Do you hate seeing the plugs of your devices in the power outlets? While it is sometimes possible to hide the outlets behind furniture, this is not something that you can always do when you have lamps, televisions or other electronical devices. But, this does not have to be the end of the world if you are trying to give your home a makeover. Instead, you can create a do it yourself outlet cover. This is going to hide all of the hideous plugs you do not want to see. Keep reading our guide to see how you can get started today.
What are the Benefits of a Do It Yourself Outlet Cover?
There are outlet covers you can purchase online. So, you may be wondering why you should bother making them yourself. Well, there are several great reasons to do this. Let’s take a look at them in closer detail.
You Can Hide Plugs
There are plenty of products you can get to hide cables and wires in your home. But, there are not a lot you can get to hide the plugs in your outlets. Often, these are what stand out the most and they can ruin the design of a room. For example, you might have a huge plug that draws your eye or they might be a different color to the outlet and the rest of the room.
When you choose to make your own outlet covers, you can customize the design any way you want. This is going to help if you have small and large plugs or a lot of them to cover. You can adapt the design for your needs, which is not always possible with items you purchase in stores and online.
You Can Improve Safety
If you have young kids, you have to make sure that your home is as safe as possible for them. You know what children are like; they like to touch things and cannot be left alone for one second. In particular, a danger that a lot of parents have identified is plugs that are in outlets. Children can be curious and try to take them out.
But, this is where a do it yourself outlet cover is going to come in. This is going to allow you to hide plugs and for them not to be on show. Not only is this going to improve the aesthetic of a room, but it is also going to hide the plugs from young children. They will not be able to access them, which can keep them safe when they are at home.
You Can Save Money
There are a lot of accessories you can buy for your home. But, the problem with things like outlet covers is that they are dramatically overpriced. You are going to end up paying a lot for something you see as a simple accessory.
Stead of having to do this, you can create your own outlet covers for your home. This is going to save you a lot of money since you only have to purchase a few simple materials to get started.
Keep Safety in Mind
It is important to remember that outlets are powerful and they are a source of electricity. So, while it can be safe to put a cover over them, you have to ensure that you are doing this in a way that keeps safety in mind. Namely, this is about choosing a design and adapting it to allow ventilation and to avoid anything overheating.
For example, it will be import to allow air to circulate in a do it yourself outlet cover. This can include creating holes and slats. While most designs are going to have this included, if you think that the design needs more, do not be afraid to make changes to ensure safety in your home.
If you are ever in doubt when it comes to safety or you are worried, you can monitor the outlet cover during the day. You can test it out to make sure that there is not a lot of heat being retained inside. Through checking it every few hours, you are going to enjoy of peace of mind and know that you can use the outlet cover on a long-term basis.
Use a Plastic Fruit Container for Do It Yourself Outlet Cover
If you are looking to make a do it yourself outlet cover and you are on a budget, we have a fantastic idea. You can use a plastic fruit container when you done with it. This is going to cost under $3 and provide a lightweight yet protective cover over an outlet. There is going to be minimal work required for this solution.
First of all, save a plastic fruit container you have and make sure that it is the right size for your outlet. This is going to go over it and protect the plugs and stop children from touching them. You can choose to fix the plastic fruit container to the wall with tape or glue, depending on whether you will need to access the outlet regularly or never at all.
What we also like about fruit containers is that they often have holes on them already to allow ventilation. This is going to help prevent overheating. In adding, the slats can be used to feed cables through too.
Adapt a Plastic Storage Box
Do you have large plugs in your outlet? There are some plugs that are small and compact, which can be easy to cover with a plastic fruit container. But, if you have found that you have large and bulky plugs, you may need a different solution to cover them up. Well, we have something else that you can try. You can use a plastic storage box.
For this do it yourself outlet cover, you can go out and buy a plastic storage box or you can even search the garage for one that you can use. The most important thing to do is measure the width, length and depth of box you are going to need. You have to take into account the size and thickness of the plug and even the length of the outlet. Do not forget that there are also different colors of plastic boxes you can purchase. For example, you may not want to see the plugs and a clear plastic one is going to show them. So, you can choose a color or white one so that you can hide the plugs and cover them up at the same time.
All you are going to have to do is remove the lid from the plastic storage box. This is going to allow you to fix the box to the wall and over the outlet. One thing you will have to do is create ventilation slats or holes in the plastic box. This is going to be for safety reasons. You can also create holes so that cables can come out of the box into the devices.
If you are trying to cover an outlet you need regular access to, there are other designs you can create. For example, you can keep the lid on the plastic storage box. Instead, you can cut away the base of the plastic box. This is going to allow it to be placed over the outlet. Then, you can use the lid as a way to access the outlet and it can be kept shut away from children during the day. Again, just make sure that you have ventilation slats or holes to prevent overheating.
Find an Old Smartphone Box for Do It Yourself Outlet Cover
A lot of people choose to keep their old smartphone boxes. This can be storage or for selling your smartphone later on. Well, there is another way you can make use of this box and that is by making a do it yourself outlet cover. This is going to create a cover that you can easily remove when you want to access the plugs. But, when the lid is on, it is going to keep children safe, as well as make your home appear neat and tidy.
Grab an old smartphone box. Often, an iPhone box will work well for a normal outlet. Take of the lid and take a look at the box itself. You want to cut away the cardboard base. This is going to be what attaches to the wall. You also want to cut away holes for the cables, making them slightly larger to allow ventilation. You can attach the box to the wall using a glue gun. Then, when you want to cover the outlet, simply put on the lid.
The chances are, you do not want to be looking at an old smartphone box. So, you can choose to wrap this in a paper you like or even paint the box to the desired color. Then, you can create a outlet cover on a budget. Since you will already have the smartphone box, you are not going to need a lot of other tools.
