Picture it: The weather has gotten colder, there's a brisk chill in the air, and your home is looking a little more simple than usual. With the holidays finally here, it's time for a sprucing up in the form of some festive lighting... It's the moment everyone has been waiting for. Or so everyone thinks. It's all fun and games until it's time to detangle the first strand of lights from the last, find the extension cords, unearth the ladder from a years' worth of junk in the garage, and find a way to jazz up that pesky spot on the roof... And that's all before decorating the inside of the house.
Decorating for the holidays is something that is truly great in theory but fairly stressful when it comes time to actually dive in and do it. While there are a select few out there who have the patience of a saint when it comes to unknotting wires, most of us are in the same frustrated, lightless boat. And in response to that, we have some hacks for you since it looks like we're in for a long winter at home this year.
Invest In Some Zip Ties
If zip ties could, they would probably try to hold the world together. Especially if they were alive and able to move on their own. As creepy as that thought it, there is some truth to it: Zip ties are a great thing to have on hand in the event of holiday decorating. They can easily be used to adhere garland or lights to a staircase, keep decorative lawn stakes from falling over, and can be looped through various window and door parts in order to keep decorations from falling off or being blown away.
Be Smart: Wrap Lights Around Cardboard Or Wrapping Paper Tubes
Before the decorating even gets started, eliminate half the stress by putting the Christmas lights away in a much more efficient way. By wrapping strands of lights around a piece of cardboard or a cardboard tube (save that wrapping paper cardboard), unraveling them will be that much easier 12 months from now. This will also prevent lights from breaking and popping off as they're prone to doing when stored incorrectly.
Use Lights In Unusual Ways
Fairy lights are great for this but regular lights will work just as well. To light up dark areas of a home or just to spread some extra festive cheer, try hanging icicle lights from the ceiling. These can be used to illuminate hallways or bring special attention to rooms such as the living room or kitchen and look completely ethereal when the other lights are off. Christmas lights can also be scrunched up (carefully) into large mason jars as well in order to shed some light on counters or bookshelves.
Hot Glue Works For Brick Siding
Believe it or not, hot glue is a totally proficient way to adhere lights and decorations to exterior brick walls. The great thing about hot glue is that it's easy to use and when you're done, simply just pull the patch of glue off the side of the house, leaving no damage and no sign that anything was even glued in the first place. This also prevents homeowners and renters from putting unnecessary nails into their walls only to take them down after the holiday season.
Clothespins Come In Handy Outdoors
For stubborn siding and gutters, when in doubt, use clothespins! There's virtually no damage done when using these and they pinch on and off with zero effort whatsoever. They're also great at holding up Christmas lights due to the fact that they're spring-loaded, and you can get them for a dollar or less at most stores. They're cheaper than Christmas light clips and work super well with things such as fascia.
Garden Supplies Also Double As DIY Decor
Seeking to get a little extra joy out of your decorations this year? Try using garden supplies! A tomato cage, while effective for growing tomatoes, can also be flipped upside down to resemble a rounded pyramid - AKA, a makeshift Christmas tree. Wind some lights around it, use glue or zip ties to hold them in place, and call it a day. Additionally, hanging planters can be used as hanging decor. Two halves of one planter make one whole sphere when one is flipped upside-down on top of the other and glued, and then all it needs is a layer of Christmas lights to become a pretty outdoor lantern.