Holiday Lighting Guide

Nothing says Christmas like driving down streets of homes all lit up in holiday lighting. As a kid we used to pile into Dad's suburban and cruise around checking out all the pretty displays people put up each year. It seems every year the deigns get more crazy and intricate. Thanks to the great folks at Home Depot I have a great guide for holiday lighting. We would love to see any pictures you have of some of the better holiday lights you see this winter; please post them in our comments section below.

Brighten your holidays with energy efficient Christmas lights

Nothing brings out the magic of the holidays like a dazzling display of Christmas lights. Whether you are trying to create a winter wonderland in your yard or you simply want to jazz up the interior of your home, the right lighting is essential for a festive home. With such a large selection of available types, styles and colors you have an endless array of possibilities to choose from. Before you begin, consider:

Are you interested in indoor lighting, outdoor or both?
How elaborate do you want your holiday light display to be?
How many electrical outlets are available and where are they?
What types and styles of lighting appeal to you?
What safety considerations do you need to keep in mind?



Planning

Start by thinking about your overall decorating objectives. Next, measure the areas where you want to hang your lights to ensure you have enough strands for proper coverage. Also consider your style preferences, budget and the amount of time you have to dedicate to the project. All these elements will help you determine how elaborate or simple to make your lighting display. To simplify setup and installation, break down indoor lighting projects according to each room. Outdoor lighting will need to be considered as a whole, but larger-scale projects can be separated into different zones based on the location of electrical outlets. Remember where the outlets are when planning the number of strands of lights you will need.

Lights are a relatively inexpensive way to add some holiday cheer to your home
Additional items such as outdoor decorations should also be incorporated into your plan
If you do not have GFCI outlets installed, consider adding them for extra safety



Indoor vs. Outdoor Lights

All Christmas lights are classified for use in either outdoor or indoor areas, but the majority of lights at The Home Depot are both indoor and outdoor compatible. Outdoor-rated lights are optimized to stand up to harsh environmental elements while maintaining safe electrical connections. Before purchasing holiday lights, be sure you know where they will be located and select only appropriately rated sets.

Indoor-rated lights are designed for indoor use only
Outdoor-rated lights can be used both indoors and out
Outdoor displays must use outdoor-rated extension cords only


Types and Styles

While traditional incandescent Christmas lights are still very popular, advances in technology over the past few years have dramatically improved the latest available selections. LED lights offer many advantages over the traditional incandescent lights, including:

Energy Savings of up to 80%
Lifespan up to 20-times longer
Cool to the touch and increased durability
Connect many more strands together on one outlet or extension cord


The Home Depot offers three grades of LED lights on a good/better/best basis designed to improve indoor and outdoor lighting displays and save on utility bills.


Home Accents Holiday is an LED light set that allows up to forty-five light sets to connect together on one single outlet. They are available with many different bulb caps and shapes, and replacement bulbs are sold online at homedepot.com.


Martha Stewart Living light sets feature continuous on-bulb technology where if one bulb burns out, becomes loose or breaks, the rest of the string stays lit. They are also flicker-free bulbs and come with a variety of specialty decorative caps. Warm white and softer color bulbs were specifically selected as they perform better than other types of indoor LED lights that can be too bright or harsh inside.


EcoSmart light sets contain the same features as the Martha Stewart Living sets mentioned above, but additionally offer super bright warm white and multicolored LED bulbs, exclusive replaceable water resistant bulbs and commercial grade LED bulbs with sealed husks that block moisture from getting inside the bulb, virtually eliminating rust or damage to the wires and increasing the longevity of the strand.


Solar Lights are another new entry for Holiday outdoor lighting. They turn on automatically at dusk and charge during the day, even in cloudy conditions. These LED lights are available in icicle style-white, mini-white, mini-colored and icicle style-colored varieties and can be set as steady on, or flashing.


Get Creative

Holiday lighting can be used to create a wide range of effects, from the bright, clear illumination of vintage bulbs to the magical sparkle of hundreds of tiny LEDs. Advances in technology have resulted in color changing LED lights and strands that illuminate in different directions or patterns for an amazing light show. Advances in LED lights now enable coverage of up to ¼ mile, so you can light up areas that have been unreachable in the past. Consider lighting the top of your fence, garden or trees for an unbelievably festive and beautiful display. You can also include inflatable decorations or lighted sculptures in your collection.

