How to mount a power strip (and power bricks) under your desk

Step 5 Enjoy! Any Questions?

Enjoy your new streamlined workspace, marvel at how easy it is to sweep under your desk and how much less dust collects. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. Also, I'd love to see images of your own version of the project.

Here are some questions I've already gotten a lot:

Don't you bump your knees on the basket?
Nope, it's far enough back and high enough that I'd never bump it. This should be the case for most people. The arms from my chair don't touch it either.

Is it harder to plug stuff in?
Yeah, a little. But not much. If you frequently plug stuff in and out, this might not be the best thing for you. I have an extra AC adapter for my laptop that stays in my bag so pretty much everything stays plugged in.

What are those two cables that are still visible?
One is the power cable to the surge protector, the other one (right in the middle) is the speaker cable. I plan on replacing that with a bluetooth audio gateway in the near future.

How could you put holes into that beautiful Aalto table?
Yeah, yeah I know. I figured for me it was worth it. Besides it totally makes the table look nicer without all those cables.

Could this possibly be a fire hazard or damage my hardware?
It is possible. Use this information at your own risk. If any part you plan to place in the basket runs extremely hot (like too hot to touch) or is damaged in any way, do not attempt this project. I'm not an electrician nor am I an expert in the thermal requirements and behavior of power transformers. I was willing to attempt this because nothing I was going to place in the basket gets hot at all, and all the parts are in very good condition.

Comments

[jeremyreger]

I've gotta glass desk... have a solution for that?? :D I'm freekin' impressed.

[EnergyHandyman]

SUGRU the basket to the bottom of the desk, you'll need to prop the basket for about 20 hours before romoving the prop and weighting it with all your cords and what not.

[Hycro]

All my cords are behind my printer, computer, monitor, tuner, and amp for my mid-high range speakers, but they are a big mess behind my monitor, where they all connect to the power bar.

[clemmonsm]

Here is another great option

[evvo]

Regarding Glass Desks: I have seen kitchen organizer racks that, instead of sitting on a shelf or screwing onto a cabinet, slip over a shelf and provide hooks or storage below the shelf. A side view of the rack is a very uneven S shape. The top is deep but only about 3/4" tall so it fits snugly around a shelf. The bottom part of the S is the 'new' storage space. Regarding the Last Cable Visible in the picture: 3M makes some very nice cord clips in their "Command" product line that would do the job.

[krapnek]

I get your point of putting the bottom of the bricks against the desk, but since they're upside down, and hot air rises up, the heat has no natural way to dissipate.

[getgreg]

Good point. I'll make some changes to the instructable.

[mattone]

you did such a great job hiding all the other cords. is there a way to attach the last remaining cord around the rear left table leg to get it out of sight? congrats! v. col. matt

[NachoMahma]

. Great job!

[Weissensteinburg]

i agree...very well done.