DYI Organization Project: Make a Cord Organizer

You know those expensive cord organizers that you see advertised on TV? Well, if you can use a sewing machine in the most basic sense of the word, you can make your own, tailored to match the length of your own cords.

First, you will need to measure any and all cords that you want to organize. This will tell you how much fabric you will be needing. Measure the length you will need by starting at the point where all the cords come together from their various sources and ending at the point they all spread out again. This is the length of your fabric. Now, in the middle of all this, gather the cords together and measure around them. This will give you a minimum width by adding a couple of inches for overlap.

Let's say you need to organize five feet of cords that are three inches around when gathered together. That means you will need a piece of fabric that is five feet long, plus half an inch for hemming, and five inches wide. The best fabrics for this type of project are fairly heavy and sturdy. Denim is a good fabric to go with and you can use old jeans, with several pieces sewn together, to make the fabric organizer.

Cut your long rectangle out and hem all edges. This can be a very simple hem, just fold the fabric over a quarter of an inch and sew. These are all straight lines, so it is the perfect beginner sewing project.

The last step is to add Velcro so you can wrap the cords securely. For our five inch wide project, you'll need two inch strips of Velcro, sewn every six inches. The rough side should be sewn on the inside of the fabric, from the edge towards the inside. Since you have five feet, there will be ten Velcro strips, for a total of twenty inches of each side of the Velcro. The soft side of the Velcro should be on the outside of the fabric, opposite the rough strips.

Now, all you have to do is lay your fabric rectangle out, gather the cords into the middle and wrap them securely, pulling the rough side of the Velcro over the cords and attaching it by overlapping the other side. You will now have all your cords encased in a fabric tube. If you make your organizer a bit wider than needed, it will be able to accommodate the addition of more cords at a later date. It is the ideal way to make a fashion statement while keeping your cords all neatly tucked away.