Every year, it happens. The box of lights is out, and you vow, you know you will be quick and easy this time. An hour later, you are performing a contest with a tangle of wires which resembles a shining octopus. Let’s fix that with Christmas light maintenance.

To begin with, think about what you wish to showcase in your home before you plug anything in. Could it be the edges of the roof, the windows, the large tree in the yard, etc. Don’t go wild. Even a few clever decisions outsmart a messy bunch of stuff. Make up the areas you will decorate. It is an easy thing to do that does not make you run out of lights half way up the gutter and leave yourself with a glowing tail hanging to the ground.

Pick your lights wisely. The LEDs are the super stars of holiday lights- they have longer lifespan, bright and do not gulp the power as they are sipped. Use one color shade to have a cleaner appearance. Combining cold lights and warm lights may leave your house to appear disoriented. And no, before one can climb a ladder, test each strand on the ground. Believe me you will not like to discover the dead sort whom you have so neatly clipped on.

Let’s talk power. Outdoor product cords can also not be bargained. Insert into electrical sockets that are capable of supporting the weight and do not get wet. Keep the plugs dry, and not touching the dirt, clips or hooks make it shaped. Safety does not shine, but it is more than you imagine.

Climbing time. Begin at the low end and gradually increase, one step at a time and make sure that you are not too near the other one. The gutter clips or plastic shingle tabs are your best chance. Nails or staples? Big mistake. They will cause leakages on your roof and invite them. When you are on high, you need someone around. Not the memory of your holiday, a slip off the ladder.

When everything is on, stand back and admire. Adjust lumps or hanging strands. The slightest change of the street can be a big difference.

And don’t forget timers. You do not want the lights to shine at breakfast, but at night. Smart plugs or dusk sensors will simplify life – and conserve power as well.

At last, absorb that initial radiance. The strain, the swearing strings, the frosty fingers–all disappears with that warm glow. The scene that you have created is not mere ornamentation. It is a happy moment, a little triumph over anarchy, and the actual appearance of the holidays.