If you are unable to reach an electrical outlet, battery operated lights enable illumination of items such as wreaths or foliage.

Installation and Safety

In order to create a safe and memorable decorating experience, there are a few simple guidelines that must be observed. First and foremost, be very careful not to overload electrical outlets or extension cords. Typically, incandescent lights have a limit of 500 lights per strand, which means you can connect 10 sets of 50-lights or 5 sets of 100-lights. But when stringing multiple strands together, consult the manufacturer’s instructions and do not exceed the recommended number of connections. Never connect different strands of lights together on the same circuit or outlet, such as a C7 or C9 incandescent strand with a mini-light strand and never connect incandescent lights with LED lights.

Make sure you test your lights to make sure they are working and inspect all cords and wires prior to installation. Immediately dispose of any lights or cords that show signs of damage or wear.

In outdoor environments, wrap a piece of electrical tape around the connected plugs to provide further protection from the elements. For simple, convenient attachments to a roof, wall or other surface, look for plastic and plastic-coated fasteners, hooks and clips designed exclusively to hold holiday lighting.

Do not overload electrical outlets or extension cords
Use only plastic or plastic coated fasteners and clips to hang electric lights
Always unplug the lights when you leave the house or go to sleep
Automatic light timers can be used to turn your lights on and off at specific times of day
Do not run electrical cords along high-traffic areas or place underneath a rug
Always work with a partner when using a ladder to help prevent accidents
Never place ladders on snow, ice or slick surfaces


Storage

After the holidays, you’ll want to carefully store away all of your seasonal decorations in a dry place, such as an interior closet. Allow light sets that have been outdoors in wet weather or accumulated moisture time to dry out before placing them in storage. Avoid storing lights and decorations in attics or basements where the amount of moisture fluctuates during the year. Taking the time to properly care for your lights as you take them down will save you considerable time next year when you go to set them up again. Additionally, keeping incandescent light strands neat and organized can help preserve their life by preventing broken or missing bulbs, damaged cords and messy tangles.

Various types of reels and spools designed exclusively for holiday lights can be purchased. Simply wrap your lights around these devices as indicated and place them in an appropriate storage bin, box or storage bag. If you don’t have a reel or spool, try wrapping them around a sturdy cardboard sheet or tube. Be careful not to wrap too tightly as this can put strain on the wires.

Spools and reels provide a convenient and organized way to store holiday lights
Inspect cords and wires for cuts, nicks and other damage as you wind your lights
Boxes and storage bins that are designed to hold and store lights are an excellent option


Features

UL Listed Lights: Underwriters Laboratory (UL) is an independent testing agency that verifies lights are safe for use under designated conditions. Look for the UL listing on all your holiday lighting purchases.

Commercial Lights: For more ambitious decorating projects, lights rated for commercial use can be connected and strung together in longer continuous lengths.

Energy-Efficient Lighting: Lighting your home and yard for the holidays can add to your monthly energy costs. Look for more efficient options such as LED lights to cut down on creeping holiday expenses while continuing to enjoy your festive decorations.

Battery-Operated Lights: Illuminate items that are not easily connected to electrical outlets such as wreaths, holiday flower/foliage arrangements and other decorative accents with the use of battery-operated light strands.

Outdoor Decorations: Combine your holiday lights with a variety of decorations designed exclusively for outdoor use, such as lighted sculptures, inflatable lawn ornaments and other unique embellishments for a truly memorable celebration.

Selling your house over the holidays?? Here are some great holiday decorating tips

Turkey day has come and gone. If your family is anything like mine, that means this week will be spent decorating for the holiday season. But, if you are selling your house over the holidays, should you decorate, and if so how much. This answer to this question is of course, that it is your home, and you can do what you want, but we have found some great tips on how to get the holiday look while still attracting buyers to your home.

