What the Tech? QR Codes for Storage
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One of the biggest frustrations for people with a lot of tech gadgets is finding their chargers. The cables and bricks all look alike but they only fit the one they came with. If you don’t keep them close to the gadget, you may never be able to find them. There’s a box of 15 charging cables and bricks in a plastic tote in one of our closets. I have no idea what they go to. Some probably connect to laptops and monitors I no longer have. But who knows? You can’t throw one away without knowing what they go to.
That’s true for electric tools in the garage as well. So I went looking for a solution. I found it with a pack of QR Code stickers. The stickers (I picked up 40 of them for $15) are as unique as any other QR codes. Since they’re stickers, you can apply them to anything you want to keep track of. These are generally marketed for people wanting to organize their storage space of plastic tubs holding Christmas decorations.
The QR Code stickers I found online come with a smartphone app you use to label the tub. Or in this case, the power cables and bricks. Place one of the stickers on the brick and scan it with the app to match your charger and device. Then, take a photo of the gadget. I’ve used them for portable Bluetooth speakers, laptop chargers, an E-Bike, computer speakers and monitors, and tools in the garage. If the charger ever gets mixed up with others, just scan the QR code on the brick with the app.
You can use the QR code stickers on anything you need to find. They’re helpful when moving so you know which box goes into which room. And it’s especially good at locating the right storage bins when you’re looking for Christmas decorations.
When using the stickers on a tub filled with many things you can enter the contents of the tub. The photos can be enlarged on your smartphone screen to see what’s inside.
Do you have a bunch of chargers and power cords? So many of our tech gadgets come with charging cables that won't fit anything else. But they all look alike. It's terribly frustrating to find the right charging brick .
You can make your own QR codes of course with any smartphone. Just print them out and tape them to the bin or power cable. You can purchase a pack of QR code stickers for about $15. Some of the stickers are large. Confirm the best size for you, before purchasing a package of stickers that won’t fit on small items.