Most home and office security cameras come with extra long power cables.? Sure, you can avoid the cable altogether with a camera such as the Arlo Pro, but more often than not, owners of security cameras have a power cable attached.? To make it worse, they are really long and (usually) really white.? Not a good match for the house decor.

　　The included photo has two Wyze Cam cables going to different cameras.? Big long winding cables.? Today’s article will discuss ways to manage these long cables.? We’ll look at ways to hide the cable, and how to make it look like a professional install.

　　The Problems with a Ten Foot Cable

　　The photo that accompanies this article is a typical scene from a home security camera installation.? The camera sits atop a shelf and there’s a ten foot cable that goes behind the shelf, across the floor and plugged into an A/C outlet.? It looks kind of sloppy.

　　So what can we do about that Here are a few low tech ideas.

　　Often, the entire ten feet isn’t needed.? Consider gathering the unused length together and secure with a twist tie or rubber band.? If white isn’t cutting it, you might be able to spray paint the cable to match your decor (just ensure the cable has a casing that won’t erode if painted).

　　Make it Look Professional

　　Consider adding some hardware to hide the cable.

　　We recommend a product such as the?Legrand Wiremold CMK50 Cord Mate II Kit can be deployed along the baseboard right up to the A/C outlet.? The cable is seated within the channel and the raceway is attached to the wall using self adhesive strips.? Elbows are included to make the turn to the A/C outlet.? The white strips can be painted to match the wall.? This particular kit includes 4 cord channels measuring 31.8 x 3.7 x 2.7 inches.? Conveniently, that measures ten feet in length which is a near perfect match for many of the power cable lengths included with home security cameras.

　　An alternative, but less elegant method to control the power cable is borrowed from the cable TV world.? Consider deployment of?Single Coaxial Cable Clips every 12 inches or so.? These are handy for running cables along baseboards to keep them from looking like the photo that accompanies this article.

　　Shorter Cables

　　Most home security cameras come with insanely long cables.? Sometimes, this is appreciated as the AC outlet isn’t always next to where you want to place the camera.? In some cases, you just need a much shorter cable.? While you’re at it, maybe select a cable that more closely matches the color schema of the room.

　　Many cameras use a simple micro USB cables.? Select a good cable from a brand that has been around for a long time.? We have good experience with brands like Volutz and Anker.

　　The?Volutz Micro USB Cable Nylon Braided, 2-Pack (6.6 feet + 1ft)?includes two cables that can be used with many home security cameras.? A braided cable with a more substantial adapter ending holds up well to being inserted and removed frequently.? Volutz, the Swedish company behind this brand, offers a two-year warranty on these cables.? The one foot cable is especially handy for instances where the AC outlet is nearby and the longer 6.6 foot selection can be deployed for longer reaches.? To no surprise, these can also be used to power many smartphones.