DIY Chic And Unique Lantern String Lights With These Dollar Tree Items

Lighting the outdoor areas of your home can be a real challenge in balancing aesthetics, functionality, and environmental friendliness. When buying lights, choosing lights that are either too bright, too dim, or too ugly is all too easy. You will want to find lights that match the desired appearance, with a nice warm light that won't blind you and any guests you have. All of these features must be considered, as well as the possibility of light pollution. To make your choices easier, you can take a trip to the Dollar Tree and DIY some interesting lantern string lights with solar lights, pencil cups, and wire plant hangers.

To build the lanterns, you will need the pencil cups and solar lights. In a video by Crafty Beach, rose gold wire pencil cups and copper-topped solar lights are used. You will want as many pencil cups and solar lights as you do lanterns, as you will need one of each for each lantern. Start by removing the stakes from the solar lights and then, using small, handheld wire cutters, cut a hole in the bottom of each pencil cup just wide enough for the bottom of the solar lights. From there, insert the solar light into the pencil cup. The light should stay in place just by the pressure of the wire, but if it moves around too much, you can use hot glue to fix it in place.

To string your lanterns together, you can use wire plant hangers. Depending on the hanger you use, you may need to cut the chain links on your wire hanger. If you are required to cut the wire, make sure you make the number of links between lanterns equal to keep lanterns equally spaced and balanced. When you cut the wire, you can use handheld pliers to push the wire back together around the top rim of the pencil cups. Be sure to attach the wire to opposite sides of the pencil cup lanterns so they sit level and untwisted. If you put the wire too close to the lanterns, they will appear tilted. If you're feeling like you haven't had enough DIY Dollar Tree outdoor lights, you can try this Dollar Tree lighting hack to add some style to your yard.

To hang your lantern lights, a good method for hanging string lights in your backyard is needed. By using string light poles, you ensure you put your Dollar Tree lantern string lights exactly where you want them in your yard and at the right height to illuminate the space properly. You'll want to hang the lanterns in a place where they will receive enough light to recharge in the sun, while still being a convenient location for your nighttime outdoor needs.