No matter what room you enter, you’ll see a cord here and there. It can be a long cord of that living room fan or a short cord of a tiny kitchen appliance. Some of those cords will be thick and heavy, while others will be flat and flexible.
But no matter what those cords may look like or what they may be attached to, they all have one thing in common — exposure. Namely, it’s a terrible idea to have them exposed on the floor of any room. Granted, it’s not good to have them uncovered on the walls or ceilings either, but the floor does take precedence, and we’ll shortly explain why. In a word, if your home has a few cords on the ground, it’s time to cover them up.
So, what are some of the most effective ways to hide cords lying on the floor for everyone to see? Well, this article is here to help you figure that out.
Why Are Exposed Cords an Issue?
There are several major reasons for you not to leave a cord exposed. In no particular order, that list of reasons includes the following:
- Safety
- Aesthetics
- Frugality.
Let’s start with safety. The most obvious potential hazard includes people tripping over wires. Sure, you might be able to see a cable if you’re actively trying to avoid tripping on it. But if you’re, for instance, carrying something and you can’t focus on the floor, your foot can accidentally snag a power cord, and you’ll be flat on the floor. Moreover, you might actually pull the corded device with you and knock it down, causing it to break.
Safety also extends to our children and pets. Unlike you, your little ones don’t pay a lot of attention to the floor when running around and playing. Therefore, tripping is definitely possible. With pets, there’s always a possibility that they might try to chew on the cords, which could cause a lot of issues.
And since frugality directly relates to safety, we’ll move on to it next. Namely, if you trip on a cord and break a device, you’ll need money to replace it. And that’s an expense you can’t afford to have on top of everything else. Furthermore, when cords are exposed to sunlight and the constant friction between our steps and the floor underneath, they get worn out. And eventually, they will get so worn out that we will have to replace them, once again, for our own safety.
Finally, there’s the aesthetics of hiding a cord. Most people will agree that an exposed cord just lying on the floor looks ugly. No matter what type of floor we have, be it carpeted or tiled, the cable will definitely stick out like a sore thumb.
10 Different Ways You Can Hide Electrical Cords
Now that you know why you should hide a power cord, it’s time to move on to the how. What follows is a brief list of suggestions when it comes to tucking the floor cables away and making the room aesthetically pleasing to look at.
1. Floorboards
Lots of people hide their cables under the floorboards. It’s an effective way to have the cable plugged in but maintain the original visual appeal of the floor itself.
Of course, this solution comes with a few caveats. First and foremost, you have to have a wooden floor. Marble, tiles, and other materials will not be suitable for this type of power cord covering.
Next, this method will require a bit of DIY. And while lots of people love to grab some tools and have a go at some DIY, not everyone is eager to do it. So, if you’re not into doing some amateur floor remodeling, we suggest you hire an expert.
Another big issue involves supplies. The obvious first step is getting the right tools, such as crowbars, drills, proper glue, etc. In addition, you might end up damaging the floorboards, and that will require a replacement.
Finally, you can’t exactly undergo this step if you’re renting a home. There’s always the option of asking the owner to go through with the drilling, but they might refuse.
Of course, if you’ve cleared all of those hurdles, you can definitely give this method a go. All it takes is removing the necessary boards, drilling holes in the right spots, running the cables through them, placing the boards back, and gluing or nailing them right back into the floor.
2. Under the Furniture
Hiding cords under pieces of furniture is a quick and cost-effective solution. If you have a modular sofa, for example, or a lengthy ottoman, you can simply line the cord along the length of the piece. Alternatively, you can position the furniture so that it masks the outlet and is near the device itself. For example, placing a floor lamp next to a piece of furniture can do the trick; all it takes is tucking the cable under the sofa, and your cable troubles are over.
There are two potential setbacks with this solution, however. The first one is the fact that you might not have enough furniture to hide the cable. Alternatively, your furniture could stand on high legs, exposing a lot of space underneath. Therefore, hiding a cable under such a piece of furniture would be pointless.
The other major setback is cluttering. Sure, a modular sofa will do fine, but some homeowners can’t afford to own one. Therefore, they’ll have to line different types of furniture up to hide the entire cable length. That might work in terms of cord hiding, but it will also create an unpleasant furniture arrangement. Nobody wants to live in a cluttered room, especially one where mismatched bits of furniture stand close to each other.
3. Area Rugs
Area rugs are possibly the most popular budget solution for this issue. After all, buying a rug and placing it over the cord is about as simple as it gets. More importantly, you’re not only getting a cord-covering solution from your new rug. In fact, your room will gain an additional aesthetic element that will make it stand out, providing both you and your family members with a pleasant living experience.
You can buy an area rug anywhere. Those homeowners who can afford it can opt for a pricier option at a rug retail shop. Alternatively, if you want to save money, you can always browse local markets, second-hand stores, online retailers, etc. Also, some of your friends or neighbors might even be giving rugs away, so you can either get one for free or for a discount price or even trade something of your own for it.
Now, an area rug can only cover some part of the cable. Naturally, it won’t be able to go over the outlet and the plug located in the walls. Furthermore, in order to cover most of the cable, you will have to find a rug that is the exact length you need. Obviously, the rug will also have to fall within your budget and match the overall look of your room — a neon green rug with bright stripes will not fit a Victorian-style living room with subdued neutral colors, after all.
