Last Updated: on May 6, 2023 by Jack
If you use over-ear headphones for gaming, producing music, studying, or simply casual browsing on YouTube, proper storage can make a significant difference in their longevity. Placing them on your desk is not advisable, as they can be easily knocked over or damaged. Additionally, leaving them lying around can cause tangled wires, ultimately damaging your headphones.
Hanging your headphones is not only a great way to avoid damage but also helps organize your setup and satisfy some of those OCD tendencies. Here are some of the best ways to hang your headphones and keep them safe instead of sitting around on your desk or resting on a chair, waiting to be sat on.
1. Place Them On A Headphone Stand
Headphone stands are increasingly popular, especially among gamers who value the protection of their wired and wireless gaming headsets. They provide a stable place to rest your headphones without damaging the headband or ear pads.
You can choose stands that are specifically designed for headphones and even include cable management systems to keep your setup organized and prevent wire tangles. However, they are the most expensive option.
If you prefer a cheaper solution, there are many DIY options available, but make sure the stand is sturdy enough to hold your headphones and won’t cause tangled wires every time you move them. Overall, a headphone stand is a worthwhile investment to protect and organize your headphones if you have desk or shelf space available.
2. Use Desk Attachments
Hanging your headphones from your desk is a great way to keep them safe and declutter your home. If you don’t have space for a stand, a simple hanger can do the job just as well, whether it’s a DIY solution or a purchased one.
There are several options to choose from when considering a desk-hanging solution.
Nail in the end of the desk
A simple and cheap way is hammering a nail on the end of your desk. It sounds savage, but you don’t have to hammer your desk to pieces; the nail just needs to go in and no more.
You don’t have to use a nail, you can also use a pin, hook or even a screw; there just needs to be enough of a gap between it and the desk to hang your headphones from.
If you do decide hammering a nail into the end of the desk is worth trying, make sure the nail or whatever you decide to use is sturdy enough to take the weight of the headphones.
One other thing you need to make sure of when using a nail or such is that it doesn’t put too much pressure on the headphones. A thin style nail isn’t recommended as it can dig into the headphones and cause damage as well as not being able to hold them steadily enough.
Using a nail is a popular choice for people looking for a cheap, DIY option, but it does have some downsides.
The main negative is that essentially you’re damaging your desk by hammering something into it. There could also be a safety concern if you have children around then maybe having a nail sticking out the end of your desk isn’t the wisest solution.
If you’re concerned about desk damage or the safety aspects of using a nail, then you can try a desk hanger.
Hanger on side or underneath the desk
You can purchase practical hangers that go underneath the desk or on the edge of it to comfortably hold your headphones and save some space.
These hangers are fairly inexpensive to buy and won’t cause the same damage to your desk that a nail would. There are a few different styles of desk hangers for headphones, such as:
- Adjustable clamp
- Adhesive
- Screw-in
The adjustable clamp hanger is one of the most commonly used ones, as it has a strong attachment that can be easily adjusted, combined with little to no damage to the desk.
Adhesive hangers are a cheaper option, but they won’t have the same strength as a clamp or screw-in hanger. Another thing worth considering is that you can’t keep readjusting the position of a hanger with adhesive tape unless you have more tape.
Screw-in hangers are similar to nails in the desk, but they are a bit safer and more expensive. They will still cause minor damage to your desk and aren’t great if you decide to reposition them, but they provide excellent stability for your headphones.
When choosing a hanger style, first consider your setup. It will depend on whether you’re okay with damaging the desk a little, how heavy your headphones are, whether you want them out of sight or not, and how adjustable your hanger needs to be.
If you have a sit-stand style desk, then having an adjustable headphone hanger underneath the desk on hand is a wise solution.
Although we’ve discussed purchased options for headphone hangers for the edge or underneath a desk, there are many other household items you can attach to your desk and hang your headphones from steadily.
Computer Attachment
Technically, this isn’t a desk attachment for your headphones, but you can easily clip headset hangers onto the side or back of your computer case.
For a standard gaming headset, a simple hook or a plastic hanger will suffice. Some gaming cases come with a headphone holder already built into them, making it even easier to keep your headphones within reach.
If your PC sits underneath your desk and you want to keep everything together and avoid wires running everywhere, it’s worth looking into a headphone holder that attaches to your computer case.
3. Put Up A Wall Hanger
Using a wall hanger sounds simple, and it is. If you’re not in love with the idea of hammering nails, screws or clamping hangers to your desk, then a simple wall bracket is ideal. A nail into the wall is another perfectly viable solution to hold your headphones.
Wall brackets or hangers are cheap to buy and can save you from cluttering up your desk even further if that’s something you’re conscious of.
The only major consideration with a wall-mounted hanger is if you’re using wired headphones and have cables running from it. It can end up being a bit of a cabling disaster running cables from the wall to a computer if you keep the headphones plugged in.
If it’s just a case of storing headphones that aren’t plugged in, then a dedicated space on the wall for them is practical.
4. Hang Them Over A Monitor
Throwing headphones over a monitor or TV is a simple, free alternative to buying hangers and attaching them to desks or walls.
It’s simply a case of putting the inside of the headband over the top of the monitor to hold the headphones in place.
We would only recommend this option if you really don’t want to spend any money or make a hanger.
One of the issues with using a monitor to hold your headphones is that they won’t sit the most comfortably around it and are in danger of being stretched. If it’s an expensive gaming or studio pair, then we would advise against it and avoid risking any damage to them.
The other issue you need to look out for here is marking the monitor or TV screen with the headphones. With this method, the headphones will more than likely be pressing against the glass most of the time and could leave marks or long-term damage to the screen.
Conclusion
Hanging over-ear headphones rather than leaving them lying around is mainly about protecting the headphones and cabling from damage. There are other reasons, such as decluttering your desk setup, being more organised and ensuring your headphones are close to hand when gaming.
The best headphone hanging solution depends on what setup, environment and headphones you’re working with.
If it’s a wired set of headphones for the computer, then you need to consider how far you can comfortably run the cable from your hanger without causing damage.
Another question to consider is whether you’re using the headphones as part of a desk setup or just for some casual music listening. If it’s just a general set of music headphones to hold, then you can use a wall, shelf, cabinet etc.