Tip: The Twisty Tie
Electrical cords and cables. They are everywhere. And we need them! Mobile devices, iPods, iPads, computers, extension cords, kitchen appliances. And don't get me started on the home entertainment systems. This is the electronic era, people. Even a minimalist can't argue the necessity. Each electronic is cord specific. Perhaps that'll change someday and there will be one universal cord for everything, but I'm not holding my breath. And yes. Sure we can declutter and get rid of old cords just as we find responsible ways to dispose of old electronics. But sometimes we hold onto them.
Even if we keep our cords to the minimum, they are ugly, they get tangled and they gather dust balls. Even worse, if we store excess cords in our electronic bin, when we actually need to use one, they are all tangled together and take time to unravel. How can we make peace with the cord so that it fits into our lifestyle of simple, stylish living?
Last week I was working with one of my clients. And we settled into the process of organizing her electronics. I marched over to my trusty Organizing Kit, knowing exactly what I needed to streamline her storage (think of me as a decluttered version of Mary Poppins - pulling out organizing essentials from my canvas bag).
The Twisty Tie is the simple, inexpensive solution to all your cord woes.
I'm willing to bet most people have a handful of unused twisty ties in their junk drawer. They come with trash bags but more often than not I double-knot my bags and never use the twisty tie. They are a wonderful solution to the tangled mess that cords create. For instance:
In our bedroom, we have a standing fan that lives right in front of the outlet. Instead of having all that excess cord lying in a snake-like swivel below the fan, I wind it up and secure the excess with a twisty tie. (It makes moving the fan a simple affair when vacuuming.)
I use my immersion blender - one of my favorite kitchen appliances - often. It's not big and so it needn't take up much space on a shelf... but its cord is bulky. When I return it to its home, I always fold up its cord and secure it with a twisty tie.
Our scanner gets a fair amount of use, but not enough for it to be displayed and always plugged in. I store it in a closet; I store its cord in the nook of my desk, near the outlet it uses. The cord is secured by - wait for it - a twisty tie.
Our electronic bin is easy to navigate once I integrated the twisty tie. A few devices are too big and clunky for a twisty tie, so they've been separated with ziplock bags. It really eliminates time when searching for something not often used.
Back to my lovely client. I opened my Mary Poppins Organizing Bag only to discover that - alas - your trusty organizing superhero had failed to restock her twisty tie supply. Sometimes superheroes make mistakes. I was miffed. But my client couldn't have been more gracious, and we used ziplock bags for her electronic bin. All was well. And I learned a valuable lesson - I'll never be without my twisty tie stock again. And because of the error, I realized how essential the twisty tie is to organizing. Hence, I write you this tip.
Now, I'd also like to mention there are some extremely gorgeous pieces you can purchase to store your cords in style. I see them all over the place and they hide the cord clutter at your desk, your entertainment system - where ever - with style and grace. There is also a more stylish-looking velcro twisty tie tape on the market. I'm happy to help you shop if this is an investment you find worth while. But for now, when you have 30 minutes to spare, grab your twisty ties, take out that electronic bin of yours and get to it. Catch up on your favorite podcast or The Bachelorette (anybody? nobody? fine. the cheese stands alone.) while you detangle, twist that tie and breath a sigh of relief.
How do you manage the cord clutter? Share with on in the comments below!
