A Room-by-Room Tech Makeover for Your Home

A home entertainment center creates its own special brand of chaos: speaker wire, DVDs, old home movies, an absurd number of remote controls. Here's how to eliminate or stash it all.

I got rid of a huge stack of CDs, a snarl of speaker wire, and several stereo components by installing the Sonos Wireless Music System (sonos.com, starting at $999). Admittedly, it's a big-ticket item -- but if you're considering buying a music system and wiring the house for sound, this is terrific. Not only did the Sonos cut down substantially on the number of components I have, but since it's a wireless, all-house solution, I can now send music to the kitchen if I choose. And this product seamlessly taps into satellite radio (sirius.com, $168 a year; xm.com, from $8 to $15 a month), the music stored on all the computers on our wireless network, and music subscription sites Rhapsody.com (plans range from free to $15 a month) and Napster.com (starting at $13 a month).

Thanks to the many different video cameras I've owned over the years, I had a mismatched stack of tapes in my entertainment center, plus boxes of old photos and negatives. I shipped everything off to ScanDigital.com to be put on my choice of CDs, DVDs, or a hard drive. Prices vary; a starter package -- 100 photos, negatives, or slides -- is $90.

"Where's the remote?" This simple question used to spark constant battles in my house. Now all three are nestled in the clever Remote Control Book (kangaroomstorage.com, $25). Closed, it looks like a leather-bound tome; flip open to reveal a trio of storage spots.

I know I can save electricity by turning off the power strip when we're not using the TV or stereo, but alas -- although I care about our power bill (and the earth!), I rarely bothered to flip the switch because it meant crawling around on the floor to find it. The Belkin Conserve (belkin.com, 8-outlet model, $50) gives me a remote control for this task so all I have to do is click.