Spring Cleaning? Here’s How To Organize The Tech In Your Life

Getting any spring cleaning done while self-isolating? Personally, without my daily commute factored into my schedule, I have a lot more time for house-cleaning projects these days. And working from home has illuminated one new area in particular that needs some attention: I don't know about you guys, but I have a cord problem.

Lately, my various gadgets more closely resemble tangled weeds surging out of every wall outlet in my home than actual, purpose-serving tech devices. And with my bedroom moonlighting as my office du jour for the foreseeable future, I want to do something about it. Apparently, even the Royals have a tech organization issue, as pictured in this Instagram post from Kensington Palace, in which The Duke of Cambridge is depicted speaking on the phone surrounded by various twisted cords. Evidently, the Royals also use landlines. How vintage!

So what can you do to fix? First and foremost, it's important to create a space dedicated to work only, so that your work devices don't creep into other areas of your home. Even if you don't have a home office, you can designate a small space in your kitchen for a makeshift standing desk, or just a section of your couch. Leave your work-related chargers, devices, and cords in this space so that you can easily keep track of them and maintain some semblance of control over the rest of your home.

"Consider grouping similar items together, like USB flash drives or headphones, and cutting down on multiples: if one charger works for two different electronics, just keep one handy – there’s no reason to have multiple versions if they serve the same purpose," says Dayna Isom Johnson, trend expert at Etsy. For example, if you have multiple products with USB ports or Lightning ports, you only need to hang onto one charger if you're looking to cut down.

Johnson also recommends adding cord organizers or cable wraps to keep everything in order, or incorporating a system of desk organizers, shelves, and bins. There are also chic cable boxes you can buy that hide cords altogether if their mere presence offends you. You might also consider investing in some wireless chargers so that you can charge multiple devices simultaneously. And lastly, you should sure your cords are separated from each other — even this step alone will minimize the appearance of clutter.