Staying Fit
Tare Jacoby
If the sight of charging cords all over your tables and countertops drives you mad, consider a do-it-yourself charging station to reduce the clutter. Bonus: Family and guests will have an ideal place to park their smartphones when dinner is served.
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1. Use a basket to arrange the equipment
1. Cut a small hole in the back of a basket, decorative box or wooden tray with sides that measures at least 15 by 10 inches. A basket cover is optional. You’ll want the basket’s sides to be at least 4 inches high.
2. Apply hot glue around the edges of the hole to prevent the raw edges from fraying.
3. Place a charging dock or hub, which is a device with multiple chargers, or a power strip with the various chargers in the basket and thread the power cord through the hole.
4. Place the basket on a countertop and plug the dock or power strip into an outlet.
—Liz Rogers, home decor blogger @TheMrsRodgers
2. Tuck power strips inside a cabinet
1. Drill a hole into the back or bottom of a cabinet that can be mounted on a wall, such as an over-the-toilet cabinet.
2. Mount the cabinet near an outlet in your kitchen or another room where everyone likes to charge their phones.
3. Place a charging dock or a power strip with various chargers in the cabinet and thread the power cord through the hole. Phones can sit on the shelves within the cabinet.
—Kelsey Pomeroy, social media coordinator and creator @KelseWhatElse
3. Hide the charging station in a drawer
1. Purchase a recessed power strip. That’s the kind that sits flush with a surface where it’s mounted.
2. Trace the outline of the back side of the power strip onto the back of the drawer where you want the power strip to sit. Cut an opening following the outline so the power strip can drop into place but not go entirely through the opening.
3. Screw the power strip into the drawer. The cord should come out the back of the drawer.
4. Cut a hole into the back of the piece of furniture, if necessary, to run the cord to an outlet.
—Danielle Pientka, DIY blogger and woodworker at DIY Danielle
4. Convert a bread box
1. Use your old bread box, a thrift store find or new purchase. Since most devices are thinner than a loaf of bread, you can install a shelf to double the capacity. These instructions are for a rolltop box.
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These handy tips also can keep the charge on your laptop or tablet at its best