Tips for Hanging Christmas Lights

Tips for Hanging Christmas Lights

It’s that time of year! If you didn’t hang your Christmas lights before Thanksgiving (no judgment here if you did), get ready to deck out your home with sparkle and color. Before you get started though, here are a few things you may want to know. 

Plan your layout before beginning. 

Don’t expect to toss a bunch of lights up and be done. Hanging lights, especially an extensive amount outdoors, takes careful thought and planning. Pick the focal points around the front of your home and decide which area should be most accented by lights. For example, you may want to start around your entryway and give it a little extra attention before climbing up to string the rest of the homefront. 

You’ll also need to determine what pieces are needed to hang the lights properly. Clips, extension cords and the correct amount of lights are all important things to consider before going at it. 

Prepare the lights. 

Make sure your lights and extension cords are designed for outdoor use. Check each string of lights as well to be sure none of the cords are frayed or damaged. A faulty set will not only ruin your overall look but can be a huge safety hazard. Keep the manufacturer’s instructions handy for safety instructions, maintenance and care. 

Test the lights at an outlet to make sure each bulb is functioning as it should be. You don’t want to be on top of a ladder and have half of them strung to find out that there is a faulty bulb, so make sure each one is shining bright before you get started! 

Attach the lights to their respective areas. 

Gather your light clips and space them out evenly to attach lights to shutters or shingles. Make sure they are all clipped in the same direction, especially when dealing with icicle lights. 

If you are hanging lights on any outdoor trees, look into a light-hanging pole to avoid the ladder. 

Look into deck clips to attach lights to railings. They are a little larger than light clips for the roof so they will hold thicker lights such as those wrapped around garland. 

Set a timer and enjoy. 

Outdoor timers are one of the best inventions around when it comes to Christmas lights. You (and your power bill) don’t want to forget to turn lights off and see that they’re still on when you wake up the next morning. Set a timer to turn on at dusk and run for 4, 6 or 8 hours. 

Grab a mug of hot cocoa, a blanket, and bring the family outside to take in the beauty of your hard work!