It’s January, the Christmas season is finished, and your lights are still up! The last thing you want to do is leave them up all year but you aren’t sure exactly how to store them so that they still have the same quality as the year prior. The number one reason for damaged bulbs and wires is during the removal and improper storage of Christmas lights. Following this method step by step we want to ensure that your house shines just as bright every festive season.
Step 1: Removal
Seems very simple right? Just removing the lights that you had put up at the beginning of the holiday season. But think twice! A Careful removal and take down of your Christmas lights is a very important first step in ensuring their quality.
The easiest way to have Christmas lights taken down is the exact way you had them put up. No yanking, tugging, swinging or throwing. You should always be careful working at heights, the gentler and patient you are with the removal of your Christmas lights the better!
Step 2: Coiling your String Lights and Wires
Once your Christmas lights are off, it is no good to just throw them in storage! It’s more work for you come next holiday season.
To avoid this, before putting your lights away: Place your arm on an upward 90-degree angle, have the female end of the socket in your hand, then begin wrapping the lights downward around your elbow and back into your hand. Continue this motion until the male end is on top of your coiled lights.
Tangled Christmas lights is one of the most frustrating aspects of setting up your festive décor, using this coil technique can help save you time and money.
Step 3: Storage
Your lights have been taken down, they have been coiled to perfection, but they are not ready to be just thrown in storage! To maintain their quality and life-span it is best to keep your Christmas lights either in stackable storage bins however, it is important to cut holes on the sides of these bins in order to release any moisture left from the season. This allows for your lights to maintain a bright and healthy life span.
These tips and strategies presented are what we have found to be useful over the years, taking down Christmas lights and decorations from the holiday season is not the most glamorous job, but it can save you time in the future if you put the time in today.
