Does the photo below look familiar? A tangle of cords between your bed and nightstand. Not something you saw 50 years ago– long before smartphones, tablets, alarm clocks, and baby monitors to plug in next to our beds.
I would say 30 years ago, but I Googled it and baby monitors came out in the 80s. How did parents stalk their sleeping babies in other rooms? Did they listen through soup cans tied together with string?
Anyway.
I was getting tired of looking at this jumble of cords between my side of the bed and the nightstand. Plus, they’re a hazard for little ones.
So today I’m sharing my solution for organizing and hiding all those annoying bedside cords.
When I go to bed at night I always plug in Owen’s baby monitor and my iPhone. We don’t have landline so if there was an emergency and someone needed to reach me in the middle of the night, I want my phone by me, not charging in the kitchen. Will I get cancer one day from sleeping within two feet of my phone? Who knows.
Oh, and the reason why it appears that I have the world’s longest phone charger cord is because I buy 6 foot lightning cables. They’re fairly inexpensive for the added convenience of having a longer cord. And sometimes you can score them for 2 for $8.
The lightning cable plugs into the wall plug or directly into a USB wall outlet; like what we have on Brad’s side of the bed. See how we installed our USB wall outlet HERE.
The other day it dawned on me how to hide those pesky cords.
And no, I didn’t just shove everything back behind the nightstand like some kind of animal.
What was my genius idea?
These are also great.
I also scooted the surge protector back behind the nightstand so it’s no longer visible.
I faced the opening of the cord clip toward the side of the nightstand because Owen has a tendency to grab the baby monitor and walk away with it, pulling the attached cord with it. So I wanted the cord to be able to slide out instead of pulling the cord clip off when Owen starts running off with the monitor.
But if you don’t live with a toddler thief, feel free to face your inwards. That way your cords are less likely to pull out of the clip.
When I don’t have the monitor or my phone plugged in, I flip the cords back behind the nightstand so they aren’t visible. But they’re still easy to grab when I need to plug in the monitor or phone.
Be sure to check out my other popular organization and cleaning posts below! There’s tons of great stuff to pin to read later!
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Ruth James says
I did that too awhile ago when I needed a CPAP machine which had it’s own black box “generator”.
I attached the whole power strip to the back of my night stand (needed screws for it.) So the only cord is from the power strip which falls down to the floor behind the leg. Looks so tidy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Nice! I will say that I’m impressed with how compact CPAP machines are (my step-dad uses one).
Charlene says
Explain to me . I hate the way my cpap looks. Also wher do you store mask when not in use. Thx
Ruth James says
I have photos we took when I was setting up the whole cabinet. The cord was only a small part of what I did.
Maggie says
Would love to see your photo`s, my husbands machine plus books plus glasses and a pen and suduko drives me crazy. Maggie.
Ruth James says
Please message me on Facebook and we can discuss, if it’s alright with Chelsea.
Ruth Putnam James
Alea says
This is not exactly related, but I noticed the books in your nightstand… I’ve been reading through your pregnancy and baby posts (again) while I prepare for my own baby coming this June. Your posts are so helpful and useful – do you have any baby/parenting book recommendations? Thanks so much!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Yay, congrats! The ones on my nightstand are: The Happiest Baby On the Block, Touchpoints, Breastfeeding Made Simple, and Moms On Call.
Beth says
Great idea! I have some of those clips from back in the day of hanging Christmas lights…your post has my head spinning on how i am going to use them in my room and my daughter’s room! Thanks!!!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Great idea!
Kim says
Love it! It’s amazing how something that little makes such a difference.
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Totally. I’m loving it.
Lori says
LOL I chuckle when parents of now ask how the heck we heard our sleeping babies back in the day! Couple things I think (I had my boys in the early ’80’s) … I think houses were smaller to start with and we didn’t have all the electronics and big TV’s and surround sound etc. so houses were quieter too! I swear I could hear my baby breathing in his room from my room which was right next door!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Hah! I bet a lot parents just got up a couple times a night to check on their kids. I’m not going to lie, it’s nice being able to push a button and see him without opening his door and risking waking him up. Yay, technology win. 🙂
Stef says
Hey. They have the baby not in another room but in the bedroom near by herself
Melissa | Persnickety Plates says
haha so much better! Last night I shoved all mine behind the nightstand like an animal 😉
& seriously, I have friends that don’t have monitors (or just have audio, not video), and don’t understand how they function.
Caroline says
Haha! We had babies in 2009 and 2013 and didn’t have a video monitor for either. Although I do regret that decision now. Even at almost 3 I’d like to peek and see what in the world she is doing in her crib!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
I have a couple friends that don’t use monitors either, and I don’t get it. However, they’re rooms are right next to the nurseries. But during the day I’d think they’d like to be able to hear/see the kids since I’m assuming they wouldn’t be in their rooms while their kids nap. And it’s not like monitors cost that much, but to each their own! 🙂
Beth Ingle says
Such a great idea!! I have the same problem, except no baby monitor:) Just phone, clock, kindle, and IPad. So much neater.
