5 Versatile Tech Accessories That Will Help You Save Precious Space

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There are a lot of great tech accessories out there, but for most of us, our ability to buy cool gadgets is hampered by two things: budget and space. Sometimes, the deciding factor in buying a new piece of tech boils down to where you're going to put it. That's why tech accessories that can serve multiple purposes or work with various devices are great, especially if you have limited desk space or live in a small apartment.

The right accessories can help you save space and declutter your home, particularly in areas like living rooms and offices that tend to have a lot of tech. Some are devices that serve multiple purposes, saving space and simply offering more convenience, replacing single-purpose tech the same way, and for some of the same reasons that smartphones overtook iPods. Accessories that are compatible with multiple devices also save space, as they negate the need to have different gadgets that serve the same purpose for different accessories.

Other tech accessories don't contain any tech themselves, instead helping to manage and organize your devices and other important accessories like chargers. The five accessories listed here are particularly suited to small homes and cramped desks, saving space while offering versatility.

While the rest of the entries on this list will feature specific products, it's nearly impossible to give a one-size-fits-all (or even most) answer to which smart speaker is the right one for you. All three of the major platforms — Amazon Alexa, Google Nest, and Apple Home — serve the same basic functions, so the deciding factor is which ecosystem you prefer or are already using.

In any case, a smart speaker is pretty much essential. It gives you access to the voice assistant for your platform of choice that can answer questions and control your smart home gadgets like lights and air purifiers. A lot of smart devices can't connect to Wi-Fi on their own, so your Amazon Echo, Google Home Speaker, or Apple HomePod can serve as a hub that allows you to control your devices when you're away from home.

Of course, a smart speaker also serves as a regular speaker for playing music and podcasts, eliminating the need for a separate gadget. It's also more convenient since you can simply ask the system to turn on a specific song or playlist rather than having to find it yourself. Even if you don't have a smart home setup, a smart speaker is a versatile tool with a lot of clever uses.

Most of us have a lot of devices that need to be charged at any given time, so a charging station is a no-brainer for reducing clutter. Of the many options available, the Satechi Dock5 Multi-Device Charging Station stands out for its organization-focused design and compatibility with all platforms. The dock can charge up to five devices at once via two USB-A and two USB-C ports, plus a Qi wireless charging pad. It also has four silicon slots that can safely hold smartphones and tablets while they charge, and the wireless pad is perfect for any Qi-enabled devices like headphones and smartwatches.

That said, there are two significant downsides. First is that, as far as chargers are concerned, the Satechi Dock5 is not particularly fast, with USB-C ports that max out at 20 watts. That can be enough for fast charging on older phones, but it's on the low end of what experts recommend, especially if you have a newer, more powerful device like the iPhone 17 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. It also doesn't come with cords, so you'll need to supply your own.

Still, what it lacks in technical specs, it makes up for in convenience and form factor. The Satechi Dock5 Multi-Device Charging Station is available on Amazon for $59.99, where it has a 4.3-star (out of five stars) user rating and buyer reviews praising its compact and convenient design.

If you're looking for a good cable to use with a charging station like the Satechi Dock5 (or simply want to cut down on clutter), retractable cables are designed to take up just as much space as they need to and no more. By design, they're harder to tangle and easier to store, making them perfect for on-the-go use or spaces where devices frequently get moved around.

Our recommendation is the Baseus Free2Pull Retractable USB-C Cable, which is compact and works with pretty much any USB-C to USB-C devices. Both the 3.3-foot and 6.6-foot (2m) versions extend to four and seven preset options, respectively, so you can adjust them to your liking. On top of that, Baseus' cable can deliver 100 watts, which is enough to power a laptop and more than sufficient for less demanding devices like smartphones and tablets. However, its data transfer speed is limited to 480 megabits per second (Mbps), and it does not support video transmission.

The Baseus Free2Pull is available on Amazon for $12.99 (the 3.3-foot model), $18.99 (6.6-foot), or $38.99 (6.6-foot two-pack) and has a 4.1-star rating. While you can find good USB-C cords for cheaper, Amazon users say the Free2Pull is worth the cost for its compact size and twist-resistant flat cable, with one reviewer saying it's the best retractable cable they've used.

If you spend a lot of time on the computer and experience arm, wrist, and shoulder pain as a result, you might find an ergonomic keyboard helpful. Regular keyboards require you to hold your hands flat but angled inward to type, which puts strain on your wrists and forearms. Ergonomic keyboards are designed to better support your wrists to reduce strain and tension. There's no universal answer to which ergonomic keyboard is the best, but one good approach is to look for a separated keyboard that you can adjust for your comfort.

A solid place to start your search is the KINESIS Freestyle Edge RGB+, available on Amazon for $199. While pricey, it's incredibly customizable with lifts that allow you to raise and reangle the keyboard. You can even swap out the keycaps for any Cherry MX-compatible ones outside of the unusually shaped space bars on each half. This versatility makes it less likely you'll need to employ separate keyboards for different purposes. Its separated design also makes it easier to store or put aside when you're not using it than a traditional keyboard. This flexibility and stowability are good reasons for the Freestyle to land on this list.

The KINESIS Freestyle Edge RGB+ has received 4.4 stars from buyers on Amazon and was recommended by Wirecutter as one of the best ergonomic keyboards you can buy. Amazon users say they appreciate the customizability and claim it really helped relieve their wrist (and related) pain. It also doesn't change the key layout the way some other models do, which is ideal for those who have never used an ergonomic keyboard. Beyond that, the Freestyle Edge is also great for gamers, who praise it for being easy to remap and create macros without additional software.

Desks can be tough to organize for a variety of reasons, one being the number of cables required to keep devices and accessories like laptops and wired headphones powered up and connected. Consequently, a cable organizer is essential for keeping your cords in place and untangled. There are cheaper options out there from companies like Anker, but our pick here is the Levenger Leather Weighted Cord Holder for its smart and stylish design.

Levenger's cord holder can hold up to four wires in place at once using Velcro tabs that make it easy to set up, remove, and adjust as needed. While other organizers need to be installed using adhesive, which can damage your desk and fix them to a specific place, a weighted cord holder offers more versatility. The weight means it will stay in place while you're using it, but it also means it can be moved out of the way or even taken with you. 

At $39.50 and available only directly from Levenger, the Leather Weighted Cord Holder is pricey compared to those you can find on Amazon. Still, it's worthwhile if you want a portable cable organizer that'll keep your wires neat and look good while doing it.

To choose these products, we first considered what types of tech accessories are essential and worth taking up your valuable space. Then we narrowed down our possible choices by focusing on versions of those gadgets that are specifically designed to save room, serve multiple purposes, or be easily stored — some hit more than one of these criteria. 

We also wanted to make sure the products we featured on this list deliver quality and value. To that end, we selected specific items based on utility and features, taking into account user recommendations and reviews from trusted outlets. Most of the gadgets listed here are available on Amazon, where they have at least a 4-out-of-5-star user rating. The items not available on Amazon are either broader recommendations (e.g., smart speakers) or offered by a premium brand (e.g., Levenger).