DD found a plastic hollow strip which will cover the cables. Hers is almost un-noticeable because the strip is flat to the wall and painted to match. I think it has an adhesive side. The power-strip is in a small box which was screwed just above the baseboard. SIL has all his cable stuff [including the surge protector] attached to the underside of his desk; only one cord goes from desk to plug and it is hidden in one of the hollow strips.

Most power strips have little keyhole openings on the back, so you can mount it on perfectly placed screws (use masking tape to make a template--lay a big, wide piece on the back of the modem, mark the holes, and transfer the masking tape to the wall; use a level to check the positioning before you drill). Since that's probably a plaster wall, use wall anchors to hold the screw in the wall; just leave the head sticking up a little bit so it'll slide into the keyholes on the power strip.

Foe the modem: Maybe mount a skinny shelf in a blank spot? Or in a wire basket you rig to mount to the wall--like this one, which says "on a door" so maybe it comes w/ a way to screw it on; any wire basket would work bcs you can get U-straps to mount it to the wall.
Or this one, which is intended to be mounted in a shower but would screw into wood or plaster just as well; it's more like a shelf.

You could also mount a big + or X of that double-sided Velcro, and strap the modem to the wall....

for the cables:
there's this:
http://cableorganizer.com/side-entry-sleeving/

those paintable strips meldy is talking about are sometimes called "raceways" (when they're bit) and "channels" (when they're small)

I have some of those. They are self-adhesive, cut with a utility knife, and can be primed and painted.

here' s a source for both sizes (they have other cord-management products as well)
http://www.cabletiesandmore.ca/raceways_images.html

and these guys have several sizes
http://www.mbelectronics.com/view.aspx?id=397

Wiremold's Cordmate and Cordmate II (the wider version) is sold at Home Depot

Thank you both for responding. After posting I went out on an errand, and before long realized I wasn't feeling well at all. Came home thinking it was bad allergies, only to realize by late afternoon that I probably have a cold. I am wiped out and not up to working on anything, but will definitely check out your suggestions. Thank you so much. My more than two-year reign without sickness has ended!

Tina

Still sniffly but up and about. Wow, I love the velcro idea, as well as the small shelf and wire basket. And, I took a look at the power strip and had a "duh" moment when I saw the keyhole openings. I love those cord cover strips, but in this particular situation I don't want to bind all the cords together. I may need to take my camera charger with me on vacation, use the shredder in another room, etc., so I want to keep them separate and easy to remove. Also, a couple of the cords have those little boxes (perhaps transformers?) and that's the part that's making them difficult to attach to the wall -- they're a little heavy and bulky. Originally I had bought one of those "under the shelf" baskets but it was too big and interfered with things sitting on the floor. I need to take stuff that doesn't work back to BB&B and look for the items you have suggested. I may have to get creative with brackets, etc. because something in the right size may not exist. As usual, you guys have great ideas. Thanks!

Tina

are those transformer blocks in the middle of the cord? What a pain! Check to be sure they don't have some keyhole thingie (though I bet they don't).

You *could* get heavy-duty self-adhesive Velcro, and stick a piece of it to the transformer itself, then put the other piece on the wall (use a staple gun, maybe?), and just stick the transformer in place.

And if the basket was mostly nice, could several smaller ones work better bcs it keeps things separated, and takes up less space?

I have to say a big NO on the adhesive velcro - the surge protectors and modems generate enough heat over time to cause the velcro to fail. Things *will* fall off, leaving perfectly mounted velcro on the wall, and a whole big mess of sticky on the surge protector.

Been there, and had to take all the velcro away from the DH, LOL. He still wants it to work, but it just doesn't (at least not for very long)!

Mary

ah, the voice of experience! thank god for forums, right?

We did an exercise in speech class in high school that showed how groups can make better decisions than individuals, bcs their base of knowledge is broader. (plane crash deep in the snowy mountains; here's a list of the supplies you have; you can only bring X pounds; what do you need to get out safely. I'd have died of hypothermia from eating snow instead of bringing the stove)

I'll remember that, Mary