How to Organize Your Tech and Purge That Random Box of Cables
While it’s an absolute privilege to get your hands on the latest technology, my home as a gadget reviewer often feels like a warehouse. Cluttered with boxes and cables lying everywhere, just getting to my desk is a battle some days. Every surface is littered with chargers, security cameras, routers and phones. To manage the flow of devices and preserve my sanity, I had to organize myself.
I won’t lie to you. It’s no fun purging your collection of random cables, sorting items into labeled boxes, and letting go of old gadgets you no longer use. But you can benefit from my experience and I promise it will make your life easier. It’s hard to get started, but once you have a system, you’ll never return to chaos.
Start with your box of random cables
Photography: Simon Hill
We all have a box of random cables – a tangled mess that we carry with us every time we move and that we rarely, if ever, delve into. This box is at the heart of your complicated technical problem. It’s the ultimate symbol of gadget chaos. Face the facts. You’ll never use the charger from your long-dead Nokia 8110 again. You don’t need that weird printer cable from the printer that you broke in a fit of justifiable rage ten years ago. You will never need more than 10 Micro USB cables.
Start your new life here. Break the back of that box and you’re well on your way to organized tech nirvana. Untangle and sort your cables into assorted piles. Use cable ties or rubber bands to wrap them neatly. Place your cords in boxes labeled by type. I reused old circular plastic takeout containers because they are the perfect shape for coiled cables. We now have a row of easy-to-access containers with legends like HDMI, USB-C to USB-C, USB-A to Micro USB, etc. Ziploc bags or even toilet paper tubes can also work.
For weird leftover cables, my wife has a simple rule: If you don’t know what it is, you’re not allowed to keep it. Purge those random old cables and you should be left with a modest box of unique parts that you can collect without frustrating searching. To improve your organization, write what each cord is on a white sticker label and wrap them around the cable.
Before moving on to cables, consider organizing and hiding the ones you use with our cable management guide.
Sort your boxes, manuals and accessories
Photography: Simon Hill
Many gadgets come with a box containing accessories, a manual, and perhaps a setup code that you’ll definitely need later but never be able to find. If you have space, I highly recommend keeping the original box with all of these items still inside. Not only does this make it easier for you to find that accessory or QR code, but it also makes it easier to pass on, donate, or sell the gadget when you no longer need it. Devices with the original boxes and accessories always incur higher costs, and having the original manuals and accessories makes life much easier for the next owner.
