The entertainment center is the main focal point for many homes. It’s where you’ll watch TV with the family, movies with friends, and is the center of many homes. A neat and tidy setup is a must, as no one likes wires coming out from everywhere. These are some of our favorite items to organize your entertainment center and make it look brand-new, without spending a fortune.
How to organize your entertainment center:
Organizing the cables between your TV and entertainment center:
This is a big one. Cables can be crazy with your TV and gaming consoles, so keeping them under control is a must. One of our favorite tools for this is a wiremold. These are budget-friendly and will run you just under $20 Prime shipped at Amazon. What you’ll do is secure it to the wall at the center of your TV and then put all of your cables from the TV to your entertainment center into it. After that, place the top over it and voilà, your cables are now out of the way. This model is even paintable so it can blend in further, becoming part of the background and not an eyesore.
Organizing the cables behind your TV and entertainment center:
Another must for organizing your entertainment center’s cables is a 1,000 pack of zip ties for $7 Prime shipped. I can’t get enough of these things, and they’re great for when you’re 100% finished with adding items to your entertainment center. They can organize the cables behind your center or TV as you won’t need them with the above wiremold.
If you’d rather leave it easier to add new cables in the future, you can’t go wrong with this velcro tie 100-pack at just $10 Prime shipped. I use these on any cables that I plan to add more to (or even Lightning and USB-C cables in my drawers to keep organized.) They have a slot so you can easily undo the velcro and last for years.
Organizing your power cables:
Another area of organization that’s tough to tackle is power cables. You have bricks, plugs, and surge protectors galore behind your entertainment center and keeping it all tidy is never easy. The E-BOX Power Cable Box will run you $19 Prime shipped, but there’s currently a $2 on-page coupon (could expire at any time) so it’s really only $17. This will let you hide those pesky power cables easily. You’ll just put your power strip into the box, and run the cables to it. It will keep the unsightly rat’s nest of plugs hidden from view, yet easily accessible should you need to change something. This is one of the most important steps to take when you organize your entertainment center.
Upgrading your entertainment center’s looks:
Add bias lighting to your TV and entertainment center:
Bias lighting, or LED lights, is one of the best ways to upgrade the look of your entertainment center. Amazon’s #1 best-selling RGB LED light strip is just $14 Prime shipped and has a remote control so you can easily change the color of your TVs new backlighting. These LEDs are USB-powered, so you can either plug them directly into your TV’s USB port or down into a smart outlet as we talk about below. Feel free to pick up two strips so you can put one behind the entertainment center too and add an ambient glow to your entire home theater setup.
Get voice control for your lighting:
Having RGB LEDs behind your TV is awesome, but what’s even cooler is controlling those lights with your voice. Plug them into TP-Link’s highly-rated Wi-Fi smart plug and now you can ask Google’s Assistant or Amazon Alexa to turn your lights on/off without even needing the remote! You will still need the remote to change colors, but turning them on/off just became a whole lot easier, and all for just $17 Prime shipped.
Simplify your remotes:
Now this is the only item in this entire list that’s over $20, but it’s worth it. Logitech’s Harmony 650 universal remote is a must-have for any home theater in this writer’s opinion. I’ve owned this remote for years and it’s an amazing way of simplifying your entire setup. You can program in commands such as “Watch TV” or “Watch a Movie” and the remote takes care of everything. With one press, it will change your input, the device it’s commanding, and even power on (or off) devices as it needs. It’s essential in a tidy entertainment center, and cuts down on “What remote do I need to watch a movie?!” questions. You’ll spend $30 shipped refurbished or $40 in new condition at Amazon.
What steps do you take to organize your entertainment center? Let us know down in the comments below.
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