Hiding the Desk Cables

 

So remember that shot from yesterday with no cables in plain view?

 

It didn’t start out that way and placing a desk with a lap top and a lamp centered in a room does bring it’s challenges in terms of what to do with cables so you don’t constantly trip over them when getting to the desk.

I figured there must be more people than I who have this problem and did a quick internet search and found this less than perfect looking floor thingy that hides cables. Ah, but you didn’t think I’d keep a grey piece of plastic there on the floor for all to see did you? See that roll of “oak” adhesive plastic on the desk? Well…

 

--- look again and that grey thing is now clad in “oak”. Still plastic but I can live with it now that it’s functional and kind of disguised.

 

So after the initial what to do with the cables on the floor, I still had to deal with this hot mess. The cable I ran in that floor thingy is that white extension cable.

 

It’s plugged into the wall behind the basket of the Expedit bookcase and in it I need to plug a) the laptop and b) the lamp. Two bulky things needed to be hidden away.

 

I went to my favorite DIY store (where I also found the grey floor cable thingy) to look for a solution and found this extra wide Velcro which I screwed in under the table top using washers behind the screws.

 

Then I strapped the extension thing and the lap top charger in there. Worked like a charm but I still had the issue of more cables hanging down so…

 

… I used some left over cable channels from another project and used adhesive pads to attach them to the underside of the table top.

 

The extension cord then runs along one of the legs where I’ve fastened it with cable ties.

 

It then runs along the floor in my “oak” tunnel and into another one of those channels taped to the side of the shelf and in behind the basket. Kind of reminds me of this actually.

Comments

[Maureen@ Notes on a Visual Life]

Nice work! Cable wrangling can be an epic pain. Isn't that video amazing!? I can only imagine how much time and effort went into that. Have you seen the one with the dogs ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHlJODYBLKs&feature=relmfu )? Equally cool.

[Dana]

Well done Benita, I looked everywhere in that picture for cords or how you hidd them. For a minute there I thought you were Hudinie!!! (HA,HA) So now that the pretty is taken care of, may we see the guts? where do you keep bills, incoming mail,etc? Do you use the same system as in the other house?

[Carlos]

I still have the same system but a little differently obviously since I don't have the old home office anymore :). One day I'll post about it!

[Carlos]

Aww, the doggies! So cool! And the behind the scenes is awewsome too!

[mette]

and what do you do if you want to take your laptop somewhere else?

[Heather Consuegra]

You amaze me every time.

[Carlos]

I have an extra charger :)

[Primrose Beresford]

As usual you have a great solution to an annoying problem. Putting the sticky oak plastic on the cable holder is genius, and makes it pretty much invisible.

Love the music video - it is completely bonkers! I love at the end that you see the fans. Hope that you are not going to copy it in your lovely white space :)

[angel]

Dear Benita,

I see you also have baskets in your expedit - mine leave black streaks on the base of the rectangles but yours seem to be perfectly fine - what do I do differently - is there too much weight in my baskets or do you have another secret?

Thank you for your help!

[high house then radio]

Brilliant. Just brilliant!

[Pauline]

I great solution for an ugly situation

[Carlos]

There are faint dark lines on mine too but I huess the heavier the load the more stripes you get. I think you could remove them with a magic sponge eraser or Vim/Jif cream cleaner. I don't mind them that much since they're only visible when the whole basket is removed. Or if the basket's pushed all the way in. You could add a piece of wood at the back behind the baskets if yours are prone to go too far in I guess.

[Nicola]

Putting the sticky-backed oak stuff on the floor strip is such a brilliant idea. We have a very similar situation and I will definately try this! Love the video: do you think people really do that for a job?! Second only the person who gets to design the Google headers!! x

[elisa]

you ARE amazing. x

[MacLeod House]

OH my goodness - you *really* think ahead! Now....Hmm. Since I've decided to move my office around these holidays...it's meant that I'm moving my Vika Amon/Vika Alex desk into 'open space' the way you've done with your desk. Which means that my cables will be on an extension cord to reach the wall plug behind the desk on the wall (that will be through the expedit once I move it). The room is carpeted (and it's a rental) - do you have any amazing ideas for how I can camouflage the cables so that they are not easily tripped over. They're not in a high traffic area - but I want to prevent my kids from tripping over it - in the event that they are in my office unsupervised. (not likely, but then they're little boys - and we all know how much trouble they like to get themselves into...)

