Last updated: October 13th, 2025
Your standing desk is great for our productivity and health, but without proper cable management, it can quickly become an unsightly, tangled mess.
The problem stems from the desk’s design.
Because standing desks do not have back panels, they make it difficult to hide data and power cables that connect all of your peripherals.
In fact, a lot of people end up regretting their decision to purchase a standing desk because of the ensuing cable chaos.
I get it.
It’s hard to justify your purchase of a $2,000 desk when its clean lines are obscured by a tangle of wires that remind you of Bangkok powerlines.
You can get rid of visual clutter and improve your productivity by following my best 5 standing desk cable management tips.
They take 3-4 hours to implement and once you’re done, you’ll have an aesthetically pleasing, Instagram-worthy home office that leaves you with more space on your work surface, and less unsightly, messy cables under it.
(Related: 7 Benefits Of A Standing Desk In Your Home Office).
1. Start With A Good Monitor Arm.
Shown in photo: the Desky Single Monitor Arm runs almost 100% of your monitor cable inside its body. This gentleman’s arm is pretty nice, too 🙂
By suspending your monitor in the air, the best monitor arms make your home office setup look much cleaner while freeing up a huge amount of real estate on your desktop.
- Premium monitor arms, like the Desky Single Monitor Arm, feature integrated cable management systems that run your cables inside an integrated sleeve.
If your monitor arm does not have an integrated cable management system, you can use cable clips or velcro ties to keep control of unruly monitor power cables by tying them to the arm itself.
More on these later.
Expert Tip.
If you don’t love the look of monitor arms because they remind you of corporate office cubicles, consider using a desk riser, like this one from JasonL.
2. Invest In A Well-Sized Cable Tray.
Shown in photo: the Desky cable management tray can be optioned with integrated power boards for an even more tidy, clutter-free look.
The cable tray is the heart of your desk cable management system. It allows you to lift all of your power boards off the floor and centralise all of your cables out of sight, under your desk.
(Related: Is Artiss Australia’s Best Budget Standing Desk?)
All you have to do is run a single cable from your wall power socket to a power board in your cable tray, then plug individual electronics into it.
- Premium standing desk manufacturers offer one for $50 – $100.
Size does matter when it comes to cable trays, as we all have a tendency to keep adding peripherals. Be sure to choose one that’s at least 70 cm in width.
Expert Tip.
Desky takes it a step further by offering cable trays with integrated 4- or 8- socket power boards. While convenient and minimalist-looking, they do bump the price of your cable tray quite significantly. Expect to pay $138 for a 4-socket and $228 for an 8-socket tray.
Desky’s cable trays with integrated powerboards are not cheap but are easier to justify if you look at them this way:
- You’re building a proper home office setup that will act as a hub of your hybrid work life for the next 5+ years
- You’re already spending upwards of $2,000
- You’re probably claiming the expenses on your tax return
If my rationalisation isn’t resonating, you can always buy a couple of power boards from Bunnings and stick them inside the cable tray for a slightly less elegant but much more cost-effective solution.
(Related: Stando Pulse Standing Desk Review: Pros, Cons & Verdict).
3. Invest In A Wireless Keyboard And Mouse.
Shown in photo: Apple wireless keyboard and mouse eliminate cables that would otherwise run almost the entire length of your standing desk, from front to back.
For the ultimate minimalist standing desk setup, you need to replace your wired keyboard and mouse with wireless models.
As a Mac user, I’ve been using Apple wireless accessories for years, and can’t recommend them highly enough. There’s no latency, the connection is almost always faultless and built-in rechargeable batteries last forever.
If you’re a Windows user, you also have some good options. My top picks are Logitech MK470 and HP Pavilion 800.
Expert Tip.
If you insist on using wired accessories, I suggest you use sticky cable clips (like these from Bunnings, for $5.25) on the trailing edge of your standing desk to hold them in place.
4. Relocate Accessories To The Underside Of Your Standing Desk.
Shown in photo: my Rode audio interface hanging happily upside down, below my desktop.
