Glossary
Cable management
The practice and products used to route, bundle and hide the power and data cables running across and under a desk.
Cable management covers the tools and habits used to keep the cords from a monitor, laptop, charger, lamp, and other desk accessories from turning into a tangled pile on and under the desk. Common tools include trays that mount underneath the desktop to hold a power strip and cable slack, sleeves that bundle several cords into one tidy tube, and clips that pin cables along a desk edge or leg.
Beyond appearance, tidy cabling reduces the chance of accidentally unplugging something with a foot, makes it easier to move or clean around the desk, and simplifies troubleshooting when a cable does need to be traced or replaced. It also matters more on sit-stand desks, where cables need enough slack to move with the desk through its full height range without snagging or pulling taut.
The most common mistake is buying cable products before mapping out what actually needs to be routed, which leads to trays or sleeves that are the wrong size or in the wrong spot. It helps to plan the path from wall outlet to power strip to each device first, then choose trays, sleeves, and clips to match that specific layout rather than guessing.