The 9 Best Cable Management Tools, Ranked by Level of Neat-Freakiness

Begin by restoring your desk to a more primordial state. Unplug all your devices and move them to another surface. Then, one by one and before you plug anything into a socket, arrange your items in a way that seems most functional. “When we’re setting up a new desk, most of us just want to get straight to work,” said Sam Beckman, who makes videos about technology for YouTube. But if you take the time to try several arrangements, he said, you’ll eventually find the most efficient, tidiest setup. Once you’ve landed on a favorite and added the vital cables, consider using these management tools—ranked here by ascending levels of neat-freakiness—to help keep things straight.

For the Mildly Bothered, With Few Devices

Wherever they originate, your cables usually lead to one of a few destinations, be that a laptop, USB hub or power brick. The Matador Re-Ties Reusable Zip Ties allow you to tightly bind all the cords on the same path so that they don’t spread out and get tangled. In Mr. Beckman’s view, these reusable options offer a clear advantage over more permanent solutions: If you ever want to add or move a cable, you won’t need a box cutter to sever these ties open. $11, MatadorUp.com

Adhesive cable clips allow you to route your cords systematically over the surface of your desk, instead of letting them sprawl or droop wherever their whims (and gravity) might lead them. Besides black and white, the Blue Lounge CableDrops come in less basic colors such as teal, burgundy and sea foam, which makes finding a set that will match the rest of the bric-a-brac in your office easier. If you have an extra, try using it with the charger you keep at your bedside table. Set of 6, $10, BlueLounge.com

We’ve all been in the situation where we’ve crawled under our desk to unplug a fussy router, only to realize we have no idea which cord we actually need to pull. Mt Vibrant Solid Washi Tape allows you to label each of your cords at their endpoints, so that anytime you need to make adjustments to your organizational setup, you won’t be left guessing. Tip: Giving your devices cheeky names (say, “internet incubator” for said router) can make the process a bit more fun. $4 per roll, WashiTape.com

For the Aspiring, but Realistic, Minimalist

Even if all your cables are routed to the power strip underneath or on top of your desk in a sensible manner, they can still be a bit of an eyesore. The Yamazaki Home Cable Management Box allows you to hide the mess. The company says this also serves as a nice bit of protection from curious felines and pups who might want to undo your work. Should you need to access a plug, take advantage of your opposable thumbs to lift the top panel. $40, TheYamazakiHome.com

Upon close inspection, some entry-level desk organizers can reveal a mullet-like mien: clean on the top, messy at the back. You might be encouraged by their apparent tidiness but succumb to melancholy every time you glimpse the tangle of cables drooping underneath. The UpriteErgo Standing Desk Cable Manager provides a hammock for all these cables along the underbelly of your desk, cradling them securely off the ground. $65, UpriteErgo.com

If your desk has metallic legs, the MojoDesk Magnetic MagicSnap Cable Chain offers a clever way to route cables from the tabletop to the ground. Once you’ve arranged everything on the surface of your desk, you can clip all your cables into the links of the chain. Then adding it to your desk is as simple as sticking a magnet to your fridge. $100, MojoDesk.com

For Obsessed Organizers Seeking a Challenge

Once you’ve found ways to streamline how your devices connect, it is time to take matters a step further. Use one or two of the organizers from this set of elegant

x KonMari Stackable Bamboo Drawer Organizers to corral any notebooks you want on hand while you work. Use the rest to bring order to the cables, dongles, used batteries and god knows what else you’ve been throwing in that neglected junk drawer. Set of 6, $35, Shop.KonMari.com

When you finally tackle that neglected cable drawer, you’ll inevitably discover plenty of forgotten gear that might actually come in handy. The compact Design Milk/Function 101 BentoStack Tech Organizer allows you to create something of a tech toolbox, with spots specifically for an old phone, charging cables, headphones, extra watch straps, HDMI cables and plenty of other accessories you need each time one of your existing devices fails. $50, Shop.Design-Milk.com

Even with your mess under the strictest control thanks to all the preceding devices, your mind can still be cluttered if your desk is your kitchen table, covered in toast crumbs. Consider upgrading to something more suitable to work, like the Herman Miller Line Storage Desk. It has big midcentury modern appeal. But like many more obviously utilitarian standing desks from startups, it also includes a nifty compartment for hiding a power strip. $2,995, Store.HermanMiller.com

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