The Festive Way To Hide The Eyesore Of Holiday Plugs & Cords

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The holidays are all about ambiance, like the warm glow of string lights, the sparkle of ornaments, and the cozy scent of pine and cinnamon. And nothing shatters that seasonal spell faster than a mess of tangled wires and flashing tech gear sitting around. It just feels out of place, and after spending hours perfecting your tree and mantel garlands, having it all be undercut by a visible web of extension cords snaking across the floor can feel like a punch in the gut. But this year, it's time to move past simply tolerating the clutter and actively finding ways to blend those pesky tech cords into your decorating scheme.

The struggle is two-fold. First, you have the temporary eyesores: this includes the heavy-duty wires powering your gorgeous Christmas tree and snowy village scene decor — make sure you avoid these common mistakes when hiding your extension cords. Second, you have the unsightly everyday tech stuff: blinking modems, routers, and charging hubs that are helping power all of your holiday gear. These are the kind of little visual details that can muck up the holiday scene you set up for your family and company if you don't get it covered up. But with these easy techniques for creatively containing all of those cords and gadgets, you can quickly and affordably put them out of sight and elevate your holiday decor. Then you'll get to sit back and enjoy it yourself.

The easiest way to make a cord disappear is to stop treating it like an afterthought and start treating it like yet another design element in your holiday setup. How? Our favorite hack for managing temporary holiday cables is a fabric cord cover. These wrap around existing cords, turning an ugly black rubber cable into a softer, fabric covered element. They are inexpensive and available in a ton of colors like a shimmery silver, white to match your baseboards or mantel, or green to match your Christmas tree's skirt (or garlands). For areas that need a festive boost, opt for a subtle plaid or a bold holiday red to turn the cord into a deliberate accent.

Beyond wrapping the wires, you can literally just cover them up as a way to hide them. Consider a festive velvet runner, seasonally colored throw blanket, or a similar style of draped textile to conceal something underneath. Fabric always has a way of drawing your eye to it and making things feel cozy and decorative, so it makes sense that it's a good pick for easily hiding plugs and wires (though occasionally check them to make sure they have breathing room and don't get too hot). This technique doesn't need any special installation and uses stuff you most likely already have on hand. And as a less conventional option, you could use gadgets for tidy cords and paint or otherwise decorate them for the season.

For bulkier (and more permanent) items like routers, modems, and charging stations, your best bet here is creative containers. Instead of letting them sit out on a shelf exposed, tuck them away into a lidded storage box (like a sleek wooden container or woven decorative hat box). Just make sure you add holes to the back of the box for cord access and ventilation. Once you set that up, all you'll be able to see is stylish shelf decor. You can even add a small vase of holiday greenery by it, or other bits of decor.

Another easy and reliable strategy for floor-level messes (especially those near the Christmas tree) is a basket or bucket for camouflage. Instead of letting all the cords plugged into the surge protector spill onto your rug, tuck them neatly into a pretty woven basket. Or better yet, show off your favorite baskets in your home for stylish storage. Set it in front of all the cord clutter, and use it to store blankets or kids' toys. Either way, it'll just look like an organic part of your home decor. With just a few strategic placements and tweaks, you can ensure that nothing disrupts the flow of your holiday decor and that everything looks picture perfect.