A Quick Fix for Loose Ends

What a great way to organize loose ends on your desk – particularly if you travel and take your laptop with you. Easy to organize and re-plug your cords when you return and thereby eliminate the undignified display of crawling around under your desk to retrieve errant cables.

Computer cord organizer
Computer cord organizer, photo by David Bakker

Just saw this on Facebook via Lena Di, who re-posted from an English rock band called Refracture. Whatever. Anyway I thought it was cool enough for a quickie post. If anyone knows the original source, please share.

UPDATE–And you did… Several of you have written with the source and I thank you! It does annoy no end the pilfering of photos and information posted will-nilly with nary a  proper credit. So here it is: The most easily accessed photo was from bedifferentactnormal.com which credits Lifehacker, who credits David Bakker, a clever Dutchman, with the original post and photos.

Binder clips as cord catchers
Step-by-step: Binder clips as cord catchers, by David Bakker, via LIfehacker

The original post appeared three years ago, and FrancesSchultz.com is right on the cutting edge as usual. But hey, we’ll take a good idea whenever it comes, right?

 

21 comments

    1. Dear Meerah, please check the updated post. I added photos that I think will explain it. If you still have questions, holler back. I will listen out for you. I would also add that if the edge of your desk is too wide for a binder clip you could clip them to a small board or narrow hardback book and place that at the edge of your desk.

  1. Hi Frances,

    I did a little “digging” and found the original (I think) on Be Different Act Normal Blog.

    I saw this on Pinterest.com a while ago, and looked into it further…

    regards,
    Emily

  2. Great idea!! Thank you so much for all the help you give to me….as they say “You Rock Frances”
    xo Becky

  3. Partner keeps threatening to write a book “101 Uses for Office Products” (like White Out on a small stain or a stapler or tape to fix a torn hem or other quickie “tailoring”)… He’d love this.

  4. Sooooo simple! Why didn’t any of us think of this??? Am orr immediately to organise the cords on my desk. Hope springs eternal.

    Thank you Frances for your continuing beautiful, clever and touching blog.

    Cheers,

    Nancy

  5. i have used those BIG binder clips for this for a long time———-cant tell from picture but looks like a few of those in a row? yes?…maybe?
    also have tried taking an OLD curly phone cord to put around a few of the———much affection……adrienne
    please send “EASIEST” recipe for casual dinner party w good friends

    1. Hi Adrienne, thanks for writing – and yes – a few clips in a row. As for your dinner with friends, try this https://www.francesschultz.com/1206. Turkey Tetrazzini and a kale salad – perfect comfort food for this time of year and couldn’t be easier or better. I also have a really good pasta recipe from Stephanie Valentine – just put “recipes” in the search box and a bunch will come up. Have a good time, and so good to hear from you. xox Frances

  6. You are too sweet–what a fun “quickie” post! I love the binder clip idea, having had far too many adventures under the desk to retrieve errant cords. Best wishes and blessings to you.

  7. Thanks for the proper credit Frances! I appreciate that a lot, taking the trouble to find out the source. This picture I took has been all over the web for years now, and only seldom with a link to my original blogpost or mention of my name. I’ve learned, next time I’ll ever so carefully and tiny add my name to the picture somewhere 😉

    Nice website by the way 🙂

    1. David, how nice of you to write and what a clever fellow you are. You probably know by now that you can put watermarks on all your photos, and it’s a surefire way to ensure your “byline” is visible for all Internet eternity. Thank you for your kind words – and Lifehacker is a terrific site. I’ll be on the lookout for your work. 🙂 All good wishes, Frances

  8. Love this idea and am going to use it. Will be first in line for Partner’s book, it’s a great idea! I know it’s an old, tried and true use for it, but I regularly use Scotch tape wrapped round and round my hand to defuzz clothes, pillows, etc. Mainly because I put the defuzzer roller thingie in a safe place (away from the feline child who is inordinately fond of batting it all over the place) and then promptly forget where the “safe” place is. Actually, I think she hides the darn thing to get back at me, ha!

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