Christmas is a time for peace and joy… and it’s also a perfect time to show off your magnificent Christmas lights and decorations.
But untangling Christmas lights and scaling ladders won’t always make you feel merry.Hanging Christmas lights may be time-consuming and challenging if you are unprepared. The bright side is there are some ingenious Christmas hacks out there to simplify the process.These nine hacks will help you install your Christmas lights safely and fast!
Make The Lights Seem Brighter
A TikTok video went viral in 2021 for this trick to making Christmas tree lights shine brighter than ever.
Instead of winding the lights around the tree, the basic concept is to add them spiraling from the bottom up, creating a zigzag pattern at the top of the branches.
Not only does this make for a nicely decorated tree, but it also makes the lights less likely to become tangled when they’re removed.
Creating A Hook For Hanging Holiday Lights On Tall Trees
Getting your ladder to lean securely against a tall tree while hanging lights can be nerve wracking. A more safe solution is to attach a bare hook to the tip of a paint roller extension pole.
Create the hook using a portion of a coat hanger or a sturdy wire. After inserting it into the threads, secure it with tape to prevent slippage along the pole. Then, shape it accordingly to fit your needs.
Craft Durable Holiday Light Clips
Do you need advice on securing your outdoor lighting? Use electrical cable wire staples to create Christmas light clips that are simple and inexpensive.
You may use the remaining nail to secure the staple to your fascia or trim after snipping it in half. It will keep the wire in place and allow you to slide it beneath the clip easily.
This approach is not only cost-effective but also long-lasting. To ensure the longevity of your light clips, secure them using screws made of stainless steel or another material that won’t rust.
Deck The Gutters With Holiday Lights
Don’t stress if you don’t have a ladder but still want to string outdoor Christmas lights down the gutter.
An 8-foot 1×2 board or something similar, a powerful magnet, and a strap made of galvanized steel used by plumbers are all you need to make this.
First, divide the strap of the hanger into seven-inch-long pieces. Bend these pieces into hooks and secure them every five feet or so along the length of the string.
Next hang the clips on the gutter one by one after securing the magnet to the 1×2 with a screw.
Two-story homes with higher ceilings require some more finesse.
Reaching the gutters may require assembling many 1x2s, and using the magnet to grab the hooks from a distance may be challenging.
Make Sure The Christmas Lights Work
Now that another year has passed, it is time to get out the boxes and begin hanging the lights.
Investing in a cheap light tester to check the functionality of your bulbs might be a wise decision.
Using this tester, you may quickly and easily find the bad bulb in a string of lights rather than having to examine them one by one.
Stock Up On Fuses
Christmas light problems may include more than replacing burned-out bulbs; a blown fuse is another common culprit.
LED and traditional lights strands commonly incorporate a pair of fuses within their plugs, safeguarded by a small sliding plastic cover.
The state of the filament inside usually indicates whether a fuse has blown. However, if no obvious issue is seen, you can consider testing with new fuses to determine if the lights regain functionality.
If you want to avoid making an extra trip to the shop during the hectic Christmas season, stocking up on spare fuses is a good idea.
Snap A Picture Of Your Holiday Lights For Next Season
Your neighbors were likely amazed by your holiday display this year. The positive feedback inspired you to consider recreating it in the upcoming years.
To make replicating it a breeze, you only need to take a quick snapshot of this year’s holiday light arrangement to serve as a helpful guide.
Blinking Lights Can Be Made With The Red-Tipped Bulbs
The additional small red bulb included with a light strand isn’t merely a spare.
It serves as a blinker light. Substitute it for one of the regular lights in the strand, and you’ll transform your string of light into a sequence of blinking or flashing lights.
Holiday Light Cardboard Spool
For a practical approach to keeping your holiday lights tangle-free during storage after the year ends, try these Christmas lighting hacks.
Strips of cardboard from the boxes of your Christmas gifts can be used to construct a spool-like framework by cutting slots on both ends.
This clever technique prevents the lights from slipping off, ensuring an organized storage solution.