Every December people do the same thing in their driveways. They get out the Christmas lights from last year look up at the roof and think it will be easy to put them up. After a few hours some of the lights do not work and they lose a piece that goes into the gutter. Then they do not feel confident anymore. This happens to people every year when they put up their Christmas lights. Find this!

To do it right you need to start before you buy anything. Walk around your house and yard first. Measure the parts you want to decorate, like the roof, gutters, trees and bushes. Write down the measurements. If you go to the store without measuring you might buy the amount of lights. You might have to go to the store again and you will waste a lot of time.

The kind of lights you choose is very important. LEDs are the choice because they do not get too hot they last a long time and they do not use too much electricity. Warm white lights make your house look cozy and welcoming. Cool white lights look clean and modern. Multicolor lights are fun. You need to use them carefully. If you use many your yard might look like a carnival. Choose a style. Stick to it. It is better to have lights that match than to have a bunch of kinds.

Some people take shortcuts when they put up their lights. That is when things go wrong. Using lights outside is not safe. It can cause a fire. Most houses have circuits that can only handle an amount of electricity. If you use much you can overload the circuit and cause a problem. Use lights and plug them into different outlets. Keep the connections dry.

Do not use nails to hang your lights. They can cause water to leak into your house. That can damage it. Use clips instead. They are cheap. They work well. You can take them down easily when Christmas is over. They will not leave any marks.

A timer is a thing to buy. You can set it to turn your lights on and off automatically. This will help your lights last longer. It will save you money on your electricity bill. You will not have to worry about turning off your lights in the morning.

If your roof is very steep or high you should hire someone to help you. It is better to pay someone to do it safely than to risk getting hurt. Before you take down your lights take a picture of them. You will be glad you did year. It is hard to remember what you did the year and the picture will help you.