4. Baseboard Clipping
Sometimes, moving the cord along one side of the room will hide it well enough and keep it out of your view. Sure, it won’t cover the cord along its entire length, and it will still be visible to those who want to find it. But at the very least, it keeps the cable in a manageable position and away from snags and wayward feet.
When it comes to floors, the best way to hide the cable in plain sight is to line it along the baseboards. And in order to keep it secure, you’ll need a decent number of baseboard clips. Luckily, they are inexpensive, and you can easily buy them online. Depending on where you decide to move the cable, you may also require some wall clips.
5. Cord Protectors
As stated earlier, there will be times when your pets can chew on your cables and cords, which can be both annoying and dangerous. So, in order to protect them, you will need to buy an assortment of cord protectors.
The first and most important role of these protectors is to keep the cables safe and damage-free. But they can also greatly benefit you in hiding the cables. To be precise, they will mask their dull look with fun and interesting colors and shapes.
Most cord protectors are either single-color or transparent. However, you can just as easily buy a few variants that vary in color and overall design.
6. Baskets and Boxes
Most homes have that one area where several cables and extension cord outlets are piled up. So, instead of leaving them on the floor, you can place them in a basket or a box.
This solution is usually only temporary. However, it’s incredibly simple and relatively cost-effective. You can find low-priced boxes and baskets online or at local thrift stores and flea markets.
Furthermore, you can opt for a decorative basket that will make your room stand out. And if the cables are too visible, you can always cover the basket with a decorative rug or a cloth. Just make sure that the rug doesn’t come into direct contact with an electric socket. If it does, it may cause a potential fire.
7. Power Strips
Streamlining the cords is a step in the right direction, so instead of having to hide many different cables, opt for hiding just one. You can achieve that by getting a decent multi-purpose power strip.
Power strips, also known as surge protectors, can take multiple cords, and you only really need to plug one cable in, i.e., the cable of the power strip itself. Once you do, you can use one of the other methods on this list to hide the power strip’s cable.
Of course, the power strip can be pretty bulky and noticeable. However, there are ways to hide it without any segment sticking out. Most people place it under the furniture or inside of a basket. You can also hang it against the wall under your work desk so that it’s easy to access but still out of sight.
8. Decorating the Cords
This method is a bit unorthodox, but it still works. After all, you’re still hiding the cords, even though they are plainly visible.
A lot of the cords around the house are either pure white, all black, or a different shade of those two colors. That makes them the perfect canvases for some experimentation and decorating. For instance, you can use an all-white cord and paint it with markers and ink pens. In fact, if you can get the same color scheme as your room, you can almost camouflage the cord and make it part of the overall decor.
Some homeowners go a step further. They tie the cables carefully and loosely into different shapes, such as pretzels, hearts, etc. Of course, you have to be cautious when you make these shapes. The cables mustn’t overlap too much, or the heat may cause them to fuse on the contact spots. They can then short-circuit and damage the device they’re attached to.
9. Baseboard Accessories and Cable Management Boxes
Once again, you can use baseboards as a means to hide the cords, but this time you’ll have a few extra tools for the job. Namely, you can order a few baseboard accessories, such as self-adhesive cord channels. These slender tunnel-like tubes can hold several cables at once and line perfectly along any baseboard. Furthermore, they will also protect the cables from any external damage.
A step beyond that is using a cable management box. Typical management boxes can contain bulky power strips and keep them away from the floor. In addition, they have several slits so you can ventilate the strip. More importantly, you can use a slit to connect the strip’s cord to a nearby power outlet.
10. Method Combination
As the subheading suggests, one method might not be enough to hide all the cables on the floor of your room. Therefore, you might have to combine a few depending on several factors, such as the arrangement of your furniture, the position of your power outlets, the length of each cable, and your own budget. Having pets and children should also play a major role in deciding what methods you want to combine.
Floor Outlets
If your budget allows it, you can always consider installing floor outlets. Not only are they handy, but they will also make hiding the cord easy. For instance, you can place some furniture above the outlet, plug the cable in, and hide it under the bottom of the furniture piece.
However, floor outlets are not an option everyone can afford. More importantly, they will require time and money to install safely. Plus, when you’re not using your floor outlet, you must always keep it covered.
Going Wireless
Many people across the world are turning their homes into smart device havens. Everything from home security to workout equipment is getting a Bluetooth connection or a Wi-Fi option. There are lots of benefits to such a choice, with a major one being a cord-free life. So, if you can, try to invest in a few wireless devices and systems.
Of course, wireless technology comes with its own issues, such as breakdowns, connectivity problems, etc. Furthermore, some devices are simply more durable and precise when directly connected to the power grid. In other words, you can reduce the number of cords around your home but never eliminate them completely.
Trip-Free Living Rooms: Final Thoughts
Hiding cords is far from fun, especially if it requires you to rearrange your room. But if you approach it correctly and do it right, it can significantly benefit your home. Hopefully, this article has helped you find the best method to hide your floor cables.
