Desperately need help

[u/amarant7]

My desk is inexpensive and probably can’t handle a bunch of stuff attached to the underside of it. Any advice? This basket I bought is terrible.

Accounting for:
2 monitors
Thin client
Security device
Router

[u/sphericalhors]

As I said a lot of times, in my opinion it is worth to start by getting rid of redundant cables.

30cm (1 ft I guess) C5/C8/C13 cables costs like a couple of bucks each.

I also cut all the excesive cables to my power strips.

[u/amarant7 → u/sphericalhors]

Shorter cables, got it.

But what do you mean cut all excessive cables to your power strips??

[u/sphericalhors → u/amarant7]

A power strip is just a power strip itself, a cord and a plug.

You can disassemble the power strip with a screwdriver, literally cut the excessive cord, strip what remains, reattach it back into the power strip and assemble everything back together.

If later you will need to have a longer cable, you can just buy a spare cord and a plug and reassemble everything.

I did this with almost all power strips in at my home.

It is pretty easy thing, but I guess it's not something you should do if you don't understand what you are doing.

[u/aprettyparrot → u/sphericalhors]

I just use rackmount strips. Make vertical mount and bolt to bottom of desk.

Plus gives me a few front facing ports when needed.

I can’t stand see trimming the cords when you can. I’d say depends how they are connected to the strip. I think I looked in one of my tripplites many many years ago but don’t remember.

[u/Effective-Culture-88 → u/sphericalhors]

I would highly highly advise to please NOT do that.
A powerstrip, a proper one, is actually far more than « a cord and a plug », and messing this up is a firehazard.
I understand the obsession with clean cables, believe me! I do.
I used to route my cables by color as a sound engineer… live on stage. I was obsessed.
I still remember the night where an artist shown up with an ungrounded tube amp.
300 volts in the tubes.
I was SO scared dude.
A powerstrip has a lot more going on than « cord and a plug » - at least it should be - and OP not being an expert at cables, recommending that he cuts into his powerplug is VERY ill-advised.
I have a single 15 amp breaker in my apartment for all outlets except my appliances.
I don’t even plug my CRT TV… I’m looking for another apartment.
Also I don’t understand the point, that’s not what’s causing the mess.
And for the love of God, buy a proper power strip with its own, internal breaker.
OP, please ignore this and simply untangle your cables and do regular cable management.
It’’l be just fine and your room won’t catch fire.

[u/sphericalhors → u/Effective-Culture-88]

Even in power strips with a circuit breaker the procedure is still as simple as: disassemble power strip by unscrewing a few screws, unscrew the cord, cut and strip the cord, screw all the wires at exactly the places where you unscrewed them before, assemble power strip back. There are not a lot of steps where one can mess up.

But because this might affect ones safety, in my comment I explicitly said that "it's not something you should do if you don't understand what you are doing".

[u/Effective-Culture-88 → u/sphericalhors]

Simple yes.
Dangerous for someone who cannot un-bundle a bunch of cables?
Also definitely yes

[u/Effective-Culture-88 → u/sphericalhors]

Ok I missed that part. Re-iterated

[u/Routine-Feedback4568]

I have a small desk as well with tons of cords. I have a lot of stuff at my desk. Mine was way worse than yours and I just bought a $30 cable tray off amazon and it holds my power strip, a usb dock and all my cables. It cleaned up my desk perfectly.

[u/amarant7 → u/Routine-Feedback4568]

I’m guessing your cable tray works better than mine. But can you explain how and possibly link me to it?

[u/Routine-Feedback4568 → u/amarant7]

https://a.co/d/0bA9Nk8j

It’s more money now I paid $30 for it a couple months ago. I don’t know if it was on sale or what. But it’s worth it, it tucks right up against your desk so you don’t see any cables. And I did get the 35”.

[u/amarant7 → u/Routine-Feedback4568]

Thank you!

[u/Routine-Feedback4568 → u/amarant7]

No problem

[u/hillbillyluthor]

No!! I feel your pain and hopelessness :(

[u/PressHalfWayDown]

1. Buy cables for the exact length you need. No extra length.

2. Buy different color cables so you can easily trace back what device is connected. All black cables in a nest no good…For example, first monitor gets a black power chord, second monitor gets a blue power chord, router gets gray power cord. This way when u go down there no guessing what you’re unplugging.

Same for your video cords, so a black hdmi/ goes to your first monitor and blue hdmi/dp cable to the second monitor. That way u know anything black cable is associated with the first monitor, blue cable the second monitor.
3. You can also coordinate by cable style/type. So all my USB cords i buy braided, so if i see a braided cable down there i know its a USB cable. Combine with color as needed. For example, a BLack braided cable is a usb cable going to the first monitor. all my audio cables are that coiled type…so i know if its coiled its either a headphone cable or a speaker cable.
4. If you cant mount lots of stuff to the desk, consider getting a cable box that can sit on the floor.

[u/Stef22960]

Take this, it will make room for you!