Make Hanging Up Outdoor Christmas Lights A Breeze With A Must-Try Trick

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Christmas lights hung along the eaves or roof line of a house give it a clean, peaceful, and tidy look after dark. A house's roofline, outlined in a straight line of lights, can be so appealing, particularly when pared with holiday decor ideas inspired by celebrity homes. On the other hand, it can be tricky to hang those lights, particularly when you have to reach up to the gables and peaks. One popular trick makes light-hanging time so much easier: PVC pipes fitted with strong magnets serve as light-holding strips for each strand. Since they're magnetic, you just attach the pipes to the underside of each (metal) gutter and they'll cling on their own. This method also works for strands of dangling icicle lights, too. 

Before rushing out to do this, however, know that the hack requires gutters that attract magnets to work. Aluminum gutters have some downsides beyond not being magnetic, but steel gutters should hold your hanging lights with ease. You can use any kitchen magnet to test your gutters, if you're unsure. Alternatively, you can attach a small steel plates or opposite-pole magnets to your gutter where you want the pipes to stick, but this will be an extra step the first time around.  Test all your light strands before attaching them to the pipe setup as well; it'll save so much time in the long run compared to having to start over with a fresh light strand.

Look for lengths of PVC pipe at your local home improvement store. You'll need enough to span the length of each part of the roofline you want to decorate, so it's a good idea to measure and plan ahead. Ten-foot segments of ¾-inch pipe worked well for TikTokker by.travis, as that length is still manageable while climbing a ladder. Screw or bolt in three to four strong washer-shaped magnets, like the Lovimag neodymium cup magnets to each pipe, near each end and in the middle, so the pipe doesn't sag when hanging from the gutters. Alternatively, you can attach broom hook clips along the length of your roofline that the pipes easily snap into, like YouTuber Tasty Home.

Use zip ties to attach one light strand to one pipe, creating a straight line with the light strand on the side of the pipe opposite the magnets. Snipping off excess zip tie lengths tidies things up. To connect two light strands, connect the strands together first, then line their respective pipes up next to one another (or secure the pipes with hose clamps) and attach the lights as a single continuous strand. Make sure whichever end of the lights plugs into an outlet has plenty of length to reach it, or add an extension cord that's rated for outdoor use. 

While the initial set up takes some time, the following seasons will be much easier. There's no reason to leave them up for months on end when each light-wrapped pipe simply snaps off: Pull each segment off its magnets and stack everything on a utility shelf for next year. Buh-bye, perpetual-Christmas-light-display that could be one of those things neighbors secretly hate about your yard. Problem solved.