Even though many families enjoy having Christmas lights, decorating the outside of your home can turn into a time-consuming chore if you aren’t careful. No one wants to spend a weekend tracking down dead bulbs or taking multiple trips to the store to find matching lights. These five tips and tricks will help you hang up your Christmas lights without those frustrations.
Measure Beforehand
The first step in this process is to measure all of the surfaces that you plan on adorning with lights. You will also need to measure the distance from those surfaces to the nearest power source. With all of those numbers written down, you won’t have to wander through the store trying to guess how many packages of lights you need.
Test Everything
Just because you purchased new lights doesn’t necessarily mean that they are all going to work. A single dead bulb can kill an entire string of lights, and trying to change out a bulb once the string is in place is extremely dangerous. While the lights are on the ground, you should methodically go through each string and make sure that every bulb is working perfectly.
Invest in Light Clips or Hooks
It might be tempting to use nails or old clothespins to hang your lights, but those items are only going to make this process much harder than it needs to be. Light clips and hooks are very inexpensive, and they can be put up in just a few minutes. Many home improvement centers sell a variety of clips for different surfaces such as parapets, shingles, and rain gutters.
Stick to a Single Light Manufacturer
Almost every single manufacturer has their own bulbs, and that means no two hues are going to be the same. A string of white lights from one company could be dramatically different than LED bulbs from another manufacturer. Purchasing lights from different companies will most likely result in a lopsided or haggard appearance.
Use High-Quality Cords and Cables
Quite a bit of power is going to be running to your lights, and that is why you want to use high-quality extension cords from somewhere like Americord. In addition to measuring the length of the cord, you will also need to make sure that it is the correct gauge and amp. Going with a larger gauge will allow you to safely attach more lights and decorations to a single cord.
After all of that hard work, you want to be absolutely sure that your lights are going to be enjoyed every single night. If you think that you might occasionally forget to turn your lights on, then you might want to invest in automatic timers as well.