For the first time, I have been trying to conceal my wires behind my entertainment unit. It's nearly impossible and none of these would be viable fixes... the wires are coming from every wich way, are all different lengths, and going to and coming from different places. I don't care as long as they are hidden, but they all just clump on the ground. Ugh.

We're huge techies in our house, and so our tv is run from a media server. With a tv, wii, dvr box, speakers, sub woofer, speaker reciever, AND the computer itself, it's a big, huge mess. Luckily, our tv is in a 'nook' of sorts, and I decided to paint it black- it looks GREAT with the tv, and it does a pretty good job of hiding some of the cables too! Or course, this isn't so great for Christmas, but it works well for media-use.

http://cozylittlecave.blogspot.com/2009/11/basement.html

it's still not as minimal as I'd like, but with a computer junkie husband, it's a compromise lol

these are also pretty cool, for bundling and labels...

http://www.cordotz.com/

Love that guy's socks

Abby, I'm in the same boat as you. A 50' white extention cord snakes all the way around the living room with nails pinning it along the outside of a doorway so that the TV can actually sit near the cable (Why, in a room with only two outlets, would you put the cable inlet as far away from both of them as you could?). The wires for the lights on the tree are also on a white extention cable running along the baseboards. I try not to look behind the TV, but the cable wrapping is going to be a project for sometime in the near future.

More info on the socks!

I cleaned up the rat's nest of cords underneath my closet office desk with an Ikea Signum organizer and am happy with the results.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/sets/72157618930099609/

My mother has been using TP rolls for cord storage for as long as I can remember. However, instead of wrapping paper, she uses contact paper. Self adhesive, and a little sturdier than the wrapping paper. I can see the wrapping paper getting a little tear, and then having to re-do it. The contact paper makes it a little longer lasting.

@ GretaGrace: wrapping paper around power cords is a bad idea. Don't do it. big fire hazard. Ask a fireman.

But you're gonna do it anyway, cuz it's cute, right? Forget I said anything.

I second the Ikea Signum.

I want those socks.

http://shop.ashidashi.com/product/wood

Found 'em.

@art--

wow, what a difference! unfortunately, ikea doesn't sell it online. anyone know of a similar alternative?

Haha, looks like everyone liked my socks more than than noticed the tangle of wires. Glad I got them when I did...looks like they're sold out!

Behind the TV is kind of a mess but that's because getting back there is a PITA and my media based surge protector sits back there where I can get to it it need be. But there is a VCR, a DVD recorder, the receiver, the CD player, the over the air digital tuner for the 2 recording devices and the digital HD TV and 2 vintage speakers and all the interconnects and such that are required.

I also have an even worse mess in the bedroom as I have the computer, the printer, 2 monitors, the Bamboo tablet, the keyboard, the mouse, the DSL modem, a cheap switched power strip to turn off printer and monitors, the phone line and their requisite data cables and I use an oldl integrated and cassette deck connected to the PC for it's audio and for capturing old analoge stuff on cassette when necessary and at one point, I HAD it all tidied up, not not at the momet and it 'sploded all over the floor under the desk last spring when I upgraded my PC and bought a new surge protector and it needs coralling again.

@AlexanderB - No, not wrapping contact paper around the cords... it's wrapped around the cardboard TP roll. Just making another suggestion to the item described in the article. They described using wrapping paper around the TP roll, and I'm suggesting adhering contact paper to the TP roll, instead. Thanks for looking out for my fire safety though!

Blue Lounge has some absolutely fantastic products.

And Cable-ID (don't know if that's the real name though) are so smart
http://www.arshabitandi.de/cable-id-kabelbeschriftung.12932.html

My biggest household vexation is the cable soup - can't stand it!

There should be a tip 11: get those socks, and you'll be so distracted by them you won't even notice your cable nest.

@timmy jr. try a section of plastic gutter to cradle the cords under your desk.

@art--that's brilliant! over the xmas break i'll be installing these gutters. thanks!

I just use those $1.00 cable wraps they have at the dollar tree!

You can try out this website for ideas on organizing wires and cables throughout your home: http://cableorganizer.com. They have articles, videos and tutorials to give you ideas on how to transform your cable mess into actual work/living space, whether it's wires under a desk or hanging from your wall mounted LCD TV.

Sorry, meant to post a link to make it easier for you guys

You can try out this website for ideas on organizing wires and cables throughout your home: http://www.fiberoptics4sale.com/c/Fiber_Optic_Cable_Management.html. They have articles, videos and tutorials to give you ideas on how to transform your cable mess into actual work/living space, whether it's wires under a desk or hanging from your wall mounted, and they have bulk fiber cable,patch cable,cable assemblies,connector and so on.