DIY Charging Station: Organizing Your Tech with a Dash of Creativity
Living in a smaller space comes with its own set of challenges, like the mess of charging cables and devices cluttering up your space, for example. Whilst the clever engineering of a motorhome makes good use of the space, sometimes the positioning of charging ports isn't always practical. It doesn't take long for your living space to become cluttered with charging cables and power packs all over the place, especially if the charging port itself is in an awkward position.
I saw Ash from Lost In Europe's charging station he made and decided I needed one for myself.
Start with a piece of wood
I started with a simple piece of thin wood, although I can't remember where I got it from! You can grab one from a hobby store or a DIY store though. Then, I needed to trim it to fit the location I wanted it in, on my wall behind my desk. Now I didn't have any tools, you might want to use proper tools! I used one of my bushcraft knives and managed to score it off.
After a bit of trial and error, the wood was successfully trimmed, though not without a few imperfections. That didn't matter too much though, it fit the desired location perfectly.
Get busy with velcro!
The next step is to attach Velcro strips to the piece of wood, that will be the front of the organiser. These strips are what will hold the charging cables and devices in place. I used this velcro roll, and then sized and cut the other velcro strips for my devices and cables (it is a hook and loop type velcro system so one roll is the hook, and the other the loop that sticks to it. Both rolls come in the pack).
The Final Assembly
With the Velcro strips in place, it's time to position the charging cables and devices. The 'hub' that powers all of these devices connects to a power board at the bottom.
Its importance to keep the wires neat and not too tightly bundled to prevent overheating and wire damage. To make sure the wires stay organised, I used a combination of duct tape and velcro to secure them.
Versatility and Travel-Readiness
One the best bits about this charging station for in the motorhome is with everything being velcro'd, it holds these things in places when travelling. I can just remove the things I want or need and everything else stays on there. This adaptability can be a game-changer for those who are often on the move.
The Finished Product
Once I checked everything was working and powered up/charged, it was time to attach it to the wall. Voila!
This DIY charging station is an excellent solution to cable clutter and proves you don't need to be particularly crafty to create helpful things for out motorhome. A little creativity and resourcefulness can get you a more organised and aesthetically pleasing tech setup. Plus it adds a personal touch.
So, the next time you find yourself struggling with cable clutter, consider taking inspiration from this and creating your own charging station. If you do, let me know how you got on in the comments or share any other storage hacks you've created in your van.