The Lidded Box Trick That Hides Every Charging Cord
One humble box, one power strip, and your messy charging corner disappears without a single hole.
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Cord Control
Tangled chargers and phones sprawled across every surface make a small space feel chaotic fast. This lidded-box charging station hides the power strip and cords inside a freestanding box, so nothing gets drilled, stuck, or screwed to your walls. When you move out, you simply pick it up and take it with you.
What You'll Need
- Sturdy lidded box or decorative storage box (about 10x7x5 inches or larger), roughly $10-15
- Surge-protector power strip with a short cord, about $10-15
- Reusable velcro cable ties (a pack of 10), about $5
- Small scissors or a craft knife for the cord notches, which you likely already own
- Optional: removable-rated adhesive hook (not needed for the box itself), about $4
How to Do It
- Choose a box big enough to hold your power strip flat with a little room to spare. A box you own already works great, and nothing about it is permanent.
- Cut two small notches in one short side of the box near the top edge, one for the power strip cord and one for charger cables. If you would rather not alter the box, simply leave the lid slightly ajar instead.
- Place the power strip inside the box with its cord feeding out through the notch. It simply rests on the bottom, with no adhesive and no screws.
- Plug in your chargers and bundle any extra cord length with velcro ties so the slack stays neat inside the box.
- Route the charger cables out through the second notch and set the box on a shelf, desk, or nightstand near an outlet.
- Close the lid and rest your phone on top or alongside it. To undo everything, unplug the strip and lift the box away. It leaves no residue behind.
DESIGNER TIP
Pick a box in a color or texture that matches your decor, like woven fabric or matte wood, so it reads as a styled accent rather than a hiding spot. Keep ventilation in mind and never bury the power strip under blankets or papers.
