10 Crazy Tricks for Hiding Wires and Cords Around Your Home
Having wires and cords all over the place can make your home look cluttered and messy. Here are 10 clever tricks for hiding those unsightly wires and cords, making your home look neat and tidy.
1. Use Cable Concealers
Cable concealers like wire channels and cord covers are a simple way to hide wires against walls or floors. Wire channels are plastic or metal U-shaped channels that you can mount flush to the wall. Simply lay the wires inside the channel and snap the cover closed. Cord covers are similar but have a slit down one side so you can remove and insert cords when needed. These cable management solutions neatly hide wires and cords in plain sight.
2. Route Wires Behind Baseboards
One easy way to hide wires is by running them underneath your baseboards. Carefully pry the baseboards away from the wall, tack the wires to the wall studs for support, then press the baseboards back into place to conceal the wires. This hides wires and creates a clean, seamless look. Just make sure you leave enough slack in the wires so they don't pull when you move furniture.
3. Use Cable Clips
Adhesive cable clips, available at any hardware store, let you affix wires flush to surfaces like walls and desks. Simply stick the clips where you want the wires to run, then press the cords into the clips. The strong adhesive keeps the clips and cords in place for a streamlined look. Use cable clips to run wires along floor trim, behind furniture, or underneath shelves without the mess of loose cords.
4. Feed Wires Through Walls
For a completely hidden look, drill holes through walls to feed wires to the next room. Determine where you want your media devices to sit, then drill a hole near the baseboard to run an HDMI cord behind the drywall to your TV on the other side. Patch the holes with drywall putty when done. Just be sure to shut off power and drill into studs to avoid hitting plumbing or wiring.
5. Hide Power Strips Behind Furniture
An unsightly power strip full of plugs and transformers can clutter a room. Keep it out of sight by mounting power strips to the back of desks, entertainment consoles, and nightstands using the included hardware or adhesive cord holders. This hides the mess while keeping outlets accessible behind the furniture. Just make sure you don't overload the power strip to prevent overheating.
6. Use Cable Boxes and Cubbies
For a quick solution, hide wires inside cable boxes, baskets, or media cabinets with doors. Many media consoles have built-in cable management to neatly organize and conceal wires. Or, try a lidded cable box to simply toss excess wires into. Place it discreetly behind the TV or under a side table to keep cords out of sight but close at hand.
7. Tuck Wires Under Area Rugs
In open floor plan homes, wires traversing across floors to media equipment can be an eyesore. Neatly hide these wires by securing them to the floor with cable mounting tape, then placing a large area rug on top. The rug hides the wires while still allowing them to safely stretch across the room to power your devices.
8. Hide Cables Down Table Legs
Kitchen and office table legs make perfect conduits for hiding wires. Use cable sleeves to neatly run cords down hollow table legs, or affix excess length to the back of solid legs using cord wraps. The wires will disappear from sight while keeping them easily accessible underneath the table.
9. Conceal Outlets Behind Furniture
Sometimes it's not the wires, but the outlets themselves that disrupt a room's aesthetics. Minimize visible outlets by positioning furniture like sofas, armoires, and wall shelves directly in front of them. The furniture hides the outlets while still allowing cords to run behind them. Use extender cords to more flexibly place furniture over outlets.
10. Unsightly Power Bricks
The AC adapter bricks of many devices can clutter your space. Get rid of the mess by using outlet extenders that let you plug the brick into a secondary outlet behind furniture. An extender paired with a short charging cable leaves just your device visible, not the unsightly power brick.
With some clever cable management solutions like wire channels, cord covers, and strategic furniture placement, you can banish messy wires from sight. Use these tricks to hide wires and cords around your home and enjoy a clean, streamlined look in any room. Which solution will you try first? Let me know how it works for your space!