Ask Jennifer Adams: Managing cell phones and charging areas

Q: Years ago, before kids, I had no issues wrangling my husband's and my cell phones. But our three kids have their own tablets and will soon start to get phones. I have a separate phone for work, too, and we are running out of room on the hall table. I don't allow phones in the kids' bedrooms, but I'm not sure where else makes sense to keep all those chargers. Please help!

- Holly
A: Multiple devices are such a big part of our lives, and it is hard to find a place to charge them all. My husband and I have several devices that need charging every day - but each of us has an office in our house, and that's how we solve that problem. You are right to keep your cellphones out of the bedrooms so you're not tempted to check e-mails, texts, or Facebook before falling asleep. Plus, as you know, the blue light from the LED screens imitates sunlight, making it harder for you to fall asleep.

For anyone remodeling or building a new home, I generally suggest adding quad outlets (with a place for four plugs) instead of regular outlets - in kitchens, bathrooms, or any place there might be lots of appliances, TV equipment, or a desk. Some outlets even have a USB port built in. You'll still need a multiplug docking station, a surge protector, or outlet strip.

But that's a lot of cords on top of the counter or a desk. Consider a cabinet or armoire, and have a hole cut into the back for access to an outlet. Wide drawers can store your devices and cables out of sight, too. Just make sure you provide enough air circulation if your devices get warm while charging.

You can also use a docking station on a shelf or attach a surge protector or plug strip to the back wall with adhesive-backed hook-and-loop tape you can find at a crafts store. This will help keep the outlets handy, and you won't need to reach far.

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