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Thanks, Beth!
Christi says
Haha! I cannot sleep without the monitor now! And I do not understand how people do not have them. Seriously, we have cousins who have their babies on a different floor and no monitor?!? I wouldn’t sleep!
I am a caveman with our cords and power strips showing – I will give this a shot!
Thanks as always!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Oh yeah, I’d have a hard time being on a different floor and not having a monitor. It gives so much more peace of mind. Hopefully you fixed your caveman status. 😉
Stephanie says
So clever! I have a power board by my side of the bed to not only charge my phone, but also to charge my camera, and to turn on the lamps for my photography. I do my photography in the space between the window and the bed because it’s the brightest space in the house, yet still not bright enough, hence the lamps. I wish I could figure out the mumbo jumbo of cables in the lounge room, because I’m always tripping over them. Once I tripped over my partner’s laptop charger, tried to brace myself with the coffee table but I ended up smashing a glass with my own hand. I have no idea what to do because my partner and my housemate think it’s perfectly fine to have hundreds of cables running all over the lounge room floor. Any tips? It’s been giving me a headache.
Stephanie
thethriftyvegetarian.com
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Aw man, if they’re just charging their laptops I’d ask them to charge them in their rooms so there aren’t cords all over the place. Or have them set the laptops on a table close to an outlet so the cords aren’t running across the room.
Patricia Schroll says
Where did you buy the clip to hide your cords? I would like to get a couple for our bedrooms. Thanks!!
You give us so many good ideas and I find this is one of them.
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Thanks so much! You should be able to get them at any big box store, or you can also get them here: http://amzn.to/1OJZT2r
Nicole says
See, my issue is that my kids have messed with the monitor so much it longer holds a charge and will only charge after you tinker with it for a minute. So if I want to bring the monitor downstairs during nap time I have to bring the cord down with me. Therefore, the cords are always out and always messy looking! I need to contact the manufacturer and see if I can’t figure out how to fix it- it’s a pain plus I’m pregnant with #3 so I still have years left of needing a monitor!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
That stinks! Yeah, I’d call the manufacturer. Maybe they could even send you an extra cord so you can have one upstairs and one downstairs.
Kaylor Little says
Love this! Going to do this next weekend! Thanks for sharing.
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
You’re welcome!
Evelina says
I hate how my charger always falls off my nightstand on to the floor and I have to reach into neverneverland to find it. This is a great solution! I also have the long cord so that I can be on my phone while it’s plugged in! #necessities
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Yes! I totally know what you mean. This eliminates the fallen cord problem. And yes, the long phone cord is the way to go!
Melanie says
Those pictures with all the cords look far too familiar. What a great idea to hide them… and simple too. I just might have to try it!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Thanks, Melanie!
Rebecca says
Great idea for hiding those cords. Your side table looks so much cleaner without them. Also, thanks for sharing about the 6 foot cables to charge your phone. That would be really useful.
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
Thanks, Rebecca! Yeah, the 6 foot cables are life savers.
Anne says
What a great idea! I hate having all those cords showing on my nightstand – I need to pick up a cord clip!
Carolyn says
What a good idea! I have 2 monitors by my bed for the same youngest child. Such a pain but my video one has to stay plugged in or doesn’t work (old). So I had to buy a sound one in case I want to sit on my back porch or driveway to watch my older kids play. Too many cords! 🙂
Kim says
I have been thinking about what a jumbled mess it looks like on my husband’s side of the bed…definitely going to try this!
Nancy says
Funny how just a little item can make life look better and be safer as well!
Thanks for the tip…
Nancy
wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com
Mary-the boondocks blog says
I really hate it when those cords are showing all over the place. Yours is a great idea for hiding them.
Donna says
I have done this in other rooms to hide lamp cords(a few of them down behind the table leg). Works great for a lamp with the switch on the cord, too! Easier to reach. Never thought of it for all those bedside cords! Thank you!
Maria says
This tip is simple but effective, I definitely will try it. I usually don’t hide my cords even I have lots more cord than this!
Rene says
Can I just say how funny you are! Some of my favorite gems include:
“And no, I didn’t just shove everything back behind the nightstand like some kind of animal.” and “…how much cheddar I dropped.”
I usually skip straight to the directions or recipes at the bottom of blog tutorials because I’m not a fan of the commentary, but you crack me up, lady! Thanks. 🙂
Magnolia says
We never had monitors cause our boys both slept with us until they were 3. And when I was a kid and had younger siblings, when they cried we knew to get them out of their cribs.