Cord clutter is often one of the most frustrating parts of decorating your home. How can cords be safely hidden to blend into your home beautifully?
Cords in open areas of the home aren’t just an eyesore. They also present the risk of tripping and of cord damage from foot traffic and pets. This can be avoided by running your cords along or under furniture when possible or using a cord cover to camouflage cords along your floor and baseboards.
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Cover Your Cords with Objects Already in Your Home
The easiest and most convenient way to cover cords is simply arranging your furniture to cover them as much as possible. With larger furniture positioned near an outlet, you can run many chords and even extension cords and power strips underneath.
Area rugs and runners can also be used to cover a cord, but it is important to do so safely!
A cord by itself under a rug creates a fire hazard, because it is hard to see when the cord becomes damaged or worn. This can be avoided by using a low-profile cord cover that will keep the cord in place and protected.
For Appliances That Are Near the Walls
When your appliance is near the wall it is best to hide the cord in a PVC cord cover that runs along your baseboards.
These can be found in many colors to best match your baseboards, but if you can’t find the perfect color they can be stained or painted. They are available in many sizes to fit one or more cords.
How to Use PVC Cord Covers Along Baseboards
Trim the Cord Cover
Once you’ve bought your cord covers and stained or painted them to perfectly fit your space, they can be trimmed if needed.
Measure the distance along your baseboards between the outlet you will be using and where the appliance will be. The extra length of the PVC cord cover can be trimmed using a small hacksaw or PVC cutters.
Attach Them to the Baseboards
The cord covers can be placed along the top or bottom of your baseboards, whatever you think looks best!
Most cord covers come with an adhesive strip already on the back for easy installation. Make sure that the surface is clean then simply peel and stick!
Insert the Cord
PVC cord covers snap open and closed easily so that the cords can be inserted and removed whenever needed. This is great for anyone who likes to rearrange their rooms often.
Cover Corners for a Cleaner Look
If you need to run the cords around corners you can use corner pieces like these that snap over the straight pieces on either side to cover the gap. Just be sure to buy corner pieces that match the size of your PVC cord covers.
For Appliances in the Middle of the Room
When the appliance that you need to plug in is not near a wall it can be a bit more difficult to hide the cord. In this case, it is better to use a low-profile cord cover. Because it is wider and flatter, it will limit the risk of tripping.
These cord covers are made from a flexible rubber material which also means that they aren’t slippery even when wet. The cord can be easily tucked into an opening on the bottom of the strip. The rubber material along the bottom keeps it in place without damaging your floors.
How to Camouflage Cord Covers on Your Hardwood Floors
Low-profile cord covers can be found in many different colors including a variety of wood grains. If you can’t find the perfect color they can also be stained or painted to match your hardwood floors.
Contact paper can also be a good solution to conceal a cord cover along your floor. Find a contact paper with a wood pattern that closely matches your floors. Cut the contact paper to match the length and width of your cord cover and carefully attach it to the top side of the cord cover, pushing out air bubbles as you apply.
Contact paper should only be applied to the cord cover itself. Do not attach the contact paper to your floors on either side of the cord cover. This can cause damage to your hardwood floors when you remove the contact paper later.
How to Hide Power Strips
When used safely, extension cords and power strips are a great way to get the most use out of a single outlet.
Use one of the methods above to run a power strip from an outlet to any area in your room that has many appliances, such as a TV/console area or for chargers. Boxes like this one can hide the power strip and organize your cords.
Final Thoughts
It is easier and safer to hide cords along baseboards or under furniture whenever possible. But cord covers can also be used to hide any cords that you need to run across your hardwood floors. Using the tips above, you can cut down on cord clutter in your home and keep your space stylish!
