I finally got fed up with having too many cables in my home — here's how I got rid of all the clutter by Brandt Ranj on Feb 1, 2018, 4:18 PM The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.  There's one thing gadget lovers and casual tech users have in common: cables. A lot of cables. Too many cables.
Like everyone else, I've always used whichever one came in the box and kept every one I got, but I recently realized that strategy wasn't working for me. My desk, table, and floor were full of cables that were too long, or around "just in case," so I decided to do something about all of them. It took time and some money, but having completed the project outlined below, I can tell you it makes life a lot easier. My drawers have space, I can see my desk again, and I no longer have wires just hanging out with no real purpose. SEE ALSO: Buy cables that are the right length for your needs.  There's no such thing as "one size fits all," but tech companies decided that 3 feet is the appropriate cable length for many gadgets. For charging cables, that's too long to plug into your computer at work without having extra, and short enough to make you feel tethered to the wall when it's charging at home. Game consoles and other TV-related gadgets usually come with a 6 foot HDMI cable, which is usually long enough to turn the back of your TV and entertainment center into a wired jungle. Ditto for the coaxial cable that comes with your cable box if you haven't cut the cord. If you're like me and prefer to have a wired internet connection for certain devices for maximum speed and reliability, the ethernet cable that comes with your router is never the right size either. It might seem stupid to replace cables that work fine, but trust me, it's worth it. I'm generally going to recommend Anker's when I can, because they're durable and come with an 18-month warranty, so you won't need to replace them. All you have to do is take some measurements, decide if you want to rearrange any furniture, and buy cables that are the appropriate length. This process took me a couple of hours, but was ultimately the hardest part of this entire project. I'll get into what to do with the cables you already have (and end up finding) later.
Embrace wireless charging.  Yes. This has been a standard feature on many Android phones for years, but all three models of iPhone released last year finally support wireless charging. Thankfully, Apple chose to embrace the Qi standard, which has been around for a while, so there are several great chargers already available to buy. I was able to try Mophie's charging pad a few months ago and haven't looked back; it's reliable, durable, and doesn't take up too much space. Even better, it has eliminated a charging cable from my life.
Organize your extra cables.  There's a good chance you have extra cables laying around, even if you don't buy an all new ones like I did. Cables have a nasty habit of accumulating in drawers, so do a thorough sweep of your place, and collect every one you find in a Ziploc bag. I did it over the course of a weekend, and found dozens of extras laying around. Once you've got your cables, think about which ones you'll actually need in the future, and keep two of each — three if you want to keep some in different sizes. I saved one of the sets in a sandwich bag, binding each cable with a rubber band. Now, instead of rummaging around each time I need a cable, or a friend asks me for one, I know exactly where to look.
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