Cable Labelling

[Gozogozo]

I have an unusual opportunity to label everything behind the TV/Hifi & computers etc but whenever we have attempted it in the past, the labels had fallen off when we next needed to move something.

Anyone got a foolproof solution?

[iklboo]

Different colour label ties?

[marriednotdead]

Not sure about foolproof but we wrote next to each of the plugs on the extension block rather than labelling the cables. It worked pretty well for us.

[Tzibeleh]

For cables that end in large enough plugs, write on the plug itself in Sharpie (for white plugs) or metallic pen (for coloured plugs). Not just wall plugs, USB plugs, anything.

For the cables themselves there are some very good labelling tabs that wrap around the cable and glue to themselves, or clip around the cable. Trouble is, I can't for the life of me remember the make! One is the same make that make those clever oval silicon cable-tidies that you wrap the cable around, and the plug-and-cable tidies, and the phone-rest that hangs from the plug socket. Argh! We've got lots of their gadgets, but I can't remember the make.

You can also get packets of velcro cable-ties in mixed colours. In theory you can write on them. I never have, so don't know for sure, but they're brilliant for keeping cables organised.

A cheap-n-cheerful alternative is to wrap a bit of electrician's tape around the cable, sticking it to itself to make a label, and writing on that. Unfortunately the glue sometimes fails. The label doesn't come off, but it can slide down the cable leaving sticky gunk behind.

[catsofa]

I use stickers, the ones that are like envelope labels. Either cut a square out of them small enough to stick on the plug itself to write on, or for the ones that won't seem to stick securely enough just stick the whole sticker round the cable and back on itself to write on, up near the plug.

I find it's the plugs that need labels rather than the cables.

[KatoPotato]

Pretty washi tape. Wrapped and pinched then wrote on, or just by colour coordinated

[Gozogozo]

Thanks all! Many great suggestions.