of the opening, neatly folding it in to disguise the rough, cut surface of the tube. Also tape around the circular opening of the tube at either end. The edges should now appear to be mended by the tape.
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Paint It
In the video, white tape and white spray paint is used for a uniform look. If you are using spray paint, you can match it with the tape. For this step, spray the tube evenly on all sides to give it a clean look. Allow the paint to dry completely.
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Screw It
With the opening of the tube facing outwards towards you, attach it to the underside of your desk (or other piece of furniture/apparatus) using the screwdriver. Two screws should be enough to secure the tube in place, and you want to align them along the top inner portion of the tube.
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Tuck It
You should be able to fit a power strip inside the tube. Plug your devices into the power strip and then tuck your loose cords neatly inside the tube, lining the length of it. The only cord that should be visible now is the one leading from your power strip to the wall!
As an alternative, if screws and screwdrivers aren’t really your thing, try using Velcro or a high bond tape to attach the tube to your piece of furniture. You may find this easier to work with where cords are dangling behind mounted TVs or gaming consoles. If using cardboard is your concern, you may consider substituting it with a piece of PVC pipe instead. A piece of PVC that is 3 to 4 inches in diameter will work just as well. You can use a ratchet cutter or hacksaw to cut it to the desired length, and then only follow the steps above for cutting an opening and attaching it to your desk. No need to tape edges or paint! What do you think? Do you have a tangled web of cords that needs to be tamed? Tell us in the comments.