Your peripheral accessories can be attached to the underside of your standing desk, using velcro.
I had mine cluttering my desktop for months until I realised I could attach it in the perfect spot under the desk, right next to the up/down controls.
This move eliminated yet another cable from my desktop.
(Related: How Long Should You Stand At A Standing Desk?)
5. Tidy Up Using Velcro and Cable Ties.
Shown in photo: clipping excess cable ties (left) and running some of your cables inside a sleeve (far right) reduces clutter.
The last step in building a wire management system for your standing desk involves tidying up excess cable slack.
You can use any combination of:
- Cable ties.
- Cable sleeves.
- Cable clips.
- Zip ties.
- Velcro straps.
There are no hard and fast rules here, except that you must leave enough slack in cables to allow up/down movement of the standing desk. Move your desk up before you begin tying or claiming anything off.
You can purchase the right ties for a few bucks at Bunnings or Officeworks.
Expert Tip.
You won’t be standing all day, regardless of how tidy your standing desk is. Your home office is incomplete without an ergonomic office chair, so read my review of the best office chairs in Australia to see which one is right for you.
What Are The Benefits Of Standing Desk Cable Management?
Shown in photo: home office with good cable management. Note how wireless keyboard and mouse are instrumental in keeping the workspace clutter-free.
Standing desks are notorious for becoming very cluttered, very fast. As soon as you buy one, the number of devices you own will grow, and stray cables will multiply.
This leads to clutter, cost overruns and decreased productivity. Let’s examine the top three benefits of cord management for standing desks.
1. Your Cables Will Last Longer.
Repetitive movement causes cables to fray and break. Beyond the added hassle, they can cost a fortune to replace.
If you’ve ever walked out of an Apple shop holding an invoice for $120 and two new cables, you know what I’m talking about.
2. Your Productivity Will Improve.
I firmly believe that a clutter-free home office translates to a clutter-free mind. When my home office is well-organised, I feel:
- More at peace.
- More focused.
- More productive.
(Related: 7 Benefits Of Working From Home).
3. Your Home Office Setup Will Look The Part.
What’s the point of spending a thousand bucks on a gorgeous standing desk and another thousand on a home office chair that isn’t ugly, if you’re going to ruin it all with electrical spaghetti?
Tangled cords, chargers on the floor and power strips make your setup look unprofessional and unattractive.
By creating a desk cable management system, you create a home office you’re proud of.
– Steven
Cody says:
Hi,
Do you know 9am HOME standing desks?
I want to know how about their desk.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Cody, I’ve never seen them before but I took a quick look for you and I’m 90% certain it’s another Jiecang desk. You can tell by the design of the feet and the lowest height (60cm). Desky, Omnidesk, Stand Desk are all pretty much the same.
Cody says:
Which one do you mean? Pesk or Robin series? I am interested in their Robin series, it looks unique and beautiful. I can’t find anyone like it in Desky.
Steven McConnell says:
I was talking about the Pesk Series. Robin series does look attractive and unusual, but I’m usually not a fan of tubular legs as they tend to be more prone to wobble. I can’t say whether this is the case in this instance, as I haven’t physically tested the desk myself. The 10 year warranty is reassuring, however. I wish they offered a risk-free trial to let you test out the legs!
Cody says:
Thank you very much, Steven; I will take your comments into consideration.
Erin says:
Do you know much about Kangadesks? There are Australian as well.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Erin, its another Jiecang standing desk. Same as Desky, Omni, Stand Desk etc. The design of the feet and 60-125cm height range gives it away. The desk appears to currently be currently on sale for $299, which is an absolute steal and I’m wondering why they’re selling their stock at 1/3 of RRP. Regardless, even if they’re about to go bust, I’d still buy one at that price.
EDIT: Be careful. Fakespot showed these warnings while browsing their website: “Multiple eCommerce scam experiences detected, Poor customer service”
Suzy says:
Hi – given all the desks are so similar, is it possible to mix a desk from one brand with a drawer accessory from another? I don’t like the UpDown desk metal drawer (hangs very low so likely to impede leg space) but don’t mind the Desky one – can these be mixed and matched?
