EASY DIY: HIDE AN UGLY MODEM OR ROUTER

I’ve never met a sexy modem or router. Our Apple router came close, but there is only so much you can do with an electronic box that just sits around. Most people that I know want to find ways to hide an ugly modem or router, not make it more flashy. You would think that the manufacturers that create these products would start to take the hint. But NO. It is actually getting worse, at least in my household.

When our last modem passed on to techie heaven, my husband researched to find the best option for our setup. He brought it home and plugged in. It worked like a charm. Life was good EXCEPT for the blinding and incessant blinking lights. Apparently, the manufacturer thought it was necessary for this thing to BLINK to tell you that it is working correctly. I don’t know how you were raised. But in my world, blinking usually meant something was wrong and you needed to fix it.

These lights were terribly annoying. To make matters worse, our modem and router are currently located in our entertainment center…right below the TV. It is absolutely impossible to enjoy any TV show with a flippin’ lighthouse just below my TV screen trying to signal approaching ships.

So, I searched the web. I ran across a lot of ideas for using book covers to make a false front. That sounded good but didn’t really mesh with my space. Finally, I had an AHA moment. I realized that those storage boxes I had purchased from Ikea were still sitting in my office, just begging to be used. Also, I already had a few storage boxes in my entertainment center. So, it was a design match made in heaven.

Here are the steps to save your sanity:

STEP 1

Gather your supplies. All you need for this one is some storage boxes and a pair of scissors. For this DIY, I used a box from Ikea. I have purchased several other boxes from Target. They are all made similar. So, just tweak whatever you need to in order to make it work!

STEP 2

Lay the box out and make your cuts using the diagram below. You cut on the pink lines and discard the greyed areas. It is important to leave a little lip at the bottom and at the back. This gives the illusion from the front that the box is totally normal.

STEP 3

Put the box together! Use the pieces you kept and put the box together according to the instructions. I probably could have gotten away without putting the piece across the top at the very back. But it seemed to give the box more stability, so I kept it.

STEP 4

Now go slide it over your modem or router. Step back and breathe a sigh of relief. It’s that easy!

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SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE:

Electronics need room to breathe! Make sure you box is big enough to allow for plenty of ventilation. I have seen several tutorials that use much smaller boxes. That makes me a tad nervous.

In this DIY, the box is completely open on the bottom and at the back. Also, I picked a box that is much bigger than my electronics. We have been using it like this for a while now and it always seems to have enough ventilation. Super stylish and functional…that’s my kind of DIY!

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The beauty of this method is that it makes it super easy to access your electronics. You could, theoretically, just sit your modem in a box. You could, theoretically, cut a hole for the cords or use a box that already has a hole for a handle. BUT instead of fumbling with cords or lids, with this method I simply pull the box forward and my modem is sitting there perfectly on the shelf. I can do whatever techie nerdy stuff is needed and then simply slide the box right back in place. I’m pretty sure this idea is bordering on genius. Well, at the very least, it has made my life much more epic!

Seriously, which would you rather look at when you sit down to unwind at night? Before? Or after?

Have you had any good AHA moments that lead to an awesome idea to fix a common problem? What is your favorite “life hack”? I want to try it!!

Peace, Love & Happiness,