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Tips for Hanging Christmas Lights Like a Pro

Whether it’s your first Christmas in your new home or you’re just feeling a little more of the holiday spirit this year, you might be starting to plan your outdoor Christmas display. How hard could it be, right? Well, if you don’t want your house to end up looking like Christmas threw up on it, you might want to start thinking about a plan now. 

Creating a master plan for hanging Christmas lights is beneficial for several reasons. Having a plan gives you an idea of how many lights and extension cords you’ll  need. It also helps streamline the process and ensure you create a display that you can use again year after year. 

10 Things to Consider When Hanging Christmas Lights on Your House

There’s a lot to consider when planning your front yard holiday display. Will you need net lights, strand lights, icicle lights, extension cords and light clips? Your best bet is to start small. Below are the main tools most experts recommend having on hand  before you start decorating your house: 

• Timer and lighting controls
• Ladder
• Extension cord
• Tape measure
• Gloves
• Lights of your choice

Once you have all the supplies you’ll need, follow these tips to help you hang Christmas lights like the pros. 

1. Plan and Measure Your Space – If you’ve  created a rough idea of how and where you want your lights, the first step is to measure your space. If you plan on wrapping lights around pillars or stringing lights across your roofline, measure the lengths. The goal is to only go to the store once, so knowing how many boxes of lights you’ll need is useful. 
2. Buy the Right Lights – When purchasing your lights, be sure to find ones that are rated for outdoor use, are the colors you want, and the type of bulb you prefer. Read the manufacturer’s recommendations for how many light strands you can connect together. 
3. Choose Plastic – Plastic light clips are what the pros prefer over staples. You can easily secure lighting to your shingles, gutters or window frames using simple plastic clips. For ground lights, invest in some basic light stakes to make your job a little easier. 
4. Safety First – It’s easy to get tangled up in cords and lights, especially on a ladder. Use a hook to hang a bucket to the ladder to hold your supplies and keep you safe. 
5. Identify Your Outlets – One important part of planning your holiday display is identifying all your existing outlets and making sure you never end up with a light strand too far away from an outlet. While extension cords are useful, it’s best not to use too many in your project or you could end up with electrical issues. 
6. Decorate Around the Weather – If you live in an area with harsh winters, you’re going to want to wait for a mild day to hang your lights. Even the pros know that frozen hands and frozen toes make for a horrible light hanging experience. Do all your prep work in advance, like laying out and testing all light strands, so you’re ready to go when there’s a break in the cold weather. 
7. Vary Your Light Type – While traditional light strings are great, to create a truly show-stopping light display,you need to vary the types of lights you use. The pros recommend net lights for bushes, strand lights for pillars and on your porch, and icicle lights on the roofline. If you’re  choosing white lights, it’s important to know that there are usually several different options to choose from, so choose the same type of white to keep your lights consistent. 
8. Get Help – Climbing up and down a ladder by yourself can sometimes become a hazard. Enlist help from a family member or friend  to get your display up quickly, efficiently and safely. 
9. Test, Test, Test – While it might be tempting to hang all your Christmas lights up before looking at your final display, you’ll want to check it often to make sure strands are working properly and that things are connecting properly. 
10. Focus on Timing – The worst thing you can do is to create a beautiful and magical Christmas light display in your front yard and then have to come outside every single day to turn it on and off. When hanging your Christmas lights, add timers or remote-controlled extension cords so you can control your lights from inside your warm and cozy home. 

Hanging Christmas lights doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be fun to create a display that enhances your home, puts you in the holiday spirit, and showcases your creativity. The key is to plan your holiday design in advance and buy what you need so when it comes time to execute, you’re  prepared!

Make Your Holiday Less Cluttered with Store Here

Making room for your holiday decorations might mean finding a new home for some of your other outdoor tools and equipment. Store Here has you covered with storage facilities all over the United States. Find a storage facility location that works for you and get organized this winter season! Many of our storage facilities have both traditional and temperature-controlled storage units available to help serve you better. 

All of our storage facilities offer convenient, cost effective storage solutions. Ready to try us out? Get your first month free, and check for other exclusive promos at each of our locations. Promotions are subject to change, check back to this page for up-to-date specials.