9 Simple Ways to Hide and Organize Computer Cables

Co-authored by Christopher Lanier and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: June 27, 2022 References

You've organized your space and have your computer area just the way you want—the only problem is all the cords! Lots of wires stretching across your desk can make it look messy, and if wires hang to the floor, you could have a tripping hazard. Fortunately, you have options when it comes to hiding PC wires.

Here are 9 easy ways you can hide your PC wires so they’re out of sight.

1

Cable catch

Stick a cable catch at the back of your desk to hide wires behind it. Sometimes, you just need a basic cable management solution. If you've got wires hanging from your PC down behind your desk, stick cable catches on the back of the furniture. These look like small circles with a slit across the center. Stick the flat side of the catch to your desk. Then, push the wires through the slit so they run down the length of the desk instead of dangling.^{[1]
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- This is also a great option if your desk is in the middle of your room. The cable catch will be visible from one side, but your wires won't be visible from the front of the desk!

2

Holes in the desk

Drill a hole to hide cables inside your desk. If your desk is pushed right up against a wall, you've probably got PC wires hanging over the sides of the desk. For a permanent storage solution, drill a circular hole into the top of the desk near the back. You'll probably want to do this right behind the computer so the hole isn't noticeable. Then, push the wires down through the hole so they hang below the desk. This way, you won't see wires cluttering the top of your workspace.^{[2]
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- You can pair this solution with a cable management tray, wire covers, or a cable management box.

3

Compact cord protector

Stick a flat cord protector along the floor or baseboard to conceal wires. If your desk is in the middle of the room, you'll have cords that you need to run to outlets. Buy a long cord protector and lay a strip of double-sided tape on the ground. Press the cord protector on the tape so it lies flat. Then, push the wires into the protector so it surrounds them. This also works if your desk is against a wall and you want to hide the wires that run to the closest outlet.^{[3]
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- Keep in mind that the cord protector might be a tripping hazard if you have it in the middle of the room.

4

Cable management tray

Buy a metal or plastic management tray for under your desk or table. The tray looks like a long compartment that you screw to the underside of your desk or table. Then, feed the wires into the compartment so it holds them. You won't be able to see the wires when you're sitting at the desk.^{[4]
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- You'll still have wires extending from the ends of the management tray, but the tray holds the bulk of the cords so you can't see them.
- If your compartment is wide enough, you can also hide a power strip or surge protector in it!

5

Double-sided tape

Stick the tape onto your desk or furniture to secure power strips and cords. Don't want to screw a cable management tray to your desk? For a less permanent option, stick a few pieces of double-sided tape to the flat side of a power strip. Then, press it to the back of the desk or underneath your table. You can press more tape onto the furniture and stick stray wires to it to hide them underneath the desk.^{[5]
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- You can probably pull off the power strip once or twice if you need to move it, but the more you do this, the weaker the adhesive will be.

6

Cable management box

Set the box behind your desk on the ground to hide a lot of wires. It's easy to find stylish cable management boxes that match your room's aesthetic. Just set it on the ground behind your desk and place your power strip or surge protector in the box. Feed the cords through the slits at the end of the box. The box should have a lid that you set on top so you can't see the wires inside.^{[6]
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- You can find sleek black cable management boxes or simple white boxes with cork lids, for instance.

7

Zip ties or rubber ties

Gather loose wires together with ties so they're not as messy looking. Even after you hide most of the wires in a tray or box, you'll still have wires hanging from the PC to the storage system. To clean them up, pinch the hanging wires together and wrap them with a plastic zip tie or rubber tie. This makes them look more organized. To hide them even more, you can stick the gathered wires to the back of a desk with the double-sided tape trick.^{[7]
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- If you really want to organize your cables, buy cable ties that are pre-labeled. Then, wrap the appropriate cable around each wire.

8

Cable covers

Wrap braided sleeving or split tubing around wires to stylishly group them. It's hard to completely hide all of the wires coming from your computer. Once you've stored the bulk of them, you can deal with the straggling wires. For something more decorative than a zip tie, take a strip of braided sleeving or a piece of split tubing. Gather the wires and place them in the center of the sleeving or tubing. Then, wrap the material around the wires to hide them and give your wires a more polished look.^{[8]
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- For a simple utilitarian solution, use Velcro strips instead of the sleeves. These are a little easier to quickly remove and reapply as needed.

9

Binder clips

Gather thick wires together with office supplies you have around your home. If you don't feel like buying specialized cable management items, grab a few big binder clips from your desk. Gather the wires that are hanging from your PC and clip them together. Then, pull back one of the binder handles and press it flush against the back of your desk. Hammer a nail into the desk so the binder clip hangs from it and hides your cords.^{[9]
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- You can also use smaller binder clips to gather thin wires. It's totally fine to clip wires together without securing the clip to your desk or table.
- Besides this, you can use power bridges to hide cables with 120 voltage on the wall.^{[10]
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- For low voltage wires, you can drill a hole and bring it through the wall, depending on your electrical code. You can use decorative faceplates.^{[11]
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- If you do not want to drill holes in the wall, you can put the wires on the sheetrock and use wire tracks that you can paint.^{[12]
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Community Q&A

Question

How can I hide the wires behind my desk?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

A cable catch is your best bet. If you've got wires hanging from your PC down behind your desk, stick cable catches on the back of the furniture. These look like small circles with a slit across the center. Stick the flat side of the catch to your desk. Then, push the wires through the slit so they run down the length of the desk instead of dangling down. It'll keep them contained and out of view. It's also a great way to conceal wires or keep them out of the way if your desk is in the middle of the room. The cable catch will be visible from one side, but won't be visible from the front of your desk.
Question

How can I keep my computer wires protected on the floor?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

A flat cord protector will not only protect your wires, it'll help conceal them, too! Buy a long cord protector and lay a strip of double-sided tape on the ground. Press the cord protector on the tape so it lies flat. Then, push the wires into the protector so it surrounds them. You can use the cord protector if your desk is in the middle of the room or if you have to run wires across a room to reach an outlet. The cord protector can be a slight tripping hazard, so you may want to run it along the baseboards of your wall if you can so it's not sticking out in the middle of the room. It's a simple and effective way to keep your wires protected from getting scraped or run over by chairs.
Question

How can I cover up exposed computer wires?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

Sometimes, the simplest solution is the most effective. You can try simply hiding the wires behind a cable management box. It's easy to find stylish cable management boxes that match your room's aesthetic. Just set it on the ground behind your desk and place your power strip or surge protector in the box. Feed the cords through the slits at the end of the box. The box should have a lid that you set on top so you can't see the wires inside. You can use a sleek black box or find one that you like. A good-looking box is much better than a jumble of cords and cables behind your computer desk.

Warnings

You've probably seen cord-hiding tricks that recommend putting wires in boxes. This is a safety hazard since the wires could overheat and start a fire.

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Avoid laying rugs over cords that are on your floor since these are tripping hazards.

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