Thank you for the reviews! Super helpful.
Steven McConnell says:
Yes, it’s possible to play switcheroo. But you may want to consider that UpDown design is curved, so it will hurt less if you do jam your thighs into it. Desky’s meanwhile, is quite angular. Pro tip: you can also find a bunch of inexpensive slimline desk drawers on Amazon.
jason says:
I’ve spent far, far too much time agonising over which desk to get haha, definitely more than a week. Very happy that you’ve added the omni-desk to your catalogue. That was the one I was considering the most untill you came you with a review saying that it was more wobbly!
Anyways, do you have an opinion on the new updown desk KLIK Series? Its advertises to be significanlty ligher while having better (on paper) specs
Thanks!
Evelyn says:
Hi Steven, great blog post – thank you! I’m also wondering whether you have any opinion or insights on the new UpDown Desk KLIK series…they come at $100 more expensive (for the same size/table top) but seem to be ‘better’ according to the UpDown website.
Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Evelyn, thanks! I will have a full review of the KLIK up around February 2025. It’s not necessarily a better standing desk – but it is lighter, less bulky and promises easier assembly.
Ben Clements says:
Hi. I’m interested to know more about whether I actually could fit the Desky cable management system in the Omnidesk? I’ve had a look at the omnidesks in person at the showroom and it looks like their cable management trays screw on (vs the clip in at the edges of the desk with the Desky tray). The desky system also has the power plugs that snap into place in the tray.
So I’m curious to know if you have you tried it, and if so how did you do it please? Or is your thinking that you’d just buy the power boards and plugs from Desky and rest them in the Omnidesk tray?
I’m stuck, because I prefer the Omnidesks but I really love the idea of a single power lead!
Thanks
Steven McConnell says:
I just had a new Omnidesk delivered to my house. Give me about two weeks to assemble it, test it out and report back.
Sunni says:
Thanks for your very helpful (and funny) review. I used the information to to buy a Desky standing desk in record time – no consumer agonising for weeks, as is my usual practice. It has a pneumatic up/down mechanism, so lets see how that goes.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! You’re welcome, Sunni. Glad I helped you cut down on the agonising. The pneumatic mechanism is an interest choice – let me know what you think of it?
Amber says:
Hi Steven,
Really great and insightful review. It was refreshing to see something that wasn’t filled with ChatGPT affiliate link garbage!
I’m curious about your opinion on L-shaped standing desks? I know that Desky, UpDown and a few other retailers offer these types of desks and I would assume they are more strong and stable, but I’m not an expert and I can also imagine the opposite being true due to the irregular shape. I’ve been looking at these types of desks because I think their shape suits my space the best. Do you have any knowledge on this or do you only have experience with regular rectangular shaped desks?
Steven McConnell says:
Thanks, Amber. Did you know that I have a L-shaped standing desk review? Search for “arielle best corner standing desks” and you’ll find it.
Melissa says:
Hi Steven great article thank you!
I’ve spent way to much time on this, and I’m now leaning towards the Artiss thanks to your review.
I’m wondering if you have any insight into ergonomic chairs for the home office also?
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Melissa, thanks! The Artiss is a great budget pick. I’ve written numerous ergonomic chair reviews – Google “arielle best ergonomic office chairs” to find them 🙂
tania says:
hey are there any other manual desks apart from the ikea ones you don’t recommend, that you would recommend? I prefer the idea of not needing electricity to move between stand up and sit down but maybe that doesn’t really exist?
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Tania, all of the premium brands (UpDown, Desky, etc) offer a manual crank model. Definitely the way to go if you want to avoid electronics. But TBH I suggest you reconsider. Electronics are very reliable these days – and hand-cranking your standing desk is more annoying than you’d expect.
Adam says:
Hi, do you know much about the UpDown Klik vs Pro system?
