Cables are one of the fastest ways to make a room look messy. Even if the furniture is stylish, a bundle of tangled wires hanging below the TV or snaking across the floor in a work area pulls everything down.

If you think about cable management from the start – where sockets will be, where devices will sit, how many plugs you’ll need – you can hide most wires from day one. This might mean placing outlets behind the TV unit, using trunking or cable channels, choosing a desk with built-in cable holes, or fixing a power strip out of sight.

Good cable planning makes the space safer too. Fewer chances of tripping, fewer exposed wires to collect dust or get damaged.

It’s one of those behind-the-scenes details that quietly keeps the room looking clean and functioning smoothly.