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We Highly Encourage You To Make This Cable Organizer For Your Desk

By  Caroline Burke Updated
a cable organizer made out of a square of plywood with cables hanging from it and a potted plant inset Caroline Burke for Hunker

If there's one thing that's bound to ruin the form and function of an organized desk, it's a bunch of unruly wires and cables. Luckily there's a simple solution: a DIY desk organizer that arranges all your tech essentials into one tidy spot. We've created this minimal plywood piece that keeps cables separated, ​and​ it also provides a space for displaying your favorite plant. Because, why not?

close-up on a cable organizer made out of a square of plywood with cables hanging from it and a potted plant insetCaroline Burke for Hunker

Things Needed

Step 1

Grab a ruler and mark the following points at one of the shorter ends of the plywood: 3/4 inch, 1-3/4 inch, 2-3/4 inch, and 3 3/4 inch. Draw a 1-inch pencil line at these points.

a ruler and a pencil next to a square of plywood that has pencil marks at regular intervalsCaroline Burke for Hunker

Step 2

Repeat the above step, however this time draw pencil lines at these measurements: 1inch, 2 inch, 3 inch, and 4 inches. These lines indicate where your cables slots will be. (You can also customize these measurements according to how many slots you'll need.)

a square of plywood with pencil marks showing where cable slots will goCaroline Burke for Hunker

Step 3

Take a pencil and box off the top of the slots. Drill through the top of the slot using a power drill with a wood drill bit no wider than a 1/4 inch.

​TIP:​ Place some scrap wood underneath to protect your work surface when drilling.

holes being drilled into a square of plywoodCaroline Burke for Hunker

Step 4

Secure the plywood with a hand clamp and cut along the pencil lines with a jigsaw or hand saw to reveal the slots. Use sandpaper to smooth any rough edges.

slots being cut into a square of plywood held by a viseCaroline Burke for Hunker

Step 5

You can leave the cable organizer as it is, but we wanted to incorporate a snazzy plant feature into ours. To do this, measure the width of a small plant pot (ours was three inches wide.) Then take a hole saw with the same diameter and draw around it with a pencil to indicate where the plant pot will sit on the organizer.

a hole saw next to a square of plywood with a circle marked on itCaroline Burke for Hunker

Step 6

Insert the hole saw attachment to your power drill and cut out the hole you've marked in the previous step. Pop in your planter to finish.

a hole saw and a potted plant next to a square of plywood that has had a large circle cut out of itCaroline Burke for Hunker

​TIP:​ Instead of the plant, a scented candle, or pen pot would also look great.

a cable organizer made out of a square of plywood with cables hanging from it and a potted plant insetCaroline Burke for Hunker

Voilà, one tangle-free workspace!

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