Some of the better cable tidy boxes have tiny rubber “feet” at the bottom, so the box doesn’t sit directly on the floor. This is not just a question of the cable tidy box lasting you for a long time – it’s also an issue of safety.

Yes, it’s basically a box with holes in it – but there are still a few things you need to look out for when you buy one, if you want it to serve its purpose well and help you tidy up all those cords. Durable Materials / Heat Resistance This serves two purposes: it prevents the box from slipping around and offers some protection against water, in case you spill something on the floor. Access Points You might also want to slide other cables through the box – such as your aerial cord, your Ethernet cable, etc. – so consider all these, and make sure the box is big enough, but also keep in mind the available space under/behind your cabinet/desk. Feet Under The Box

Of course, at some point, your cables will have to split up between the different devices – but a tube keeps them grouped at least some of the way. However, some boxes offer additional access points (as in – holes). So you can use a front access point to connect a phone charger, for example (some even have room on top of the box to put your phone on). Design

This is another safety feature – since it’s going to get pretty hot inside that small box, with all those power plugs, you want a box that has enough ventilation holes, so the heat has a place to go (with fresh air coming in). It’s a super-cheap solution, and while it won’t hide your cables, you can at least use it to tie them up and group them together, thus avoiding those annoying tangles. The basic design of a cable tidy box has two main holes – one for the power strip’s cable, and another for all the other power cables. Lastly, cable tidy boxes come in different shapes, sizes and designs. If you’re going to hide your box behind a TV cabinet, then the design won’t matter much. But if it’s going to stand in clear view, you might want to look for something that looks good.

How to install small Cable Tidy Unit

If you want to keep things even tidier, you can use a cable tube, which does exactly what it says on the tin – it’s a small flexible “tube” that you can push all your cables into (through a slit that opens and closes). That way, they’re all grouped together behind your cabinet/desk.

You’re going to hide a big power strip inside the box, and power strips (and power plugs) often get pretty hot. If your box is made out of cheap materials, its walls might dent from the heat – or even worse, might catch on fire. Once you have the correct power strip, measure it – then make sure the box you’re buying has enough space for the strip, as well as some leftover space on both sides for the cables to go through. Therefore you need a box made out of durable materials – either enforced plastic, or – in some cases – wood. Ideally, you would also want it to be scratch-resistant. Ventilation