So I switched to assorted winders and cable reels, which were great until my husband found out the hard way that reeled cords hanging out on a trailer can come loose when jostled around too much, causing the plug-end of a much-needed extension cord to hang over the side and bounce along the road asphalt in such a way that said plug arrives at its destination looking like someone tried to put it down a garbage disposal. Sheesh again.

I had been beginning to think that cord reels have to be stowed in protective boxes or similar to prevent the cables wrapped around them from unwinding, being scratched up, getting wet or becoming encrusted in dirt, but not to long ago, I ran into I new type of cord winder that’s put a glimmer of hope on the horizon: the Reel-A-Pail® Quickwinder™.

As you’ve probably already guessed, the Reel-A-Pail involves both a reel and a pail, and is indeed quick at winding cables. Just think of it as a heavy-duty cable reel that’s encased in a bucket-like outer shell that keeps stored cable perfectly contained, and protects it from the ravages of dirt, moisture, abrasion and impact. That’s what I’m talking about!

One of the things that I like so much about Reel-A-Pail is that it’s all-inclusive (a package deal that doesn’t require any extra add-ons for complete functionality/protection), comes in several styles and sizes to suit almost any need, and is even versatile when you get down to specific models, as each type can accommodate a range of cable types and sizes. It terms of portable cable storage and organization, you really can’t go wrong.

Depending on which model you choose, the Reel-A-Pail Quickwinder either comes with a flat base that can be bolted down to a trailer, truck bed or floor, or a handy built-in wheeled cart that lets you roll substantial loads of cable wherever they may be needed.

The new cord tamer in my life is named the Cable Corral, and I love it for its simplicity. It’s basically just a steel basket that mounts to the underside of your desktop, giving you a place to stash power strips, peripherals and long cables out of sight – without affecting your connectivity. This is great for antsy desk-dwellers like me, who need to frequently stretch their legs below-desk throughout the day to avoid both muscle atrophy and general insanity. It’s always nice to be able to do this without getting a foot caught in a pile of cable slack, or accidentally kicking a power supply.

And installation is so easy – the Cable Corral screws right into the underside of your desk, and then you just pile in everything you want to keep clear of the floor and out of sight. No need to precisely bundle or wind cords, no cover malfunctions – just stash your stuff, and let your feet enjoy the newfound wide open roaming space where there was none before.

That said and done with, Wrap N Strap cord organizers do fasten like a hospital bracelet… you know, with a little round plastic fastener that pops through one of a series of holes? But unlike a patient ID bracelet, these can actually be removed without scissors. This easy removability factor is great for two reasons. First, when it comes to unbundling cables from standard zip ties, it can be a little iffy to introduce a sharp pair of scissors into the mix: it may be your intent to only snip through the cable tie, but if you’re not careful, you can nick or cut through a cable as well. And secondly, the fact that Wrap N Straps can be removed without being destroyed means that you can reuse them – always a smart choice for those looking to save a little money or cut down on waste in general.

I’m sure that by now you’ve caught my drift that Wrap N Straps® work great on cables, but they also play nicely with rope, bungee cord, chain, Christmas lights… pretty much anything in strand form that you’d want to neatly bundle up and store. And remember those fun colors I mentioned earlier? They make these perfect for color-coding.

If you’re still scratching your head over the “bent metal tubing” comment and wondering what on Earth that has to do with transporting spools of wire, let me explain. I recently came across the ReelCraft® Side Mount Cart Handle, and I have to say that despite it’s simplicity, it’s really pretty smart. Fully-loaded cable reels can be pretty unweildy to just hoist up and carry around, so it just makes sense to have what is essentially a wheel-equipped handle that attaches to the spool and lets you just push or pull it around.

The Side Mount Cart Handle is 42 inches tall, so when you use it, there’s no bending involved. You just grab on to any point that’s comfortable for you, and and enjoy the lack of back strain. Add to that a couple of smooth-rolling semi-pneumatic tires, and your job just got a whole lot easier. As for how it works, simple: you just attach it to the side of a reel, and you’re ready to rock.

Only yesterday I was mulling over the things that post-holiday cleanup entails, and the Two-Spool Cable Storage Bag (or Twinkle Light Keeper, as I like to think of it) came instantly to mind. Now, I feel like I’ve used this anecdote far too many times for different things, but it involves a classic Christmas movie, so I’m just going to go for it. Remember in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, when Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) decides to deck the house out in “25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights”? He unloads a beach ball-sized knot of Christmas lights on his young and reluctant son, Russ (Johnny Galecki), with a dismissive “You can work on that.” This scene is pretty funny as it plays out onscreen, but I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that it’s one you don’t want to recreate in real life. That’s where the nifty Two-Spool Bag comes into play.

The entire concept of the bag is so simple, but it prevents some pretty major decorating and post-holiday storage headaches. That’s because when you open it up, you’ll find two cable reels on stands, each of which allows you to spool up to 100 feet of mini Christmas lights. Imagine having 200 feet of holiday lights stored tangle-free inside a bag that measures only 15 x 6 x 11.25 inches! You may have had to unsnarl things this year, but decking the halls should be a whole lot merrier the next time around.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, here. Slooooooooooooooooowww down there, crazy (I’m talking to myself, kind reader, not you – so don’t feel bad). I should probably start out by filling you in on the main event, the thing that the snap-bracelet cable ties are actually accessories to. And that would be the Cable Coiler™ by Kaltman Creations. This thoroughly nifty cable reel sets itself apart from other spools with its motor, which, in short, does all the grunt work for you.

