Don't Let Anyone Take Away Your Big Box of Cables

Literally today my friend asked me if I have a cable for an iPod :P

Recently, I was screwed by my big box of cables, when I pulled out a SATA power connector for my modular power supply, and learned very quickly that though the ports universally fit across modular PSUs, the pinouts are not actually intercompatible, and you can and will fry your hard drives.

I didn't know this; I had foolishly assumed that SATA power connectors were standardized on both ends.

I wish the old cables, gear, etc. I have squirreled-away stopped saving Customers' and friends' asses because I could feel good about getting rid of it.

We've been unspooling the stash of wood off-cuts, bits of copper pipe, and misc. broken or trash-picked parts from my late grandfather's workshop for the last few years. He always seemed to have materials at-hand to fix anything and, as a kid, I was in awe of that. Now I understand why.

I hope I can leave less stuff for my daughter to poke thru, but at the same time I want to be like my grandfather, seemingly being able to fix anything immediately.

My cable box Protips:

1: use a transparent boxes like an 11l IKEA Samla so you can easily see what you have.

2: fold each cable in half or a few times more and apply the granny knot[1], this will prevent your cables becoming an entangles mess. There are superior(tm) ways to fold cables, but doing the granny knot for household cables seems the way to go. Doing festivals with retro gaming computers I’ve done this thousands of times and it’s fast, saves space, gives quick and reliable access and prevents damage by pulling on cables from clutter etc

3: use multiple boxes for different categories: audio, game computers, standard power cables, pc cables (sata, usb), power bricks and so on to have some sort of a system, any system will work

4: don’t keep an inventory list: let the anarchy that is you, your memory and family, add and take away cables ad hoc. You will forget what is in the box and that is fine.

5: don’t forget the box exists and look in the box :)

[1]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-g7cauAe7Ec

I am sharing this link to my wife right now!

In my defense, over the years, I upgraded the box for one of this big semitransparent IKEA boxes, lid included.

I have cabinets for cables (all tie-strapped), arranged in separate compartments:

- USB cables with at least one USB-C end

- All other USB cables

- Network cables

- Audio and video related (RCA, HDMI, SCART, phono, XLR, displayport, BNC, S/PDIF, etc)

- Power cables

- Power adapters

- Batteries and battery chargers

- Flash sticks, type adapters, diagnostic tools

- Spare keyboards and mice

Not a week goes by where I'm not grabbing something from that cabinet. A couple of months ago I actually needed a SCART cable for the first time in forever for some old hardware.

In 2021 I cut the end off a USB cable to expose the power leads which I scotch taped to the power meter on my bike to charge it. I kept that cable. In 2024 I used it to add USB disconnects to the light strip I attached to the bottom of my son's crib, allowing me to keep the light strip intact when we lowered the base from the baby height to the toddler height. A week later we got rid of the strip because we really didn't need the light like that any more. Still, no regrets. This was my version of using every part of the buffalo.

The problem with the big box of cables is that they multiply over the years. I now have 3 big boxes of cables. And a few smaller ones.

At least they are see trough plastic so I can easily see what is inside them though.

I feel seen.

When my wife and I moved into a new house, my big box of cables got sorted into several smaller boxes of cables, and an "other" bin.

I also have a travel bag of meticulously packed USB cables of all kinds.

3 times in the last month, I produced exactly the right cable for helping her set up some older hardware at her office at her small business.

The kinds of cables lesser men would have thrown away long ago.