Living next to my bed is a ghastly electronic creature. Think Audrey II from the “Little Shop of Horrors,” but with roots firmly in power outlets and long charging cables that multiply and grow. I don’t know if I should call an electrician—or an exterminator.

My monster is the progeny of our completely out-of-hand gadget-charging situation. My iPhone uses one charging cable. My laptop another! My smartwatch? You guessed it. I even have a separate charger... for my portable charger.

Not...