A $15 set of cable covers saved me from arguments at home

This $15 set of cable covers made my place look nice

As I mentioned recently, I’m a fan of cable management behind a desk. But it was suggested to me the other day that I don’t go far enough. More accurately, I was strongly encouraged to reconsider the cables I’ve crisscrossed through my place—the visibility of them, anyway.

I’m not usually one for wire covers (aka cable channels or cable hiders), since they’re adhesive. Repainting walls flawlessly is not one of my skills. But I got promised help with painting later on, and so I dutifully bought a $15 pack from Amazon.

Turns out they work pretty well. 

I originally used 3M Command cable clips to route Ethernet cables along baseboards and parts of the ceiling. To me they weren’t too obtrusive—or so I thought until I got the cable channels in place. It’s a much, much cleaner look.

The adhesive wasn’t too sticky either, so I’m less worried now about my wall paint. Cutting the plastic to size was also surprisingly forgiving. I didn’t have a razor on me, so I hacked my way through with a pair of scissors, with a mostly okay outcome. I put those ends in corners and other difficult-to-see places, so no one will notice the less than perfect straight edges.

I used them most along the ceiling, and they blend in well. If I wanted to go one step further, I could paint them to match the wall. (I don’t and so won’t.)

I don’t typically pay much attention to my home’s aesthetics, but I’m glad I got nudged into this. For $15 bucks and a few hours, my place looks nicer and I preserved an important relationship. I guess the area behind the TV is next.