According to Christmas-light enthusiast Rebecca Hevey, planning is key to creating a tremendous Christmas light display for your home.
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Rebecca has bought outdoor lights and is now ready to start transforming her home.
However, before she even stepped into the store, she had a plan in mind.
"Decide on what areas of your home to decorate; this could be the outside the house, front yard, outdoor setting, trees, or all of the above - then you can work out the length of lighting you might need," Rebecca said.
"Get creative with it and try looking online for inspiration.
"Bunnings has lots of festive lighting ideas, and how-to projects and social media like Instagram and Pinterest also provides great inspiration."
Also, take into consideration where power is located to ensure you can connect lights safely.
The transformer will need to be in a weather-proof spot or inside a container with an IP44 weatherproof rating.
"The area you're decorating will help guide which lighting might work best for you," Rebecca said.
"Solar is a great option if the area gets plenty of natural light and is simpler to install without the need for connecting to power."
When you're ready to buy your lights, decide on a colour scheme or theme.
"Keep it consistent - choose either warm or cool lighting and stick to this throughout for a cohesive looking display and get creative by having a theme," Rebecca said.
"For example, choosing colours for an Aussie Christmas theme with the addition of koala and kangaroo inflatables.
"You can also try smart lighting - this can take your lighting display to the next level and allows you to control lighting through your phone and adjust it to suit the mood or occasion."
Finally, when buying lights, don't think you need to break the bank to create an attractive display.
"Work to your budget - you don't need to spend a lot to make an impact with lighting, and something as simple as wrapping a tree in some solar fairy lights can be an easy, affordable and stylish addition to your space," Rebecca said.
Top tips
- Always test your lights before hanging to ensure they are in good working order.
- When hanging lights, make sure to maintain some slackness and don't pull them too tightly, as this can cause internal wires to break.
- Have plenty of plastic clips or cable ties ready for securing light cables (hooks for gutters, suction cups for glass and magnets for metal).