Comments on: DIY charging station

By: Nicky H

Nicky H — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:20:47 +0000

This is brilliant. I can also see it hanging in my car, holding my phone so I have the cup holder back to put my Frappaccino in!

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 08:30:10 +0000

Good idea, although it does add to the clutter of the cords and chargers. There cannot be any safety issue – the power supply itself is encased in plastic – that is because plastic does not conduct electricity, at least not at the sort of voltages we use in domestic dwellings.

My Nokia charger has a flat upper edge plenty big enough to simply rest the mobile phone on when it is charging – in other words the charger itself is a small shelf. Perfect solution. Next time you buy a phone, make sure its charger can be used like that!

By: Jo

Jo — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:10:36 +0000

FYI, the blogger with the original instructions removed them from her site a year ago, citing numerous comments on the safety issue.

However, I think that the suggestion above from Splomo is probably adequate, and I like it the best: make the hanger hole large enough to slip over a childproof plug in the top outlet.

If you have a counter or shelf nearby, by all means – use it! If not, this is a neat and inexpensive holder, IMO.

By: chaotic kitten

chaotic kitten — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:10:13 +0000

I loved this idea so much I linked to it from my blog. I’m waiting to finish my prettiest bottle of bath bubbles to give it a go

By: Outlet-Hanging Charge Station For Your Small Gadgets | ????

Outlet-Hanging Charge Station For Your Small Gadgets | ???? — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:44:08 +0000

[...] and more information about how to make it work for your wall. Cellphone Holder for Charging via UncluttererShare/SaveFirst Look at Ubuntu 9.04 "Jaunty Jackalope" BetaOpera 10.0 Build 1413 [...]

By: DYI Charging Station « brazoscowgirl.com

DYI Charging Station « brazoscowgirl.com — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:43:14 +0000

[...] Unclutterer has a great way for you to use a lotion bottle. Zakka Life had the original idea, but took it down after comments. I wish I could tell you what the problem is, but the comments are gone. [...]

By: Carol

Carol — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:40:23 +0000

This concept is wonderful. If you like it, check out a wonderful handy product made just for this purpose at http://www.cpdocks.com. The EZ Mount (includes a handy key hook) and the Plug-in Shelf are both UL approved, so no plastic touches prongs of live electricity. It’s all one piece with a handy shelf for your cellphone or PDA and a cleat for your cord. My neighbor has one and loves it!

By: chaotic kitten

chaotic kitten — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:58:28 +0000

I love this idea. And maybe a plain white one isn’t pretty, but a lot of cosmetics bottles come in all sorts of colours and designs now, so I’m sure there’d be a way forward.

Thank you

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:29:51 +0000

@Wes and others — If an item has utility, it’s not a “unitasker” in the way we use the term. Toilets, fire extinguishers, and clothes hangers are perfect examples of useful, single-use items. It’s when an object only has one use AND doesn’t get used that it qualifies as a “unitasker.” If someone used this charging station on a daily basis, it wouldn’t be a unitasker.

By: Wes

Wes — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:31:29 +0000

I have to agree with an earlier poster. It does seem that this is a unitasker. It holds a cell phone, but so could a desk or a table that’s already there. Or the floor if you have to I guess. If the holder isn’t mounted to the wall then you have to find a place to put it when your cell phone is unplugged creating clutter. If it is mounted to the wall, if you decide to go to another room, you’re left without it and need to install it on other outlets.

By: Ted

Ted — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 04:48:37 +0000

Looks like a fire hazard to me.

By: Splomo

Splomo — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:28:11 +0000

For safety, to keep the plastic from possibly touching metal plug parts, make the hole a little larger and hang the whole rig on a childproof cap placed in the vacant outlet adjacent.

And for those who think it’s ugly, one could stow it behind a curtain or a piece of furniture where it will be handy, yet out of sight. I like it … gotta make one!

It has me thinking … the maple syrup jug has an interesting shape. And the kids’ shampoo comes in fun colored bottles. Looks like I’ll be raiding the recycling bin, especially for the plastics not picked up by my community’s curbside service.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:08:31 +0000

As for leaving the charger plugged in all the time, I had mine plugged into a Kill-A-Watt for sometime, if the phone was not conected it did not use any mesurable power, less then 1 watt,

By: Annie Pazoo

Annie Pazoo — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:27:58 +0000

This is genius – recycling/upcycling, and functional. And since the hole could be positioned so that the plastic doesn’t rest against the prongs, it seems pretty safe to me (a cell phone doesn’t weight THAT much). Great idea.

By: RoaringSilence

RoaringSilence — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:13:59 +0000

The idea of screwing it into the wall is wonderful for several reasons:

- it keeps the weight off the plug

- you won’t have to put the station somewhere when it’s not in use

- Of course you don’t leave the charger plugged in when not in use (saving energy), so you can just put it in the station as well.

And to everyone who said this is ugly: get a little creative people! Paint it or glue rhinestones to it, or a Boba Fett mask or something! lol