Whether you’re an expectant parent who is putting together a baby registry or a mom-to-be’s friend in search of the perfect shower gift, CableOrganizer.com has a few ideas to help you break away from the usual lineup of onesies, receiving blankets and diaper bags. Tiny clothes and cute, cuddly baby accessories can be fun to shop for and watch the new parents unwrap, but can these gifts save a life?
As soon as a small child enters the picture, previously benign household cables and window treatment cords can suddenly become hazards for electrocution, tripping and strangulation. Crawling infants and walking toddlers don’t realize the dangers that can lurk as they explore their surroundings. They can often be tempted to chew or pull electrified cables; and wrap the cords from drapes or blinds around their necks.
Our registry must-haves not only deter babies and children from cable-related dangers, they also do so in ways that won’t detract from grown-up décor. They may not be the most obvious baby gift picks, but then again, surprises are always more fun.
CABLE TURTLES
What style-conscious new Mom wouldn’t appreciate a child safety product that is straight out of the Museum of Modern Art’s Design Collection? Perfect for limiting a small child’s access to slack power cables and extra-long window treatment cords, the compact and sleekly designed Cable Turtle winds up and conceals excess length within its colorful, tidy little shell. Cable Turtles are available in a rainbow of bright and neutral colors, but if you want a perfect match for the new arrival’s room, opt for the traditional blue or pink. This product also comes in several sizes and can even be purchased in a set.
WIREMATE™ CORD ORGANIZER
Is the mom or dad-to-be planning on working from home when the baby arrives? As soon as infants begin to crawl, slack cords beneath or behind home computer workstations can become very tempting to chew or pull on — and should be considered a potential danger. One way to prevent small children from getting acquainted with home office cables is to install a WireMate™ on the back of your desk or the wall right behind it. Once mounted to a surface, the WireMate’s base allows you to coil and organize excess cord length on its neatly ordered rows of spooling hooks. After the cables have been tidied, just snap the lid over them, rendering them out of sight and reach of the curious little cuties in your life.
CHANNEL RACEWAY
Cables can practically appear invisible with a channel raceway. This durable PVC open-top channel self-adheres to a wall, ceiling or along a desk, to organize and untangle a run of wires. Cables are hidden but accessible within the raceway, concealing them while keeping them away from little eyes and hands. Wires can be changed out easily through the top of the raceway. The channel raceway comes in white or black; and can be painted to match your décor.
CABLEBOX®
The BlueLounge® CableBox® is another way to keep wires, plugs — and even outlets — out of your little one’s sight and mind. It is a neat and simple fire-retardant plastic box that can fit an oversized power strip. Cords are channeled out of either side of the box and can be micro-organized inside of the box with the special included twist ties. The mini version of the box comes with its own power strip.
OFFICE ORGANIZATION KITS
One simple kit can take care of multiple cable organization tasks. The office organization kits come in different levels, depending on your needs. The standard and professional kits are suitable for home offices, with several wire management products that can help solve a range of cord clutter issues. VELCRO® ONE-WRAP®, wire clips, WireMate™ Cord Organizer and adhesive cord clips make up the standard kit. The second includes VELCRO® ONE-WRAP®, wire clips and WireMate™ Cord Organizer, plus F6® split braided sleeving and nylon cable ties. All these products can keep cords tidily organized and away from tiny hands.
CABLE TIES
A simple and inexpensive way to keep wires bundled and out of reach is with cable ties. Zip ties range from the general purpose nylon variety, which come in a range of colors to match your office, to reusable, releasable ties. Just bundle the wires, wrap them with the cable ties by pulling the wires through the top and they are secured. While nylon ties require cutting, GripLock™ do not — and can be used repeatedly. They are rubber-lined to provide cushion, which prevents cables from being damaged.
CABLE CLAMP®
Clamp cables with the self-adjusting, self-locking and self-aligning cord management and organizational tool. Tiny hands will have an impossible time attempting to undo the Cable Clamp® or grab the wires within it. Like child-proof medicine bottles which adults only have the capability to open, the Cable Clamp® has a quick release feature that parents can reopen with one hand. For longer wire runs, use more than one.
WIRE DUCT
For more complex home office wiring solutions, wire ducts can help. A wire duct keeps your wires up and out of the way, with some that have slots where wires can exit if they require rerouting out of the run’s length.
FABRIC CORD COVER
As babies become mobile, the most accessible things are on the floor in their path. They will be naturally curious about wires, with fabric cord covers a solution. SafCord® Cord Cover is made of Cordura® nylon and adheres to carpeting with a hook and loop system, with your carpeting acting as the loop portion. It is also washable, another plus with anything a small child could encounter.
DESK OUTLETS & GROMMETS
One way to avoid wires and cable clutter is to keep both centralized. When it is on top of your desk, it makes it less accessible to a baby or toddler. Desk outlets can be built into the top of a desk with a hinged top that closes to the power source when it is not in use. Pop-up desk outlets provide handy power distribution within a practically flush unit. This is another way to keep power out of your child’s hands even after you’re done working, with the Nacre desk outlet offering power and data connections.
Shop at CableOrganizer® for a range of cable management solutions to help childproof your home, including safety power extension cords, releasable cable ties and wire looms to armor cables and keep kids safe.