1. Ornamental decor: Showcase decorative ornaments in baskets or snuggled among towels, suggests Johnson.

2. Sparkling interiors: Drape small, soft white lights across the fireplace mantle, windows, or handrails going upstairs and downstairs. “The warmth, gentle sparkle and illumination helps to further reveal a home’s interior -- not to mention bring out a cozy and welcoming atmosphere,” says Janet DiTroia with Long & Foster in Doylestown, Pa.

3. Ribbons: Tie holiday ribbons -- such as in red -- around candle holders and place them throughout the house, such as on vanities or alongside the bath tub, Johnson suggests.

4. Unexpected fun touches: Hang a wreath on the bed frame or add a Santa hat to the bedroom furniture, Johnson suggests. Or, wrap and decorate a box and place the “gift” in the middle of the bed for some unexpected, subtle touches throughout the house, Johnson says.

5. Window appeal: Small branches along window sills and placed like dollies on trays add instant holiday appeal, says Joanne O’Donnell, president and CEO of Chic Home Interiors.

6. Wreaths and garlands: Wreaths and garland used for both indoors and out can keep decor balanced and not overly religious, says Linda Zukowski, Prudential Starck, REALTORS® in Palatine, Ill. Red berry garland can also add pops of color along handrails or mixed into centerpieces.

7. Candle glow: Candles can add holiday charm and warmth. Don’t want the fire hazard of a flame? Try a safer alternative: Battery-operated candles. Betty Cunningham with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Schaumburg, Ill., says they are so real looking that if you put them in a votive holder, you'll swear they are really burning. She scatters them everywhere in the house.

8. Holiday party ready: Let buyers envision themselves entertaining their friends and family at the house by setting the dining room table with holiday place settings and centerpieces, suggests June Lizotte with June Lizotte Real Estate in Milwaukie, Ore.

9. Art display: Choose one section of the home with a feature wall and switch out the art to put up Christmas artwork -- that is, if you have some nice quality pieces, says Lizotte. For example, you might have artwork depicting a wintery scene with touches of holiday decor mixed in. But whatever holiday decorations you hang up, be sure to use removable plastic hooks for putting anything up on the walls and perhaps even the outdoors, suggests Zukowski. “They are quick easy removal without putting any holes in the walls,” she says.

10. Simple centerpieces: Collect a few baubles -- such as shiny red ornament baubles -- and add them to a hurricane or glass bowl, sprinkling such festive displays around the house. Or, add pine cones to a clear glass bowl or basket with a ribbon -- and maybe even mix in some shiny baubles for sparkle.

11. Sweetin’ the deal: Offer holiday-themed candy by placing it in a festive bowl on a coffee table in the great/living room, the kitchen counter, and on tables located in any room, recommends Che’rell Bilquist with Staged To Show ‘n Sell in Lenexa, Kan. Fill the bowl with gourmet chocolate truffles, fudge or candy cane fudge, Hershey Kisses, or Christmas Krinkles.

Or offer fresh-baked holiday treats for your visitors and even complete the look by having a holiday cookbook displayed on the kitchen counter.

Selling your house over the holidays?? Here are some great holiday decorating tips

Turkey day has come and gone. If your family is anything like mine, that means this week will be spent decorating for the holiday season. But, if you are selling your house over the holidays, should you decorate, and if so how much. This answer to this question is of course, that it is your home, and you can do what you want, but we have found some great tips on how to get the holiday look while still attracting buyers to your home.

1. Ornamental decor: Showcase decorative ornaments in baskets or snuggled among towels, suggests Johnson.

2. Sparkling interiors: Drape small, soft white lights across the fireplace mantle, windows, or handrails going upstairs and downstairs. “The warmth, gentle sparkle and illumination helps to further reveal a home’s interior -- not to mention bring out a cozy and welcoming atmosphere,” says Janet DiTroia with Long & Foster in Doylestown, Pa.

3. Ribbons: Tie holiday ribbons -- such as in red -- around candle holders and place them throughout the house, such as on vanities or alongside the bath tub, Johnson suggests.

4. Unexpected fun touches: Hang a wreath on the bed frame or add a Santa hat to the bedroom furniture, Johnson suggests. Or, wrap and decorate a box and place the “gift” in the middle of the bed for some unexpected, subtle touches throughout the house, Johnson says.