Here’s how it works. You hook one end of a power, network, or microphone cord into the connector holder on the Cable Coiler™, then let it rip! The Cable Coiler’s™ motor turns the reel, spooling cords with absolutely zero effort on your part. And now here’s where the Slap Tie™ (the “slap-bracelet cable tie”) comes into play. Say that the Cable Coiler™ has just finished winding up a cable. You just slide the cable coil off the reel, and in the same motion, knock it against the Slap Tie™ that’s ready and waiting on the side of the reel. Snap! And that’s it. The Slap Tie™ wraps itself around the cable bundle to keep the coil intact, and you’re ready to move onto your next cord. Easy and fun.

No matter who you are, where you live, or how big or small your circle of family and friends is, chances are very good that you know someone whose life has been changed because of breast cancer. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one to it. Maybe you’ve watched someone close to you battle though it and emerge a survivor. Maybe you’re living with it yourself. But one thing’s for sure – once you have a brush with the disease, you never forget it.

Since yesterday, October 1st, you’ve probably begun seeing a lot pink ribbons and references to Breast Cancer online and in the media. That’s because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this year, 2009, CableOrganizer.com has decided to jump in and do something to support this admirable, and universal, cause.

And so, today, I’m not going to focus on one cool product, but 9 very worthwhile ones that are not only fun and useful, but whose purchase goes toward supporting breast cancer research, as well as meeting the needs of women who are fighting the disease. If you or someone you know is a fan of the color pink, please visit our Breast Cancer Pink Page, which is full of rosy-hued products that have been chosen to help raise funds in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. From now through October 31, 2009, we’re donating $1 from each purchase of these products to The Donna Foundation, a Florida-based non-profit organization dedicated to furthering breast cancer research and providing assistance to breast cancer patients.

So if you’re already looking into accessorizing your iPod or organizing some cables around the house, please be sure to check out the items on our Pink Page first – by purchasing one of these products, you’ll not only be getting something you need, but will also be helping to prevent and cure breast cancer in the process.

The BuckReel® is a cable and cord winder that stores extension cords, ropes, hoses, and holiday lights without letting them get tangled. That’s a lot more than most of us can say for the arm-winding technque, which, done correctly, results in “neat” bundles that magically start to self-knot the second you toss them onto a garage shelf. The unwinding is never pretty – but I digress. What I’m getting at is that it’s kind of nice to be able to just use a cable as soon as it’s unwound, instead of dealing with a wad of cords that looks like it’s been attacked by a mischievous Boy Scout with a third-degree black belt in knot tying.

The BuckReel® eliminates snarling because it wraps cords around an actual spool, the way nature intended them to be. But this isn’t a stationary spool that you need to physically wind your cables around. The BuckReel has a very cool design that incorporates a free-spinning hand grip inside the spool, and a stationary crank handle on the rim of the spool itself. To wind up cords, you just hold onto the inner grip with one hand, turn the crank with the other, and watch as your cable is spooled in no time. Once the winding has come to an end, you just store the entire BuckReel® until the cords on it are needed again – it’s equally at home on a shelf, or stacked two high in a 5-gallon bucket.

Now, you may have seen the earbud cord winders that are more for use while you’re actually listening to your iPod – they keep cords at exactly the length you want them so, so you don’t get tangled up in your earphone wires while you’re dancing around (admit it). But like I mentioned a minute ago, the earPod is more about storage, because we all know that earbuds get bored when you’re not using them, and amuse themselves by tying their own cords in knots when you’re not looking. I know this for a fact. But I digress.

The earPod is essentially a small circular case that has a twist-open lid, and a groove that runs around its outer edge. Said groove is what you wrap your earbud cords around, and when you can’t wind anymore, you just flip the lid aside, and nestle the earpieces into the felt-lined secret compartment. Close the lid up, and you’re left with a tidy, almost puck-shaped package, and more importantly, tangle-free and well protected earbuds. And just in case you’re not the toss-it-in-a-bag type, the earPod is equipped with a clip that lets you slide it right onto a pocket or belt loop for easy access.

Consisting of two end pieces that are only 17″ x 17″ x 9″, the Rack-A-Tier® system is equipped with 5 different cable bar holes, so you can create a spool rack in just about any configuration you need. As you can see in the picture, the Rack-A-Tier® can handle many different types of spools, so it’s as well-suited to your home workbench or garage as it is to large jobsites. And while cable and wire are the most obvious things to store on it, you can use the Rack-A-Tier® for pretty much anything that you can roll up on a spool, including rope, chain, twine, braided sleeving, bungee cord, Christmas lights – you name it.

In addition to holding spoolable things, the Rack-A-Tier® wire dispenser is also a huge help on the job, especially if the task at hand is wire pulling. Because it allows you turn spools and dispense wire with barely any effort, it’s like having an extra pair of hands around. And if you need even more storage capacity, no problem – the Rack-A-Tier is stackable, so you can double your storage without taking up twice the floorspace.

Rack-A-Tier wire dispensers are waterproof, rustproof, and even buoyant, and are simple to disassemble and stow away in between jobs. And it can also be used as a pipe vise (when used in conjunction with the Rack-A-Tiers pipe wrench adapter), and not to mention a temporary work bench. Why don’t you have one of these?