How to hang outdoor christmas lights

STEP 1

Plan your design

Where you want to see lights? Rooflines, windows and door frames look great lit up. You can also add some sparkle to any greenery, such as bushes, hedges or trees.

STEP 2

Determine how many lights you need

To find out exactly how many strands of lights you’ll need to execute your plan, take the time to measure. 

Measure all straight lines in your design and add them together. Then measure the height of any trees or pillars. A good rule of thumb for is that you need approximately 100 lights for every foot. 

Don’t forget to include the distance to your power source in your measurements.

STEP 3

Decide what kind of lights you need?

Make sure you’re choosing the best Christmas lights for your property.

C9 LEDs are the largest size and work well on houses. C6 LEDs are great for large evergreen trees. If you’re wrapping deciduous tress, choose mini LEDs.

If you’ve got shrubs, net lights give you great coverage quickly.

STEP 4

Stick with a colour scheme

For a professional look, keep your colour scheme consistent across your whole property. If you’re using white lights, make sure they’re all the same shade.

STEP 5

Test your lights

Before installation, plug in all your lights to make sure each strand is working.

STEP 6

Hang them

Finally, bring your plan to life and hang your lights. Clip lights make it fast and easy. Use universal clips on any non-clip lights to give them added functionality. 

Make sure to keep lights all facing the same way for a uniform appearance. If you’re wrapping lights, keep the spacing between strings even and consistent.