5. Window appeal: Small branches along window sills and placed like dollies on trays add instant holiday appeal, says Joanne O’Donnell, president and CEO of Chic Home Interiors.

6. Wreaths and garlands: Wreaths and garland used for both indoors and out can keep decor balanced and not overly religious, says Linda Zukowski, Prudential Starck, REALTORS® in Palatine, Ill. Red berry garland can also add pops of color along handrails or mixed into centerpieces.

7. Candle glow: Candles can add holiday charm and warmth. Don’t want the fire hazard of a flame? Try a safer alternative: Battery-operated candles. Betty Cunningham with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Schaumburg, Ill., says they are so real looking that if you put them in a votive holder, you'll swear they are really burning. She scatters them everywhere in the house.

8. Holiday party ready: Let buyers envision themselves entertaining their friends and family at the house by setting the dining room table with holiday place settings and centerpieces, suggests June Lizotte with June Lizotte Real Estate in Milwaukie, Ore.

9. Art display: Choose one section of the home with a feature wall and switch out the art to put up Christmas artwork -- that is, if you have some nice quality pieces, says Lizotte. For example, you might have artwork depicting a wintery scene with touches of holiday decor mixed in. But whatever holiday decorations you hang up, be sure to use removable plastic hooks for putting anything up on the walls and perhaps even the outdoors, suggests Zukowski. “They are quick easy removal without putting any holes in the walls,” she says.

10. Simple centerpieces: Collect a few baubles -- such as shiny red ornament baubles -- and add them to a hurricane or glass bowl, sprinkling such festive displays around the house. Or, add pine cones to a clear glass bowl or basket with a ribbon -- and maybe even mix in some shiny baubles for sparkle.

11. Sweetin’ the deal: Offer holiday-themed candy by placing it in a festive bowl on a coffee table in the great/living room, the kitchen counter, and on tables located in any room, recommends Che’rell Bilquist with Staged To Show ‘n Sell in Lenexa, Kan. Fill the bowl with gourmet chocolate truffles, fudge or candy cane fudge, Hershey Kisses, or Christmas Krinkles.

Or offer fresh-baked holiday treats for your visitors and even complete the look by having a holiday cookbook displayed on the kitchen counter.

Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips

Plano Home Tips : Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips

Are you going to be like the millions of Americans who will be cooking up big meals this Thursday for Thanksgiving? Did you know cooking fires are 3x more likely to occur on Thanksgiving than any other day in the year. I found a great video from ABC affiliate WJBF in South Carolina that shares some great tips to keep you and your loved ones safe this holiday season.

To view the video of Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips CLICK HERE

If you have any safety tips that are not shared in the video please share them below in the comments section so all our AWESOME readers can benefit from your knowledge.

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!! AND GO COWBOYS!!!!

Fall Lawn Care Tips

Plano Home Tips : Fall Lawn Care Tips

Everybody likes to have a nice green lawn during the summer. But did you know that how you treat your lawn in the fall and winter can have a great effect on how healthy your lawn will be the following summer. I found some great fall lawn care tips on weekendgardener.net that will help make your lawn look its best this spring and summer....by treating it this fall and winter. As always, if you have any tips not mentioned please share them in the comments section below so all our great readers can benefit from your knowledge.

To check out the complete website for WeekendGardener.net by Clicking Here


Fall Maintenance Tips for your Lawn:

Fall is the best time to prepare your lawn for next spring because you can do more now to impact how your lawn will look next year than at any other time of the year.

Unfortunately, many of us have lost our enthusiasm for yard work at this time of year, because we’ve been hard at it all summer, and because many of us think about lawn care only during the fresh exciting months of spring when everything is growing.

If however, you can get out there and do a few last easy tasks this month, it’s a guarantee that you’ll be way ahead for next year.
That’s because with cooler temperatures, the grass is going to be focusing on root growth. Therefore, we want to build up the density of the grass and encourage the most vigorous, healthy turf we can now to enjoy later.

Another good thing about giving your lawn a little care in the fall, is that you can do more for weed control by attacking them right now than can be done with two or three weed killing applications in the spring or summer.

Lastly, none of the following items take long to do, but the results will look like you spent hours because your lawn will come blazing into spring with immense growth and color.
Get Your Lawn In Shape!

