Posted by Brajeshwar 19 hours ago
I've got "USB", "AV" and "Networking & PC Accessories", which obviously has enormous overlap, but equally divides the cables I have pretty nicely.
Mine is similar but I split audio and video since I have a lot of audio-specific stuff. "Video" only has the various monitor cable standards going back 20-odd years.
"USB cables, standard"
"USB passive/special, except pigtails and USB->AV"
"AV, including USB-AV cables"
If one of those buckets is too full, prepend it with something more specific
i.e. USB, Data instead of just Data
My categories are identical to yours. Home Depot had a sale on these stackable dewalt boxes that are much more cost effective for semi-junk stuff than Milwaukee pack outs.
If you’re using 20 year old hardware, okay - keep 20 year old wires and accessories.
Most are not.
Put an expiration date on your neuroticism. Old dirty stuff can literally consume you.
Ask me how I know!
Most recently: a USB to TTL serial adapter.
I use cables from it once every few years.
At least they are see trough plastic so I can easily see what is inside them though.
- USB cables with at least one USB-C end
- All other USB cables
- Network cables
- Audio and video related (RCA, HDMI, SCART, phono, XLR, displayport, BNC, S/PDIF, etc)
- Power cables
- Power adapters
- Batteries and battery chargers
- Flash sticks, type adapters, diagnostic tools
- Spare keyboards and mice
Not a week goes by where I'm not grabbing something from that cabinet. A couple of months ago I actually needed a SCART cable for the first time in forever for some old hardware.
In my defense, over the years, I upgraded the box for one of this big semitransparent IKEA boxes, lid included.
So, the way it needs to be communicated is that they are necessary evil that help machines be happy. And also to allow special purpose tools and cables to be stored inside the machine if possible, so they don't psychologically present as excess decorations and/or gifts.
1. Sort into cable type
2. Keep the shortest and longest of each type
3. Ditch all the others
I still have 6 drawers of cables.
then i sorted my cables and printed out a normal piece of paper, with the text like "networking", or "PC cables" or whatever and placed that in the side of the boxes
then i can stack them in the basement and easily know which box i need, when i need a cable
its been super handy.
ive used the same trick, for same boxes, for our other storage boxes too. Wifes hobby items, christmas decorations, old consoles, or whatever
makes it super organized. (you need transparent boxes if you wanna just throw in a label print on the inside. i can place one on top of the items and i can see it from above, or either side of the box)