The holidays are upon us and that means twinkling lights and Christmas decorations. Your roof and yard are a blank canvas to create holiday cheer! With a plan in mind and tools at the ready your house will be shining for the whole neighborhood to enjoy. If you plan on decorating with exterior lights here are some helpful holiday tips to help inspire you.

Start with your porch

Your porch is an excellent place to start decorating. Easily accessible and sheltered, it makes for a cozy spot to showcase those decorations. Greenery and matching bows can be wrapped around columns, bushes and windows. Hanging spheres and snowflakes make it simple to create a dazzling display without taking too much time.

Tree Lights

Wrapping your tree with string lights is a another popular outdoor decorating idea. A light-hanging pole is an excellent tool used to place lights within your tree. This is especially true if you’d rather not use a ladder. Take advantage of net lighting to cover those shrubs and bushes. These are mini LED lights that are meshed together to create a blanket effect of twinkling lights.

Roof Lights

Gutter clips are a great way to hang Christmas lights. These are a hook type clip that hang from the edge of your gutters. Christmas lights then hang from the clip and you spare your roof and fascia any undue damage. Keep your ladder steady and move it often in order to avoid overreach. When using a ladder, placement and proper use is very important. Be sure to place your ladder on a level, moisture free area and use supportive dry footwear.

Additional Decorating Safety Tips:

• Recruit a helper! You’ll stay safe and you’re sure to have more fun!

• Unwind and replace any bulbs that need to be replaced and have your tools and light clips ready.

• Be sure to use a good sturdy ladder when installing your lights.

• Skip trees and shrubs that may come in contact with electrical power lines.

• Only use lights with the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) label and be sure you’re using lights designed specifically for outdoor use.

• Turn off lights when not in use and turn them off when you go to bed at night.

• If you use extension cords, be sure they are rated for outdoor use. Tape them across any walkways to avoid any potential trip hazards.

• Be careful not to overload your circuits. In order to avoid this, aim for no more than 1,400 watts per circuit at a time.

However you choose to decorate, one thing is certain…your home will look picture perfect!

Source: Live Site