Buzz
Christmas lights are a crucial part of creating the festive vibe during the Christmas holiday. However, if you're tasked with hanging them up, you'll likely feel frustrated when you need to take them out and untangle the mess. This article will provide some tips on how to prevent your lights from getting tangled, making your Christmas light hanging experience a lot more enjoyable.
Steps
Use cardboard
Cut a rectangular piece of cardboard. This should be about 30 cm in length and 15 cm in width. It's best to use a sturdy piece of cardboard, such as one cut from a shipping box. Thin cardboard will bend when you wind the lights around it.
Cut a U-shaped notch on one edge of the cardboard. The notch should be large enough to fit one end of the string of lights. You can cut it either along the length or the width of the cardboard.
Wrap the lights around the cardboard. You should wind the lights in a neat manner, moving from one end of the cardboard to the other. This will make it much easier to untangle them next year.
Cut another U-shaped notch at the other end of the string of lights after you have finished wrapping, and secure the end of the lights into the notch.
Wrap a tissue around the string of lights. You can wrap one or two layers of thin tissue around the cardboard to protect the lights. This will help prevent the lights from getting damaged during storage.
Use a Pringles chip canister
Chuẩn bị một vỏ ống khoai tây chiên Pringles. Bạn cần rửa sạch bên trong ống trước khi sử dụng - không phải để bảo vệ đèn mà vì vụn khoai tây còn sót lại bên trong có thể thu hút côn trùng tới chỗ cất đèn.
- Hoặc, bạn cũng có thể dùng lõi của cuộn giấy vệ sinh để thay thế. Các bước tiếp theo cũng thực hiện tương tự, trừ bước đóng nắp.
Cắt một đường trên miệng ống. Bạn cần dùng một chiếc kéo chắc chắn và cắt một đường thẳng dài khoảng 2,5 cm trên miệng ống.
Gài một đầu của dây đèn vào chỗ vết cắt. Bạn có thể cắt rộng vết này ra một chút nếu không cài vừa dây đèn.
Cuộn đèn quanh ống. Bạn sẽ cuộn dây đèn từ miệng xuống dưới đáy ống và ngược lại; khi cuộn xong, cài đầu dây còn lại vào vết cắt trên miệng ống. Khi hoàn thành, dây đèn sẽ được cuộn xung quanh ống với hai đầu cài ở vết cắt trên miệng ống.
Đậy nắp ống lại. Điều này sẽ giúp hai đầu dây đèn không trượt ra khỏi vết cắt và bị rối trong quá trình cất giữ.
Wrap tissue paper around it. To protect the lights, you can add a few layers of tissue paper around the potato chip canister. It's a good idea, especially if you're planning to store the lights in the same box with other items.
Use a clothes hanger.
Prepare a plastic clothes hanger. The ideal type is one with two small hooks on either side. You can use other types of hangers, but the one with small hooks on the sides will make it easier to wind the lights.
Hook one end of the light string onto one of the small hooks on the side.
- If you're using a hanger without side hooks, you can tie one end of the string around the body of the hanger.
Wrap the lights around the clothes hanger. Gradually wind the lights from one side to the other, then back again. You may need to repeat this process a few times to wrap the entire string of lights.
Attach the remaining end of the string of lights to the hook on the other side. Be sure to leave enough length on the string of lights so you can hook it onto the second hook on the clothes hanger.
- If there's no space, or if your hanger doesn't have a horizontal hook, you can attach the end of the string to any loops on the hanger's body.
Store the hanger. After wrapping the lights around the hanger, you can either store them in a box or hang them up for next year’s use.
- If you're storing the lights with other items, make sure to wrap the lights in tissue paper for protection.
Use a wire spool for winding the lights.
Prepare a wire spool. You can purchase these spools at electrical supply stores. It's recommended to choose a large spool for outdoor lights.
Place the lights on the spool and wind them up. Make sure to handle the lights gently to avoid breaking any bulbs.
Wrap additional lights if needed. The advantage of this method is that you can wrap multiple strands of lights onto the same spool by connecting the new strand’s end to where the previous one ends and continue winding, as long as there is enough space on the spool.
Store the lights for next year. You can leave the wire spool on a shelf, store it in a box, or hang it up on a hook.
Robert Rybarski
Expert Organizer
Expert Organizer
Place the light spool into a shallow plastic box. If you stack multiple spools of lights in a deep box, they may get tangled up with each other.
Carefully wind the lights.
Pin the second light bulb to the string of lights between your index finger and thumb. This way, the first and third bulbs will be positioned side by side in your palm.
Lift the fourth light bulb and pin it next to the first bulb. At this stage, the first, third, and fifth bulbs will all be in your palm.
Continue placing even-numbered bulbs on top and odd-numbered bulbs underneath. This will arrange the bulbs into a neat line without causing them to tangle.
Wrap the remaining string of lights around the cluster of bulbs and connect the two plugs. Once you’ve wrapped the string, you’ll have a tightly secured cluster with the two plugs exposed. Use the short section of wire attached to the plug to wrap it around the cluster to keep them together, then plug the two ends into each other to complete the setup.
Tip
- The lifespan of Christmas decorative lights is typically no more than 90 days. If the lights have been used for 3 Christmas seasons, it’s time to replace them next year. Be proactive and dispose of the old lights in favor of new ones.
- You can take advantage of post-Christmas sales to buy new lights at a discount.
