OrganizingEver wondered how to hide ugly cords in your home? Now you can easily turn any messy cord situation into a clean and clutter-free space with one of these eleven solutions.
I was over the moon when I finished decluttering and staging my entryway, but there was one eyesore that was really bugging me… seeing the lamp cord under the table. Not pretty.
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You may be thinking, “Just use the basket to hide the cables!”
I considered it, but we want to have the lamp of the right side of the table because it’s by the wall and less likely to be knocked off by someone who’s walking by.
If I moved the basket to the right side too the balance of the space would be completely thrown off because we’d have to large and visually heavy things on the right side and smaller decor on the left. Since I didn’t want the room to feel lopsided, I had to come up with a new solution.
Not only is a droopy electronics cord not cute, and it’s also a possibly safety hazard.
We have seven kids, including a crawling baby, and I know this would be too tempting for our youngest to resist. It wouldn’t take much at all for the lamp to come falling down so it was time to hide the unsightly cord chaos with a simple trick… adhesive hooks!
Thankfully, I had these little guys hanging out in my kitchen junk drawer.
1. Adhesive Hooks
We use command hooks on a pretty regular basis around our home.
I’m married to an engineer, which means I’ve never been able to have him hang something around our home that didn’t involve using a level, stud finder, measuring tape, nails, drill, and any other took he could think of for orchestrating the most elaborate wall mounting you could imagine. Bye bye hours of my life!
As much as I appreciate my husband’s attention to detail and desire to do things correctly, I have other things to do too so thankfully, hooks have been a complete game-changer.
I’ve used these pretty metal hooks to hang wreaths on my front door, and we use slightly larger clear hooks to hang our stockings over the fireplace at Christmas.
They are truly an ingenious tool because they’re easy to remove when you’re done with them, and they’ve never damaged our walls, doors, or fireplace mantel.
They’re also really inexpensive, and stylish solutions that don’t break the bank just might be my all time favorite!
How to Use Command Hooks to Hide Ugly Wires and an Assortment of Cords
The process of individual cords or a mess of wires really couldn’t have been easier.
I just added to the back of our entryway table, and used the little clips to hold the wires.
How do you hide cord clutter?
The lamp cord did end up being much longer than we needed in order for it to be to reach the electrical outlet so I wrapped the excess cord around the back of the table and called it a day.
I didn’t worry about it looking pretty because I knew no one would see it on the back of furniture.
No one’s going to see it so I was able to hide everything with these little cord clips and no one’s ever been the wiser.
Since the table had to be pushed away from the wall so I had room to work, there did end up being some extra cord hanging down when I pushed the table back into place.
Another cord clip to the rescue! I just added an extra hook to the wall just under the table so it was out of sight but still able to keep the cord securely in place.
And Voila! Simple as that. Now, all the little beautiful things we want to showcase on the table are able to be in the spotlight, and the ugly cord is no longer a distraction.
This is what it looks like from our front door. Everything’s organized and contained in plain sight.
So much better, right?!
I still have a ton of these hooks left to attack the rest of the unruly cords in our house. This trick would work great on:
- nightstand
- living rooms
- tv wires
- sideboard
- handbags
- computer wires and cords needed for a desktop
- printers
- phone charger, tablets, and other devices
- cords leading to a power strip or routers
More Ideas for Hiding Cords
I love this easy hack, but what you might be wondering how to hide ugly cords if they can’t be easily hidden behind a table?
Are we just out of luck and doomed to stare at ugly cables? No!
If this adhesive hook trick won’t work for the space and cords you’re looking to hide, try one of these ideas instead.
2. Hide Cords Inside Baseboards
If you really want to make cords hard to spot, try hiding them inside of baseboards.
3. Zip Ties
Zip ties are a great way to hide a whole bunch of wires.
4. How to Hide Ugly Cords and Electronics in Plain Sight
Hiding electronics in everyday objects is a great way to keep them easily accessible without having to see them all the time. It’s kind of fun too.
5. Use Baskets
Baskets can act like a cable catch all and are another great way to hide the various cords and components we have around our homes.
6. How to Keep Cables and Cords Organized on the Go
These DIY felt cable organizers are an easy, inexpensive, and cute way to keep your cords from becoming a jumbled mess in your purse. Check out this tutorial to make your own.
