When cutting clutter on your work desk and charging area at home, creating your own charging station might not be the first thing to pop into your mind. But believe it or not, creating one isn't too difficult.
In this article, you'll discover 10 clever and unique charging station ideas that you can craft easily.
1. A Charging Station for the Whole Family
If you've got multiple connected devices in your household, you can easily eliminate this mess by turning a shoebox into a charging dock for the entire family. Decorate it to your liking, and cut out holes for USB charging cables on the front and another hole on the lower corner of one end of the shoebox for the power strip cable.
You can plug in chargers, pass cables through the holes you created, and plug in the power strip cable into a power outlet. Alternatively, you can use a wooden box. But instead of having the cable holes on the front, drill them into the bottom for a cleaner look.
2. His and Hers Charging Station
This his and hers DIY charging station is a sure way to cut cable clutter and get your spouse to stop moving your charger from one power outlet to another.
Glue three eight-inch wooden planks together to create a dock. After that, glue two planks of seven inches and fit them back to the latter; these will serve as support.
Mark out where your phones will go on either ends after completing the above. Then, hot glue a wooden trim with a wide enough ledge to safely hold your devices—and drill two holes on the back where the cables will pass through to connect to a power outlet.
3. Repurpose Utility Cart
Get creative with a utility cart and turn it into a functional charging spot for all your devices.
Get any small utility cart you fancy and stick a power strip to the bottom shelf to keep the cords off the ground. Plug in chargers, and string the cables along the side, so they’re out of sight.
Finally, attach binder clips to hold and keep cords organized whenever they’re not in use.
Note: you can always go for a slightly bigger utility cart if you plan on using it as a charging station for devices like laptops.
4. Transform a Letter Tray
For something simpler than a utility cart-charging dock, transform a letter tray into a charging station.
The best part? Letter trays are already a perfect size—even for tablets. So, you don’t have to do much besides attaching strips and binder clips to keep cords organized.
What’s more, letter trays come in an array of designs. You can even create your DIY letter tray. So, you can get one that tickles your fancy (or is big enough to hold your gadgets while they charge).
5. Wooden Charging Station
Add rustic vibes to your desk or charging area with this wooden charging station. Find a wooden box (these are pretty much everywhere, and you can pick any design you love). Then, drill holes for the charging cables on the back, and another one for the power strip cable on the lower end of the side near the power outlet.
Put your power strip in the box, plug in the chargers, and place a wood shelf with holes to hold your devices while they charge.
Close the lid whenever your devices are charging, and messy cables will never be a concern again.
6. Transform a Desk Organizer Into a Charging Station
To transform a desk organizer into a charging station, identify where you want each device to sit when charging and then drill holes for the USB cables.
Next, paint or decorate the desk organizer how you find suitable. Then, attach the charger to the spot you identified earlier using Velcro.
Once you've done all of this, insert your phone or tablet, plug it in, and charge away.
To further transform your office space, you can create an easy DIY computer monitor stand.
7. Repurpose Your Breadbox
If your kitchen counter is a magnet for all devices in your home that need charging, an ordinary breadbox is all you need to keep the cable clutter organized. Like the materials you’re working with, repurposing a breadbox into a charging station requires little to no skills.
Drill the number of holes you need. Then, decorate the box to complement your kitchen décor. You can use paint, shelf liners, or even just a quote.
Add a shelf to create more room for the charging devices.
8. Picture Frame Phone Charging Station
This inexpensive DIY hack turns an ordinary picture frame into not only a charging station, but also a functional device holder perfect for watching as you cook or do the dishes. And as with other projects on this list, it’s super simple to make.
Fit a thick cardboard piece in the frames, and cut holes for your charging cords on both the cardboard and frame’s backing.
Stick two pieces of trim along and across the width of the frame, and voila! You’ll have a fully functional charging station and device holder. Even better, they'll cost close to nothing—compared to what you’d have paid for an accessory with similar features.
9. Transform a Book Into a Phone Charging Station
Do you have a bunch of old books you no longer need? Put one to good use and transform it into a phone charging station.
With the book open, trace your device’s outline to mark where you’d like it to rest while charging, and remember to create wiggle room by leaving at least ¼ inch in space on each side.
Glue the interior pages together before creating a notch for the cord. You’re free to decorate your new charging station however you fancy.
10. Vintage Charging Station
Bring retro vibes to your space, and keep your smartphones and tablets organized by making a vintage charging station.
You’ll need a vintage hatbox to hold the phones while they charge, eyelets to clean up the look of the charging holes you’ll create on the hatbox, and a surge protector for added safety (this is optional, though).
Besides a hatbox, you can use a retro suitcase or even a vintage-inspired acrylic case, whatever works for you.
Cut Cable Clutter
Cable clutter makes even the most organized spaces feel blunt. Luckily, reducing this and sprucing up your table, workspace, or kitchen at the same time isn't too difficult.
Now you've read this article, you have 10 clever and unique DIY phone charging station ideas to create. So, why not get started today?