Offices inevitably accumulate a tangle of wires and cables. Our home office was no exception. After building some under-desk storage, we still had an unruly mess beneath the workspace. With a baby on the way who would soon be crawling, we wanted to tidy that area for safety and aesthetics. We also had two practical goals: reduce the number of power strips in use, and clear the top of our file storage shelf so it could be functional instead of serving as a platform for plugs and gadgets.
To start, I inventoried every cord and plug to determine how many outlets we really needed on a single surge protector. Unplugging everything and lining it up made it easy to count and identify items that could be eliminated. For example, our clock radio was retired because our computers could tell time and play music. After trimming the nonessential devices, we were left with seven necessary plugs: a wireless base station, two laptop power adapters, a landline phone, a modem, an external hard drive, and a desk lamp. That meant we needed at least seven outlets on a single power strip—ideally eight to leave one spare.
We set out to find a concealed surge protector that could safely hide a cluster of plugs and be mounted under the desk. A concealed model we first tried had a good design but didn’t accommodate the bulky laptop power adapters and wouldn’t close properly once they were plugged in. Back to the store we went and found a different model that met our outlet requirement and cost less. This unit also included an eco-friendly feature: a remote switch that can turn off several outlets to prevent standby or “vampire” power draw when devices aren’t in use. That turned out to be a practical energy-saving benefit for our office setup.
Mounting the surge protector under the desk freed up the top of the file shelf and allowed one wall outlet to become available again—so we no longer needed two separate power strips occupying both outlets. I chose to mount the strip on the desk’s back rail rather than the underside, because mounting it on its side helps keep plugs seated more securely. To accurately mark holes for the screws, I use a simple trick: place a strip of painter’s tape through the mounting holes so it shows on the front, then position the unit and mark through the tape. A couple of pilot holes and small screws later, the strip was securely attached.
Plugging everything into one strip initially created a new visual cluster of cords at the back of the desk. To tame that mess I used adhesive cable organizer clips spaced roughly every foot along the back rail. These small clips guide cords so they run neatly behind the desk and rise only where each device needs power. Wrapping excess cable and keeping cords snug prevents sagging loops that could be tempting for a curious child to tug or chew.
For the cables that ran straight down to the modem stored inside a storage box on a nearby shelf, I bundled them with a simple twist tie to keep them together. Since most of the remaining wiring is concealed behind the file shelf, the solution looks tidy from both standing and sitting positions. To clean up the short stretch of cord near the wall outlet, I used clips that matched the wall color, making the cord and clips much less noticeable. A stubborn black coaxial cable was tucked against the baseboard and held in place with a small nail so it stayed out of sight.
We were pleased to accomplish both of our main goals: freeing up a wall outlet and clearing the top of the file shelf for actual use. The cluster of plugs hanging at the back of the desk is still somewhat visible if you crouch underneath, so we plan to hide it further with a shallow tray or decorative panel that will disguise the power area while keeping it accessible. From normal viewing angles, though, the desk area now appears clean and organized.
While working on the cord cleanup, we also upgraded our printer to a wireless model. Replacing an older multifunction unit that had no wireless capability reduced the number of cords we needed to manage. The new wireless printer is smaller, easier to place on a shelf, and can print and scan over the network, which eliminated the need to keep it physically close to a computer. Its power cord slips neatly between the shelf and wall and runs to the outlet we freed up behind the couch, so it didn’t add to visible clutter.
In the end, a mix of the right surge protector, thoughtful mounting, adhesive cable clips, simple bundling, and strategic device placement transformed our under-desk chaos into an organized cable management system. Every office’s cable situation is different, but the principles are the same: reduce unnecessary devices, consolidate outlets when safe to do so, mount power strips out of sight, and route cords neatly with clips or ties. We’d love to hear other effective cable management tips and product recommendations from readers to keep improving our setup.
P.S. We’re collecting postcards for a postcard art wall project at PO Box 36665, Richmond, VA 23235. Thanks to everyone who has already sent one!