Storing Your Electronics

Whether it’s a personal DVD player with miniature speakers or a 60-inch plasma TV, almost every household has an entertainment center. It doesn’t take long for all the CDs, DVDs, games, VHS tapes, and various other kinds of media to form mountains of clutter. Just like everything else in your home, they need to be stored properly to protect them from damage.

Before you buy storage for a media system, think about how you use it and how you access it. You want media storage to be functional, but it has to look good in your home and coordinate with the décor.

If your home is high-tech and modern, the look of electronic equipment will fit right in, but if your décor is traditional the modern look of high tech electronics can spoil the ambience. You may decide to hide the equipment away completely in an armoire made for electronics.

Once you’ve decided where to site your stereo and television, you need to decide how to store and display them. Many living-room storage systems offer a module for the television, separate video or DVD recorder, and stereo; some stand-alone units are specifically designed to house them.

When you buy a storage unit, check that it is the right size and height to house the television and media units like the game system and DVD player. Measure the depth and width of your TV-set. The measurements should be less than those of the TV furniture. Different wall materials require different types of fixing devices. Use fixing devices suitable for the walls in your home.

You’ll need more storage as your collection of movies and music expands. If you’re short on room, consider downloading movies to your computer that way they won’t take up physical space. If that’s not a possibility, there are many options for physical storage such as floating shelves, a storage ottoman, or attractive boxes.

Another thing you’ll want to consider is cord control. Even a small number of electronics will turn into an octopus of cables very quickly. First of all, label your cords at the plug end so you’ll see at a glance what plug belongs to what components – a real life-saver when you have to remove something for repair or rearrange your set-up. Also, use a power strip to protect your electronics against power surges.

Remember to decorate and personalize your space with photos, books, or art. Let your personality show by interspersing these items among your electronics to add that special touch to your space.Thoughts?