Today’s homes are bursting at the seams with electrical doodads. There are flat screen TVs, stereo systems, desktop computers, printers, e-readers and devices charging all over the place, not to mention a slew of major appliances! It’s no wonder that the average homeowner is a little overwhelmed with what feels at times like a jumbled mess of wires!

The first step to overcoming the chaos is to take stock of what’s hanging around that isn’t being used. (We’ve all got the old printer shoved in the back of a closet, a drawer full of old cell phones, etc.!) Round up all of the unused, unnecessary electrical overflow and get rid of it! Many towns have designated electronic recycling days once or twice a year, and office supply stores like Staples will take your old electronics for recycling too. You can donate what you can’t recycle and be done with it!) Now you’re ready to deal with what you’re actually using! Read on for some ideas on how to organize everything electrical to make that part of your life a little easier to deal with.

Create a Centralized Charging Station

Instead of having phones, tablets, etc., charging all over the house, you’ll simplify the process greatly by installing a centralized charging station. Even better, get creative and have a licensed electrician install charging stations in less conspicuous places so you don’t have to look at any of it. Here’s a clever hidden charging station in which the homeowner moved switches for all the layers of lighting in their modern kitchen, to avoid a bank of switches on the wall. Another functional method of hiding wires is incorporating charging stations in a drawer. Placing charging stations in mudrooms or entry halls ads additional convenience by allowing residents to pick up their fully charged phone or tablet on their way out the door.

Corral and Label Your Computer Cables

It’s always funny to see a picture of a so-called home office in a decorating magazine that shows a lone laptop on a bare desk with a plant and a few attractive accessories. The reality is much different for most of us, with a tangle of wires running across and under the desk to a power strip (or several).

There are many ways to organize and simplify wire routing. Using sticky labels or bread ties is one easy way to identify power cords at the outlet or in a loom. There are also cord control kits to keep wires looking neat, such as velcro, wire tracks and wire ties which can be used to group wires together for a neater looking home office space.

Don’t Forget the Electrical Panel

Your home’s electrical panel is “mission control” for your entire electrical system, so you want to make sure you can identify which breakers control which rooms, major appliances, etc. This is a “two-man” operation. One person can turn off one breaker at a time, while the other takes note of where power has been cut so that each circuit can be labeled. You’ll thank yourself for having taken the time to do this if and when there’s an electrical problem in the future!

It’s also important to ensure that your home’s electrical panel is the right size to handle your home’s electrical needs, which is why it’s a good idea to have it inspected by a licensed electrician if you’re at all in doubt. Homes built even a few decades ago didn’t have the electrical demands that most modern households have today, and it’s all too common — and potentially dangerous — to find that your current electrical panel is too small to safely do the job you’re asking of it.

In the Las Vegas/Henderson area, call the pros at Penny Electric for help with any of the heavy lifting in installing additional outlets or panel upgrades. We’re licensed, bonded and insured, and we’ll even simplify your life with an online quote! Any time you need dependable, professional electrical services of any kind, don’t hesitate to contact us!