7. Wrap Up Your Cords
Flexible cord wraps are another way to contain cord chaos without permanently altering your home. They can also help to disguise and camouflage cords you don’t want to be seen.
8. Use a Cords Cover Kit
Sometimes a crafty DIY solution just won’t cut it or is more trouble than it’s worth. If that’s the case, a cord cover kit might be just the solution you’re looking for. You can see my favorite one here.
Bonus Tip! Pretty Up Your Cords
And worst case scenario, if you can’t use any of these ideas to make your cords completely invisible, there are ways you can camouflage them or totally embrace and pretty them up.
9. Washi Tape
Something as inexpensive was washi tape can make a bold and chic statement so showing your cords actually looks intentional.
10. Sew a Solution
If you or someone you know can sew, you can create a great solution for yourself with just a little fabric. Sewing a tube out of material that matches your wall color is a great way to hide wall mounted tv cords quickly and without an electrician having to cut into drywall.
11. Create a Docking Station
Having one central place to dock all of your electronics can help to reduce the look of cord clutter that comes with all the electronics we use these days. This one’s one of my favorites for charging lots of devices in one spot.
Basically, any where you’re dealing with wall power and cords could be a great opportunity to hide (or embrace) things creatively.
There no reason to see ugly cords anymore!
Can you see yourself trying any of these ideas? Which is cord hack was your favorite?
Very good idea, and you are right it does make a difference! Your entryway looks great! We are in the middle of decluttering and this tip will come in handy! Thanks!
Thanks, Mandee, and good luck with your decluttering.
I did something similar, but with duct tape instead of hooks. It worked better for me because I had to bunch up the cord and attach it to the bottom of an open table. Also, to hide my bedroom charger cord I drilled a hole in the back of my night stand and the cord and devices stay in the drawer unseen.
Duct tape is so handy. That sounds like a great solution, and I LOVE the nightstand idea. What a great way to have your devices close but out of sight. Thanks for sharing!
Ive had the same problem as all of you. I tried all kinds of ways like you have shown, the last one I did was paint the cord the same color as my wall. It doesn’t hide it but it does help it blend in. You can only really see it if your are staring right at it. Thanks for all of your practical ways to hide those unsightly wires.
I completely understand your husband comment. Mine is an engineer too!!!!!
Yes it is a great solution. I would probably have moved the lamp to the other side and used the basket to cover power point so that the balance was maintained.
Great idea! Over from the linky party and I love your blog! Cheers!
You can also wrap cords onto themselves. My Home Economics teacher taught all her classes how to wrap cords.
Great idea! I have those hooks too and ugly cords. I’m going to get on this right away! Thanks for the tip!
This is awesome! I need to get some of these and hide some cords of my own!
Thanks, Christie! 🙂
I’ve always been a big fan of those hooks. I need to get some more.
Great idea, quick fix, cheap and changed the look immensely. Much nicer. I love the whole area, especially the painting, I have a thing for the Eiffel Tower. A great welcome area to your home.
Thanks, Nikki! It’s amazing how such a little thing can really clean up the space, isn’t it. 🙂
This is a great idea and this table looks beautiful! I found you today Emily on the Think and Make party!
Thanks, Sharon!
Oh wow…I did not know something like this existed! Good to know, good to know.
Ugly cords are a pet peeve of mine! These are great. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty – we hope to see you again next week. 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
That’s a great idea, I’ve done something similar but a bit more permanent than the Command hooks, I put a cup hook into the back of the piece of furniture near the top where you can’t see it & roll the cord up, secure with a twist tie & hang on the hook. I hate cords hanging down & they are in the way when you clean too!
That’s a great idea! It sounds neater than this too because my wires are kind of haphazardly hooked all over the place. Thankfully, no one can see them! It’s so nice to have them out of the way now.
I did the exact same thing with those little hooks. I use them for everything; from hiding cords, to keeping cell phone charging cords in place, to hanging up the cleaning toothbrush on the inside of the kitchen sink cabinet door. I try to keep them around all the time and pick up extras whenever they ‘re on sale!
I love the toothbrush idea! That’s so smart.
I have to agree with all of you, I have never used them but I will now.
you won’t believe how many cords I have like that. lol it is 4:00 a.m. here
can u believe I woke up at 3:00 a.m. but I guess it is ok because I found
this. good job
Thanks, Sue! I hope you’re sleeping better these days 🙂
This is great- I’ll need to do this soon because some of our cords are getting out of control!
