How to Roll Up an Extension Cord: 4 Tangle-Free Methods

Keeping a workspace organized and clutter-free regardless of the project improves overall safety and increases your efficiency. However, many home workshops and office spaces have spools of hastily hidden extension cords and power strips that lead to major tripping hazards, in addition to other safety concerns and just plain unsightly looks.

When it comes to extension cord safety, wrapping your cords and storing them in the right indoor spaces is a must. Not only does it eliminate potential tripping hazards, but it also forces you to check whether an extension cord is unplugged or unplugged and whether it has nicks, frays, or other damage. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, using a damaged extension cord dramatically increases the risk of fire.

Security aside, the aesthetic implications of well-organized cables are like icing on the cake. At the end of the day, learning to coil up an extension cord using one of the four methods outlined below is an easy way to make your space cleaner, safer, and more comfortable.

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wrap braid

Also known as tremie wrapping or chain link wrapping, braid wrapping is often the preferred method of construction and craft professionals as it requires no additional tools and leaves the cord ready to use. You can unpack it in sections, which means you don’t have to bother rolling the whole thing back up if you have an extra-long extension cord.

Although there is a slight learning curve with braid wrap, it is often the best way to coil up extension cords as it will extend the life of your cord and keep the cord in an ideal position for storage, whether it’s sitting in a drawer that Wall hung or tucked away in a closet. In short, the braid wrap is functional and versatile, making it safer to tuck away while looking pretty chic.

STEP 1: Plug the male end of the cable into the female end.

Once you’ve removed all of the tangles and knots in the cord, one way to start the process is to plug the extension cord into itself. This keeps the pins safe from unwanted contact during the winding process or during storage, which is especially important if you work in a shop that handles combustible materials. Plugging the pronged male end into the female end of the cable halves the length, which is critical for the next step in the process.

STEP 2: Tie a loose loop at the opposite end with an overhand knot.

After connecting the two ends of the extension cord together, work your way to the end opposite the plugs, straightening the cord as you go. Once you get within 6 to 8 inches of the opposite end, gather the cords together to form a small closed loop. With your other hand, simply reach through the loop you just created and pull both cords back through the loop at the same time.

STEP 3: Repeat the loop and grass process continuously.

Now that you’ve made your first loop, continue doing this until you reach the end of the extension cord with the connectors. For each loop, the process must be repeated from step 2. Once you’ve completed the first loop and grab motion, you should have a second loop through which to reach and pull the cords.

Make sure you’re holding on to the bottom of the loop on each repetition. If you don’t do this, you’ll end up with a loose braid that won’t retain its integrity. Once you’ve wound back to within 12 inches of the male and female connectors, stop making new braids.

STEP 4: Push the connected male and female connectors back through the last braid.

This is the last step before you get a fully braided extension cord. Simply take both plugs in one hand and the base of the last braid in the other and pull the plugs backwards through the loop of the last braid. Finally, pull the connectors in the reverse direction to tighten the entire braid. Be careful not to accidentally pull them through the braid you just slipped them through while tightening them.

elbow bandage

The elbow brace is the quick and messy way to keep your extension cords and cords organized. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad way to manage cables, though. While the elbow wrap method doesn’t have the structural durability of braiding or over-under loops, it is the fastest method of the three manual options. It is also the easiest to learn. Make sure you don’t overtighten it when using the elbow wrap method to avoid accidentally pushing new defects into the cable.

STEP 1: Hold one end of the cord in the crook between your thumb and forefinger.

First you need to get a good grip on one end of the extension cord. Squeeze the cable in the crook of your thumb and forefinger and pull back until the connector presses lightly against your fingers, which acts as a “wall” for the connector to rest against. As a result, the plug does not slip off and the cable can also be rolled up more quickly.

STEP 2: Begin wrapping the cord between your fingers around your elbow and back.

After you’ve firmly gripped the cable, it’s time to coil the cable. Following the path between your thumb and forefinger, loosely wrap the extension cord between your thumb and forefinger until you reach the end of the cord.

STEP 3: Connect the male and female ends.

The final step of the elbow wrap is to wrap the remaining foot or so of both ends of the plug around the center of the wrap, perpendicular to the direction of the wrap. Then pull them apart so the center of the wrap becomes tight. Finally, connect the male and female ends together before storing.

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Over-under wrap

The over-under method is an intuitive and popular method of winding extension cords that strikes a good balance between the convenience of a simple elbow wrap and the longevity and durability of the braided wrap. For many, this is the best way to wrap extension cords as it doesn’t have a steep learning curve and can be easily improved by simply adding inexpensive Velcro cable ties like this highly rated option available on Amazon, or a variety of other affordable cord management accessories.

STEP 1: Make a single overhand loop on both ends of the cable.

If this is your first foray into over-under packaging, you might want to lay out your extension cord on a flat surface to make the process a little easier. Within a few practice rounds, you can easily do it hands-free. Another tip to keep in mind when your extension cord is new and relatively stiff is to put it in the sun or somewhere warm to let it relax a bit.

Whether you’re holding it in your hands or doing it on a table, the first step is to make a circle by bending the end of the cord back onto itself and then holding the overlap. Either clockwise or counterclockwise is fine.

STEP 2: Reverse the orientation of the cable to create a second underhand loop.

Repeat the same process as the first one, but this time make an underhand loop. This repeating pattern is where the name “over-under wrap” comes from. To make the underhand loop, grasp the cord at the end of the first backhand loop with one hand and use the other hand to grasp the cord behind the first hand and then gently roll it forward under the first hand to create the loop to build.

STEP 3: Keep alternating between backhand and backhand loops until you reach the end of the cord.

Once you’ve created your first set of overhand and underhand loops, you’ll likely find that it doesn’t take too long to get used to the rotating motion of the underhand loop. Luckily, extension cords are designed to naturally accept this wrapping method, making it fairly easy to tell if you’re doing the crotch loops correctly. When you reach the end of the cable, you can terminate it by mating the male and female ends together or securing them with a zip tie.

extension cord reel

Although reels can be expensive and if poorly made can create more problems than solutions, there are some that stand out from the crowd in terms of durability and functionality. When done right, using an extension cord reel can save even more time than traditional manual winding methods.

Reels are best for heavy-duty extension cords longer than 50 feet as they are cumbersome to manage and increasingly difficult to control when you naturally tire trying to coil them. Additionally, if you regularly use and transport extension cords, consider a reel with high-tech features like auto-retract or built-in USB ports for on-site charging. Note, however, that these features may affect the reel’s versatility in the outdoors.

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This Masterplug extension cord reel comes with a 100 foot cord and four outlets grounded to the reel for powering tools on the job site.

Final Thoughts

Once you know how to wrap extension cords, you can keep them working longer and keep your workspace safer and clutter-free. The benefits are plentiful and the downside is that it only takes a little time.

If you’re a rare do-it-yourselfer who rarely uses an extension cord or cord, it probably isn’t worth learning how to wrap the braid, nor is it worth your money on a roll. The over-under and elbow wrap methods are often the easiest and work for most users. If you regularly transport your extension cords, we recommend using the braided wrap as it is the most stable. Finally, if your cables are longer than 50 feet or heavy-duty, consider a reel that will minimize the effort required to keep those cables coiled.

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The prices listed here are correct at the time of publication on October 20, 2022.