How to organize wires and install a USB jack

Sunita Vellapally Sunita Vellapally
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If you have electronic equipment at  home or at work, then you would have experienced first-hand the chaos of wires and cables that multiply and entangle, not to mention the mess they create, which distracts from the beauty of the home decor and the neat appearance of the environment. Although it seems like there is no way out, this problem has a simple, practical and accessible solution. So, get ready to solve the problem you and your family face when it comes to recharging your cell phone and other devices. Replace ordinary sockets with USB jacks that are more economical, faster, and connect more devices at a time. You'll be able to recharge your phone or tablet in the kitchen or even the bathroom if you want. Check it out!

1. Bringing order to chaos

Nowadays, the devices that we use in our personal and professional lives bring chaos when they are installed in our homes, home offices and workplaces due to the dozens of wires and cables from the cell phones, tablets, laptops, PCs, digital cameras, stereos, TVs, routers, modems and more. This jungle of wires and cables gets easily entangled and is an eye sore to the aesthetics of the space in which it is installed. However, there are some ways to resolve this.

2. An adapted table

One of the most interesting ways to bring order to a multitude of wires is with a table specially designed for it. The secret is the compartment in the centre of it, which can be slid open and closed to give it the appearance of a regular table, as we see in the image below.  An electric extension is installed inside the drawer, as shown in the following image, through a hole in the bottom of the table.

3. Organizing wires

The table that we showed you earlier has a slot in which cables and wires can be fixed, which is very useful when you need to disconnect a laptop as it is not necessary to bend under the table to unplug the wire. 

For those who do not have such a table, but want to organize a mountain of wires and cables, other alternatives are available. One tip is to use nylon cable ties to hold them together, but remember that if you need to remove the cables, you will have to cut the clamp and replace it with a new one. 

A similar option is the flexible wire organizer, which can be found in hardware stores, among other places. With this, wires or cables are wrapped in a spiral, which can be removed and repositioned without a problem when more wires need to be accommodated.  Sometimes, however, just decreasing the length of certain wires or cables not only considerably improves the chaos, but also provides the space to add another wire or cable. 

Wires can also be wrapped in a simple cardboard cut into a bone shape and with grooves at the ends to attach the wires or cables. However, before adopting any of these ideas, make sure that the equipment is in the place where you want to fix it and that there are no unnecessary and unused cables in the pile of wires. 

Another good tip is to tag each wire or cable so that you can find it more easily when you need it.

4. Lamp holder

When it comes to modern lighting, one option that is very popular among people who like simplicity is the design consisting of a bulb embedded in a socket, which is connected to an electric wire. A simple way to organize these lamps at home or anywhere is to use a stand that can be fixed to a bookcase by the weight of the books. In the image above, we see one in neon and, in the image below, several lamps are fixed on a shelf to create a casual and modern ambiance.

5. Installing a USB jack

When we talk about organizing cables and wires, one thing not to forget is that we need to recharge the batteries of our devices. In some cases, especially with high usage or older batteries, we may have to recharge them more than once in a day, and often more than one device at a time. 

Lately, cell phone chargers have been replaced by USB cables that are compatible with most devices. They need to be charged by connecting them to computers or laptops, but this process tends to take longer than the conventional charger. Since users don’t always carry the USB cable, device chargers also need a common socket, which isn’t often available. 

Given these issues, a new alternative has recently come into the market – the USB socket. It is more economical than conventional chargers and recharges devices much faster than a computer port does, dispensing with the need for both when using the fully portable cable. In addition, the outlet features at least two input sockets, allowing recharging of more than one device. It also works on dual voltage, which allows its installation in any socket of the house. 

In terms of installation, the USB jack is simple and easy to fix. Firstly, you must turn off the power switch and remove the existing power socket. Then the new socket needs to be fitted into the bracket that comes along with it, and the conductor wires cut to strip out about 6 mm before connecting with the wires in the socket. 

The manufacturer's instructions must be followed for single-phase or two-phase installation, without forgetting the earth pin. Finally, screw the holder and the cover on the socket, turn on the main switch and check that everything is working properly.

Simple, isn’t it? For ideas on making your house look tidy, see Easy tips to manage clutter at home.

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