I stopped by from Inspire Me Monday.
I can relate. I have some other areas in the house I should definitely attack with more of these little hooks. 🙂
Oh my goodness, Emily, you have just saved the day. I have tried everything to hide the cords under my small sofa table but it is open just like yours and nothing ever worked. I love this idea! Going to pick some up today! Thanks!
Yeah! I’m so glad to hear that. Thanks, Lela! 🙂
I’m totally doing this! Thanks for sharing.
Emily, thank you for sharing on Idea Box. This will be featured on my blog tomorrow.
Thanks, Cyndee! What a wonderful surprise 🙂
This idea is genius, I have to try! I would love if you could share this at our party which runs every Tuesday http://sweethings.net/oh-my-heartsie-girls-ww/ #OMHGWW
Have a wonderful week!
Hugs,
Pili
Love it. Now to convince the hubby to do this with all those cords behind the tv.
Thanks, Michelle! And good luck with the hubby 🙂
This is genius!!! Cords are so frustrating, thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Kate!
What a great idea! And so simple…love it!
Thanks, Heidi! Yes, simple solutions are my personal favorite 🙂
This is genius! I so need to do this, all over my house!
haha! Thanks, Jennifer! The great thing about those clips is they’re so inexpensive you really can do your whole house. 🙂
I really love this idea. I have cords everywhere. We were able to have our cable guy a few years back hide some in the wall, but that doesn’t work for every cord. I still have lamp cords all over the floor. I really can’t wait to try this out, especially after seeing your great results!
Thanks, Crystal! It’s such an easy fix, right?! I wish I’d thought of it years ago.
I love this trick! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty – hope to see you again this weekend!
Thanks, Chelsea! 🙂
I probably would have just moved the basket over in front of the plug and I have a aversion to any wire showing.
Trust me, that was my first thought too! lol I didn’t want to put the lamp on the left because I have little kids, and I felt it was safer and looked nicer on the right. Unfortunately, having both the lamp and basket on the right side felt really heavy and unbalanced so little command hooks it was!
Could I ask: once you remove the hook after f.e. christmas time and you are not hanging out the wreath anymore, is it re-usable. Or are the hookds thrown away after one use?
Love your idea!
Hi Sarah, You can reuse the hooks, but you will need to use new adhesive strips to make them stick again. (Confession: I use clear hooks on my mantle for Christmas, and they’re up all year round! hehe) I hope that helps!
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing over at Wake Up Wednesday. I have a few places I could use this.
Oh good, Julie! I’m glad to hear it was helpful. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I LOVE these little guys! As a Professional Organizer, I use them all of the time for a ton of different things! Thanks for sharing
It’s amazing how versatile they are, isn’t it! Thanks so much for visiting, Melanie.
Aren’t Command hooks the greatest? I love this hack. Thanks so much for sharing!
The BEST! And so versatile. They’ve saved my walls from many holes and my mind from various frustrations. 🙂
I love those Command hooks – they come in handy for so many things! Thanks for sharing with our Merry Monday party.
Total life (and wall!) saver! 🙂 Thanks for visiting, Emily.
Hide it even more by painting the face plate the same color as the wall. It will disappear. I never understood why people paint these faceplates to match the trim.
That’s a good idea!
This is a great idea. Thanks so much sharing. Now I’m ready to tackle my ugly cords in the living room!
Yay!! Let me know how it works out for you! 🙂
Great idea and nice to see that you removed the ugly tag from the cord as well! I don’t know why people think they have to leave them on.
Sorry, I would have hid the wire with the hooks, then switch the basket and the lamp.
No apologies necessary! Design is subjective so you’re welcome to have a different opinion. Thanks for sharing 🙂
These hacks are so great!. I am setting a goal to do a couple home improvement projects this year. I think we are going to start out with some kitchen cabinet refinishing. Thanks again for sharing your organization ideas! You are so inspiring!
Thanks, Jackie and good luck with your projects!
These were stellar tips! As we prepare to move into our new home these will be amazingly helpful to employ! Thank you, Emily!
Thank you, Rene! I hope they help to make your new place feel even more like home! <3