Unless all your outlets are perfectly located near desks and countertops, you probably have to deal with the annoying mess of cords and gadgets — not to mention the worry of them getting stepped on, or chewed up by pets. This clever little DIY is not only a great way to hold your phone while it's charging, but also reuse a common household item.
By simply cutting up an emptied lotion bottle, design blog Make It and Love It crafted a super cheap charging station. Cut down to a cup shape, the bottle is the perfect size to fit flush up against the wall without blocking the adjacent outlet. The holder was beautified with some fabric and Modge Podge (though this step could be skipped if you happen to like the design of your bottle).
Read More: Holder for Charging Cell Phone at Make It and Love It
MORE CHARGING STATION POSTS ON APARTMENT THERAPY
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• Build Your Own Cord and Charger Organizer
• DIY: Wall Mounted Charging Station and Laptop Desk
• Hiding a Phone Charger in Plain Sight
(Images: Make It and Love It)
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OMG ! Brilliant!
Ahhhh so cute and clever! I love this!
*Love!*
The mind reels at all the other bottles that could be repurposed for this kind of use. Fantastic idea!
Fantastic!
just dont let it touch the prongs... i guess the plastic wouldnt conduct electricity but could it melt it or catch the cloth on fire? I like this but am a wuss with electricution.
I love it; so clever to take something headed for landfill and make it useful and beautiful.
SUPER DUPER. HOW CUTE IS THAT. GOTTA TRY THIS ONE!! AND LOVE THE CHOSEN DESIGN!
Looks like I've got a lot of fapping to do before I can make one of these though...
Holy moly, this is amazing and so clever!
Love the addition of pattern, but a number of blogs (including Zakka Life, which was credited when the tutorial first popped up on AT in 2009) have removed similar posts, citing safety issues like the one Sara B mentions.
Not sure how real the danger is, but just thought I'd mention it FYI.
This has me thinking, because it's a great idea.
I suppose if one found some rubber strapping, it could be attached to a simple cup-shaped holder. I think rubber or other non-electricity-conducting material would be available at electric supply departments or stores.
How about installing a hook just below the outlet and hanging the holder from that? Once plugged in, a little more cable would show between the plug and the item, but that's a small price for the convenience.
I think I'll try that. There's a perfect spot near my front door.
Brilliant. I would probably hang it from a hook right next to the outlet because I'm a coward about electrical stuff. But it's still a fantastic idea.
Brilliant!! When you cut the hole, if you don't cut the top part of the circle and instead leave a flap, maybe it could rest on the plug, thus keeping the thing from slipping between the plug and the outlet cover.
Or, like others smartly suggest, just use a hook, or a set of hooks for several gadgets. Heaven knows there are enough key-hanger-thingies out there that could be repurposed!
I have to say: I noticed this post several times and kept reading "Changing Station," as in diapers. All I could imagine was a 5-gallon drinking water bottle somehow cut into a sort of bassinet shape. Man, did I laugh at myself when this picture came up.
I was unimpressed until I saw it hanging from the outlet -- clever!
Instead of cutting the hanging tab short, as shown, you could cut it so it extends above the outlet and hang it from a hook or tack from the wall, leaving a bigger gap around the actual socket.
Also, if you are using the charger plugged into the wall to hang the holder from- most chargers continue to use electricity-even when they are not charging- definitely want to use the hook above the outlet and unplug when you are done charging to save energy.
So clever! Thanks for this great idea.
I've been looking for a slim profile way to keep my phone by my bed. This will be perfect.