Store Extension Cords Tangle-Free With the Chain Loop

An extension cord stuffed in a bin comes out as a knot with plugs on it. Electricians coil cords in a chain loop that stores compact and deploys without a single tangle.

How to do it

1. Double the cord in half, holding the folded end.
2. Tie a loose overhand knot with the doubled cord near the fold, leaving a loop.
3. Reach through the loop, grab the doubled cord, and pull a new loop through. Repeat — you're crocheting the cord into a chain.
4. At the end, pass the plugs through the last loop to lock it.

To use it, free the plugs and pull — the chain unspools cleanly. It takes one cord to learn, and you'll never wrap a cord around your elbow again.