Christmas lights are particularly festive in northern climates where a blanket of snow covers the ground and the lights make neighborhoods feel more welcoming in the dark evening hours. Hanging them can be a challenge because of weather considerations, but there are ways to make this easier. Use these tips to make your Westerville home more festive and welcoming this holiday season.
Choose the Right Clips
The perfect clips depend on your housing materials and where you’re hanging the lights. Small hooks made for outdoor use can be screwed into the wood trim around doors and windows for easily outlining. Around the roof, choose gutter clips that fit over the lip of your gutter and hold the lights in place even in windy conditions. If you want to run lights across the roof, then you’ll need shingle clips. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so determine where you want to hang the lights before you go out to buy clips.
Measure and Test First
In Ohio, especially this year, the weather is probably going to be cold and potentially snowy when you start hanging lights. You don’t want to spend additional time outside rearranging or untangling the strands. Come up with a master plan for how you want the lights to look. Take measurements of the areas, and check your lights to ensure you have enough. Make adjustments on paper to limit your time and frustration outside. Finally, check every strand before you hang it. Even a brand new strand can be defective and refuse to illuminate.
Running Extension Cords
If you love the idea of wrapping lights around trees, then you need a way to power the lights. Extension cords can be run through the grass. Protect the connection points by investing in special caps that enclose the outlet and prevent moisture from getting in. You can also use extensions that include a stake with multiple outlets at one end. These are safer, more convenient and cleaner than running multiple cords.
Dress Up the Interior
Remember to dress up the interior or your home with lights. String lights through a pine bough and drape it casually over the top of a mirror or along your fireplace mantle. Use clear tape or clips to run lights around the ceiling or outline the interior of your windows. You can even hang lights along the lower edge of your upper kitchen cabinets to make your holiday baking more enjoyable.
Watch the Power
This is a great time to start investing in LED lights. They’re available in all of your favorite colors, and they take a fraction of the power. You can also run more light strands together when you choose LEDs. Whether you embrace this energy efficient option or prefer the traditional lights, make sure you aren’t overloading circuits. Spread out the load safely with the use of extension cords and power strips.
The right lighting combination will make your home more festive and help you get in the holiday spirit. When hanging lights outside, remember to balance the image by adding low-level lights as well as outlining the roof edge. Inside the home, remember to brighten unexpected areas by adding lights to the kitchen, powder room and home accessories. With the right hanging clips and a little work, you can make your house look its best this winter.
