We have a few Christmas decorating tips from our experts that should make things go a bit more smoothly this year. First, make a plan for your decorations and be sure to gather everything you will need.
Trust us, it will save you time and frustration. This includes: ladders, tools, fasteners, and helpers.
LIGHTS
- During your planning, you noted where all of your electrical outlets are, right? Your plan should make the best use of your existing outlets without running too many extension cords or overloading the outlets.
- Be sure to examine all light strings and extension cords for damage. Discard anything that is frayed or has bare wires. While some may be tempted to repair, remember that these items will be exposed to the elements and may be in close contact with your house.
- Test each string of lights before you hang them…it’s a lot easier. Most mini-lights have small fuses in their wall plug, if the entire string is out, check and replace these first. If that isn’t the problem, check for missing or loose bulbs. If you can’t make them work, you can easily recycle mini-lights here in Emmet County at the recycling center on Pleasantview Rd in Harbor Springs. Just place them in the miscellaneous electronics bin.
- When lighting trees, wrap the lights loosely around the boughs to keep them in place but with enough slack to allow movement in the wind or under snow.
To hang lights on upper branches out of reach, make a simple extender with a wooden pole & tack in a nail near the end. With the nail pointing up, you can lift the light string & place on upper branches.
GARLAND
- Measure TWICE, Cut ONCE
- When hanging around a doorway or window, use two pieces and start in the center of the opening so that the ‘arms’ of the garland will hang down. It is easy to tie the ends together at the top and hide the cut (plastic zip ties work wonders!)…or even with a bow!
- When wrapping garland around posts and columns, start at the back of the top of the column.
- When columns flank an entry, make sure to mirror the garland (i.e. counterclockwise on the left and clockwise on the right.)
- To estimate the length or garland needed for a column, you can roughly double the column’s height, then adjust the wrap to make equal spaces between turns.
- When estimating the length needed to create ‘droops’ of garland along a railing or fence, add about 15% to the horizontal distance or use an extension cord to approximate the desired ‘droop’ and measure its length.
Always remember to take your time and practice safety, especially on ladders. If “Decking your Halls” isn’t a project you want to tackle, stay warm and call us, we have all the tools, materials, and experience to do it for you. You can stay inside & make us cocoa!