cable management

Cables, cables everywhere. With every new gadget we purchase comes a bag of cables we already have but toss onto the growing tangle of cords anyways. Master the labyrinth with one of the most basic of household objects, the toilet paper roll.

We got our crafting on with empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls. Cover the basic cardboard rolls with art-store kraft paper and Japanese washi tape for a nearly effortless Spring cleaning session with adorable results.

All you need is 25 minutes to organize pesky cords; see our photo tutorial after the break.

Today's geek tip comes from the queens of craft at Martha Stewart. While we've often come across inexpensive cable managers, we're not opposed to using found objects (like socks, perhaps) to keep our cords in line. The crafty divas at Martha Stewart, however, took things a step beyond by using pipe insulation instead. This super-cheap material can be found at your local hardware store and makes a great organizer for extra cables and cords you don't have a current need for around the house.

Check out her instructions (which are insanely easy — just cut to length and score an opening down the middle of the pipe) in her handy how-to.

Although the AT-AT dog costume would be an amazing addition to your Star Wars-themed Halloween getup, let's face it — that thing looks pretty uncomfortable for Fido. If you're still craving some Walker goodness, turn your attention to your home office with the DIY Cable Management Holder ($40). Not only can you get some good crafting time in by building it yourself, this cable management system sits atop your desk and keeps your cables and cords neatly in place.

Not only that, but the joints are movable, so you can pose it any way you'd like.

Between work, play, and home, your life can get a little cluttered. Though some are in the camp that gadgets cause us more stress than we need, tech can actually help simplify and streamline our lives, even — dare we say it — make it a little more fun. Check out these 11 tips on how tech can help you breathe a little easier every day.

1. Set up autopay for your bills — Writing checks seems so outdated these days, especially when a majority of creditors and even landlords have an autopay option. By setting up your bills to automatically withdraw from your checking account, you save cash on stamps and envelopes and could even save a few trees in the process. Plus, you'll never be late on a credit card payment again!
2. Stop getting paper bills — In addition to setting up autopay, you should cancel your paper bills in favor of an electronic version if possible. This will cut down on mail clutter, and you'll have a digital copy of your monthly statement whenever you need it.
3. Use a social media aggregator — I like to use Hootsuite for my Twitter and Facebook needs, but you can also sync Hootsuite to see your LinkedIn, Wordpress, Foursquare, Ping, and Mixi accounts all in one place. No more jumping around to different social media accounts!
4. Try Spotify premium — Seriously, who has time to sync, drag, and drop files anymore in this day of fast moving tech? By paying just $10 a month, music fanatics can listen to all the music they want (whether they own it or not) on their computers, mobile devices (via an app), or even offline when they're out of reach. It's one of our favorite things.
5. Use an RSS reader — There are plenty of good reasons to use an RSS reader (like Google Reader), but the main one is that it saves you time. By subscribing to the RSS feeds of your favorite websites, you no longer have to jump around from site to site to get the latest news. The news comes to you! Plus, you can get access from the web at home or on your smartphone to catch up while you're waiting for the bus or sweating it on the bike at the gym.

See the rest of our tips after the break.

No time like the present to get your gadgets and techie life in gear. We've got all the right tech tools to gear you up, and the tips you need to get your techie cleaning done. So, make organization easy and keep your life neat and clean when you get going with our helpful tips to step up your routine.

• Clean Up Your Computer — De-clutter your digital life when you purge your computer of any old files, folders, and media taking up needed space. But, don't let the cleaning stop there — be sure to give your computer a thorough cleanup on the outside, too!
• Charge It Up — I'm done being stressed out by losing the charge on my iPhone and being unable to find the power cord — what help is any gadget if we can't turn it on? Forget losing and misplacing your gadgets' chargers when you get your charging done all in one convenient charging station.
• FollowUpThen Email Reminders Keep You on Task — Stay on top of personal to-dos or work assignments by sending yourself an easy, automatic reminder with a deadline to get it done.

Get the rest of my tips after the jump