General Overview
There are some basic things you’ll want to do with your lawn this fall. This list provides a general overview.

For specific to-dos, we have broken things down for cool-season and warm-season grasses below.

General To-Do List
Fertilize your lawn in October before the first heavy freeze, no matter if you have a cool or warm-season grass – but use a winterizerfertilizer
A winterizer fertilizer is like a 7-3-2. They are usually clearly labeled and one of the best is: Fall Lawns Alive!® All-Natural Fertilizer
This all-natural product is formulated specifically for use in late summer and fall and it encourages strong, vigorous root development on both cool-weather and warm-weather lawns
Vigorous fall root development allows grass to over-winter better, and get off to a better start the following spring
At the same time it improves soil structure
It helps increase resistance to disease and insect pests
It provides a long-lasting balance of nutrients and helps grass get prepared for harsh winter weather
Other common winterizing fertilizer formulas are 18-6-12 or 15-5-10 which come in organic and non-organic products.
The winter weeds are germinating like crazy in the fall, and getting ready for next year, so make sure you apply a pre-emergent as soon as possible. The best time to apply a pre-emergent to combat winter weeds is in August or September, but if you haven’t done so yet, do it now! A good organic pre-emergent is corn gluten meal. Corn gluten can be found at most garden centers.
By attacking the weeds now, you can do more about weed control than you can in the spring or summer.
If you have a lot of leaves, mulch them up and apply them to your lawn. They won’t contribute to thatch and they act almost as another fertilizer application for the turf.
Lastly, mowing is the single most important thing you can do to manage the vigor of your grass and its ability to compete against weeds. In the fall, the best results are obtained by mowing at the highest setting on your mower. In no case should the mowing leave the grass less than 1.5 inches (3.75 cm) tall. This will help insulate the grass during the winter.
If you need more information about mowing heights – go here: Mowing Tips and Techniques

Cool-Season Grasses – Fall To Do List

(Bluegrass, Bentgrass, Ryegrass, Fescues)
For all grasses and growing guides see our Grass Types
Early Fall:
If there is a thatch layer deeper than 1/2 inch (1.25 cm), dethatch
Fertilize using a good winterizer fertilzer like Fall Lawns Alive!® All-Natural Fertilizer which is a 7-3-2, and will help winterize your lawn by encouraging strong root development on fall-sown turf as well as on established lawns.
Sow new cool-season lawns
Reseed bare patches on existing lawns
Get after the weeds now and apply a good organic pre-emergent such corn gluten meal
Late Fall:
Continue mowing at the correct height, taking off no more than a third at a time so the grass is well insulated in the winter. Best results are obtained by mowing at the highest setting on your mower. In no case should the mowing leave the grass less than 1.5 inches (3.75 cm) tall. (For more mowing height info: Mowing Tips and Techniques)
Apply one last feeding of fertilizer

Warm-Season Grasses – Fall To Do List

(Bermuda, St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bahia)
For all grasses and growing guides see our Grass Types
Fall:
Inspect your lawn carefully for any signs of disease or insects
Continue mowing as necessary, but delay mowing as growth slows so that the grass goes into winter well insulated. Best results are obtained by mowing at the highest setting on your mower. In no case should the mowing leave the grass less than 1.5 inches (3.75 cm) tall
Overseed with cool-season grasses for winter color
Winterize your lawn with a good fertilizer like Fall Lawns Alive!® All-Natural Fertilizer which is 7-3-2, and encourages strong root development on fall-sown turf as well as on established lawns
Get after the weeds now and apply a good organic pre-emergent such corn gluten meal
Conclusion
If you do the few things above, you can rest so easy all winter long knowing that when spring rolls around you already have a huge jump on the care of your lawn.
That’s a very comforting thing, because it takes a lot of pressure off you when the weather warms up to spring into action against weeds, getting your lawn to color-up properly, and starting the mowing season.
Plus, the health of your lawn will be visibly apparent because during the cool weather the lawn’s roots have been developing and are now ready to put out tons of vigorous, healthy, green growth.
Your lawn is going to look so spectacular, and I know you will be very happy with the results!