Thanks to wireless technology today, computer cable management is a little bit less “high blood pressure” inducing than it used to be. That, however, doesn’t mean that you don’t have to still deal with the headache that comes with cable management. Whether you are getting a new PC or connecting your old one to a few choice peripheral devices, you are going to have to deal with the cables that come with it.

Thankfully, there are a few excellent computer cable management tips you can employ to help you stay sane through it all. Here are 10 excellent computer cable management tips to follow:

1. Get Closer to the Outlet

There is simply no way around those power cables; they have to run from the wall to your computer somehow. The further away you are from the outlet, the more clutter and stumbling hazards these cables create. If you can, moving your PC closer to the outlet will help minimize this risk. This is one of the best ways to eliminate the power cables from this equation almost entirely.

2. Get A Case with A Good Cable Management System

Consider getting a case like the Thermaltake Versa H15 for your tower PC. The right case is inherently equipped with an excellent cable management system as they will come with a motherboard tray that has 3-6 routing holes, a PSU shroud, or a bit of space between the side panel and the motherboard tray. These holes and the spaces found within allow for better management of the power cable, SATA cables, and so on.

3. Use as Many Wireless Devices as Possible

This is one way of avoiding the headache that comes with PC cable management to a good degree. Whenever you have the opportunity to go wireless, take it. Consider buying things like wireless headphones or even wireless speakers. The speakers will have a power cable, but that is just one cable as opposed to dealing with all the wires that would have to run from and to every component of that speaker otherwise.

There is also an option, albeit a little expensive, of going for wireless HDMI technology. Products such as IOGear Wireless HD Digital Kit can help you connect to your HDTVs and home theatre systems simultaneously without needing to run HDMI cables to all these devices.

4. Have a Cable Management System for Essential Cords

How many times do you charge your handheld devices a day? Devices such as your iPhone, digital cameras, and such use Thunderbolt cords tend to often be all over the place because they fall under the “essential cords” bracket. These are cords that you use every day and are extremely portable. One way to manage these cords is to designate a specific spot for them and use a cable management system like the YOCOU Cable Management System to keep them neatly aligned and available all in one central location.

5. Use Flat Cables Whenever Possible

Peripheral devices often come with options of cable types. Some have flat cables as opposed to braided cords. Whenever you can, choose flat cables. These tend to be easy to bunch up together and put neatly in one place.

6. Group and Pair as Many Cables as Possible

There is a good chance that many cables forming that huge mess of a cluster are going in the same direction towards your PC and a bunch of peripheral devices that are either on your desk or a wall unit of sorts. One way to help manage all this is to start by planning, grouping, and pairing as many of these cables as possible.

From the start, separate these cables by use. For example, once you have all the power cables together, you can zip tie them into a singular cluster, so they don’t flail about as they head out and plug into the various devices. This will also help you find better ways of grouping your devices closer to one another and forming a kind of tech-center.

7. Buy Cable Sleeves

Perhaps the simplest and neatest way to bunch up cables together is to buy cable sleeves. This is particularly useful when you have a bunch of cables going through one spot together. Think of your HDMI cables, VGA cables, audio jacks, and so on. If they are all heading towards the same devices, putting them in cable sleeves will help bunch them neatly together and clear the clutter that they would otherwise form.

8. Use Zip Ties

Another excellent alternative to cable sleeves are zip ties. While they may not be as neat or as sophisticated looking, zip ties still get the job done all the same. The trick is to group a bunch of cables headed in the same direction or from the same device together, and zip tie them to form a neat cluster.

9. Have Somewhere to Store Adapters and Cables

What many people don’t often realize is that things such as charging cords, small power adapters, and dongles – you know, the tiny, highly portable cables that you often use – tend to add up quickly with time. Because you assume you will need them at some point, you won’t get rid of them or put them in some drawer that you will then promptly forget. So you let them become part and parcel of your desk.

A good way to manage this clutter is to buy something like a travel organizer. This is a neat, affordable way to store those Thunderbolt cables and adapters that you aren’t using. You can even use it to store your USB thumb drives. This way, they will be out of the way, and you won’t lose them.

10. Use a Velcro Strap on Excess Cord

You’ve probably seen those comically long cables that come with a variety of devices, including loudspeakers. While they often serve a purpose as far as placement is concerned, for the most part, you end up with several feet of cord that just lies there, creating a tangled mess.

Since you don’t want to cut and reattach these cords for a variety of good reasons, the best way to deal with them is to wrap them up neatly using a Velcro wrap. This keeps them out of the way as well as intact.

Computer cable management takes a bit of planning, but with the right approach and the right accessories, you can get those wires under control and regain your space around the office or home. These are just a few tricks you could try.