[Judith]

A. ma. zing. And by the way, Rube Goldberg ain't got nothing on you.

So what's your favorite DIY store?? I bet you've said it before and I've forgotten...

[Carlos]

Clas Ohlson :) Gubbdagiset + me.

[Carlos]

I actually screwed the plastic into the floor (if these had been lovely newly sanded boards I probably would have taped it down instead) and I guess if you have carpet you can do the same and those screw holes won't be even be seen when you remove it. You could spray glue some fabric matching the carpet pile onto the plastic perhaps?

[Fröken Prickig]

You're the most "fiffiga" person that I know of! You're like goodess, no I mean you ARE a Goodess:)

[Herta]

Benita, I was reading this post and marvelling at how you are constantly finding solutions to those seemingly minor yet never-the-less irritating problems...ALL HAIL THE FIXIT QUEEN! I tip my (imaginary) hat to you.
Herta

[Judith]

Haha! I'm learning to appreciate that place too lately - for some reason I was a late Clas Ohlson convert.

[Zosia]

The velcro thing is genius!

[Skye]

You are one of the most talented women I know! Thanks for being part of my internet routine. :)

[Leena]

Nice! Nowdays in some houses they build plug points to the floor in the middle of the room. Those seem very handy, but you'd need to build a new home or make an expensive change to an old one...
For an old house this is an excellent solution.

[[email protected]]

That velcro solution is super genius. Solutions like this (and so.many.others) is why this is my first blog and on many days, the ONLY blog I look at, everyday. Now I'm off to search for your book wrapping solution. My cookbooks need to come out of the closet, and into a public area, and you came to mind first.

This blog is the gift that keeps on giving. Thank you.

[NancyV908]

Just adding to the praise. The Velcro is such a brilliant idea! You have inspired me to finally tackle the hideous (and very visible) jumble of wires in my home office. Thanks!

[Living Longingly]

Wow! I didn't even notice the cables in the first photo. I have a desk with visible cables and might have to steal some of your ideas!

[Ayana]

Nice :) I have the same system at home & office.

[Carly]

Love it!!

[Valeria]

Super cool!

[Jill]

You are one clever girl. I like the way you think. You have been a great influence on me.

[Lisa Flaherty]

Awesome solution! Cords drive me CRAZY! But following your tips, I think I will be able to reclaim a slice of sanity! And thank you for the link to that video--I'd forgotten about it and it is just as amazing as watching it for the first time!

[Meadow68]

Wait... this is today's entry?!?! The current day?!?! Did I READ THEM ALL!?!?! There's no more?!?!?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo!!!! What am I going to read and look at now?!?!? *cries*

[Hxx]

Rube Goldberg - total genius, which reminds me of you!

[christine e-e]

Your are GENIUS... does Willie know what a talented, resourceful mom he has?

[Carlos]

He's pretty resourceful himself and is very supportive of all my projects :)

[la marmotte]

it's EXCELLENT !

[la marmotte]

it's really relaxing and inspiring to see all the things you do in you home, and.. in 2 days, i'va paint the linving room in white, and it's fantastic now (was an horrible orange paper with flowers !)
;-)

[jja]

" Solutions like this (and so.many.others) is why this is my first blog and on many days, the ONLY blog I look at, everyday. "

Me too :-). And this is my this weekend DIY project :-)

[Marjorie]

I have a similar desk and this has inspired me with new and cheap ideas to finally hide those cords. Thanks!

[Barbi D.]

Fabulous! Cables drive me nuts! Thanks for some cable hiding inspiration! : )

[Natalie]

WOW you are good. I probably would have just unplugged everything for the picture! lol

[wall art]

The shelf is very organized, that is what i really love about the room. Everything is in it's proper corner.

[angel]

Thank you very much for your elaborate answer, I will try to get rid of the stripes with the means you suggested, plus I will probably add the wood piece because those baskets do indeed go too far in which is quite annoying. Thanks a lot! :-)