| How to Make a Toilet Paper Cable Organizer Dec 20th 2012, 14:00 If you're up to your eyeballs in cords, cables and chargers, it's time to bring order back into the cord zone. With this simple repurposing of toilet paper rolls into a nifty cord tidy, there will be no more piling up or loss of cords, chargers and cables. Each cord, charger and cable will have its own home, making them easier to locate, store and keep out of the way. - Take inventory of what you need to organize. It helps to identify what cords and cables need tidying before making the organizer––in some cases, you might need to make a few to account for the different parts of the house where cords tend to "gather".
- Ask family members to let you know what chargers, cords or other cable devices they have at their own desks and work areas, so that your inventory accounts for everyone's needs. Ask them if they'd like a cable organizer and mark down how many you'll need to make.
- Categorize "like" cables into piles. You may be able to use one toilet paper storage roll for more than one cord or charger if they're small enough.
- Determine if all the relevant cables/cords can be stored safely inside a toilet paper roll. In some cases, the cord will be too long, thick or oversized and won't fit inside the toilet paper roll. In some cases, it isn't going to be a good idea to bend or flex the cord to fit.
- Find a suitable box to house the cables. While in many cases a shoebox will work perfectly, if you have a multitude of cables, you might need a larger box. The size of the box will also be affected by where you intend to place it, such as on or behind the desk, on a shelf, etc.
- Choose a strong box in excellent condition. If you cannot find a decent box, consider purchasing a Tupperware bin or small storage box. It needs to be durable and strong.
- Stock up on toilet paper rolls. Ask family members to keep the cardboard roll––simply provide a bin or hang a bag on the back of the bathroom door where you can collect the rolls. It may take a few weeks to build up an adequate supply unless you're already hoarding the rolls for craft purposes.
- Only keep toilet paper rolls that are in good condition. Throw away crushed or ripped ones, as they won't work.
- Arrange the toilet paper rolls inside the box. Try the simple approach first, of lining them up side by side. Depending on the shape of the box, you may need to angle some of the rolls or move them around a bit to fit properly. Experiment with what works best.
- Glue the toilet paper rolls down to the bottom of the box. Alternatively, bunch them together and bind with tape. Either way, you'll need to find a way to secure the rolls inside the box. Depending on the size and number of empty rolls, choose a system that will keep them in place (either through tape or glue).
- If the box is large enough, it's a good idea to designate an extra "free space" area that will hold those cords that are too big to fit inside the toilet paper rolls. For example, if there is space, set aside a small area alongside the box wall to lay longer cords on the side––block off the area with a piece of cardboard in order to keep the toilet paper rolls in place. (It will be stronger if the card is glued in place but you won't be able to shift it to enlarge or decrease the space once glued.)
- Place the cords and cables inside the toilet paper rolls and box. Shift and move the rolls around as needed, to accommodate the cords.
- Where possible, try stuffing in two (or more) like-cords in the same toilet paper roll. By categorizing the same type cords together, they're easier to find and space is conserved.
- Fiddle a bit to find the optimal organizational flow. You may find you keep rearranging things to make it easier to access the most-used cords, cables and chargers; rearrange until you're satisfied with how it works, then stick to the pattern you've created.
- Decide how you will store the box. The box isn't the star of the show, it's just a functional item. Place it out of sight if possible (or decorate it if you want it on show). It's a really good idea to place a lid on it if possible, as this will prevent any build-up of dust and fluff.
- Finished. Enjoy being able to quickly access your cords and cables from the one spot.
- Consider decorating the box and toilet paper rolls to make this storage system prettier or more attractive, especially if it will be housed in plain sight.
- For quick access and identification, write the cord/cable name on a strip of cardstock paper and glue it to the tip of the toilet paper roll. The little plastic tabs off bread and roll packaging make ideal labels for cords too.
Edit Things You'll Need - Toilet paper rolls, as many as you have cords
- A suitable small to medium storage box - shoebox, cardboard, plastic, whatever works for you; a lid really helps too (make one if there isn't one)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Cords, cables, chargers, etc. in need of organizing
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