Steven McConnell says:
The company has shipped their new Klik standing desk to me yesterday. Stay tuned!
Scott Long says:
You mention in your review of the Up Down Pro that you would get the cable holes and grommets done, but it looks like your (very pretty) Messmate desk doesn’t have them. Is your recommendation a hindsight reflection, or did you choose not to spoil the look of the desk with the grommets? Without the grommets can you can still run the cables behind the desk and into the cable management tray? Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Scott, I said in the review that grommets and holes are a great idea, not that I have them. They’re less important if your standing desk faces a wall. But if you have an open-plan style home office like mine, they’ll make your workspace look much cleaner. PS You can still run cables into the tray without the holes and grommets – the cables will simply run behind the desk.
Isaac Jenkinson says:
Hello,
Have you had a chance to try the new UpDown Lyft model? Curious about its stability vs the pro.
Steven McConnell says:
Isaac,
Not yet. On first glance, it looks like a budget alternative to the “big brothers”. It’s probably pretty good (UpDown has a reputation to maintain), but I’m of the opinion that buying cheap means you pay more in the long term. I’d save up another few hundred bucks and get the Pro. You can often get a melamine or bamboo-topped model on sale for around $900.
David says:
This is a great site and will help me decide on which desk to buy. Have you heard any good/bad reviews about the Blacklyte Atlas Lite or Ergo-Rise II from BDO furniture?
Steven McConnell says:
David, thanks for the kind words. Never heard of the Atlas Lite until you mentioned it. Looks like a decent gaming desk that borrows heavily from Secretlab Magnus – but why not just buy a real Magnus instead?
As for the Ergo-Rise – looks like a decent desk, but its height controller is outdated. The best standing desk brands have upgraded to OLED controllers.
Ben says:
Thank you for writing this review Steven; really helpful to break through the BS.
By any chance have you used or hold an opinion on Vertilift desks?
Steven McConnell says:
You’re welcome. God, I haven’t even heard of them – but thanks for the heads-up. There are too many standing desks on the Australian market. Obviously I haven’t used these in person, but I’m almost certain they’re yet another Jiecang variant (i.e., frames are identical to Desky). You can tell by the identical max and min heights, as well as the design of the foot.
Eloise says:
Hey Steven, I was recommended the Alwyn or Octavia (Living Fusion) 140cm sit and stand desks from Temple and Webster which don’t even get a mention in your review. Would you bother with any of their brands ? (I may have dodged a bullet by finding your review!)
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Louise, I haven’t had first-hand experience with the T&W standing desk (must add one to my list!).
However, I had a look through the specs for you.
It doesn’t look too bad, actually – considering the price. If you can’t stretch your budget to ~$950 for an entry-level UpDown or Desky, this could be a good option.
Jordan says:
Hi Steven, Thanks for the review! I am starting out with a home office set up and need a new chair and sit stand desk. I’m a student but I prefer to buy things I know will last, but I don’t have too much experience with sit stand desks. I initially thought to buy the Artiss but have considered buying the Acacia UpDown Pro+ so I know it lasts and I don’t have to buy another desk in a couple of years. Is it worth the price jump for me? Thanks!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Jordan, the Artiss and the UpDown desks sell at two very different price points. If you have the budget, I suggest you stretch to the UpDown standing desk – you won’t regret it.
jason says:
I know you’ve disqualified the flexispot e7 pro so the e7 max plus would probably also be disqualified, but a quad motor 4 column desk frame at a prices competitive with UpDown desk is incredibly tempting. Plus 15 year warrenty (if the company lasts that long)
Have you had a chance to take a look? Its like half the price of the desky quad!
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Jason, great observation. I haven’t included quad standing desks here because they’ve traditionally attracted a niche consumer – someone who needs to place a tonne of gear on the desktop and doesn’t mind paying 2X the usual price. But Flexispot’s sharp pricing on their quad desk certainly changes things. I haven’t seen one in the wild yet – but the specs look promising.
Steven