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How to hang Christmas lights

House with lights decorating the front facade at night time

Overview

Learn how to easily decorate your garden and home with festive Christmas lights. From draping tips to nifty smart plugs, you’ll find everything you need in this guide.

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

Steps

1Install gutter hooks

Gutter hooks are handy for hanging outdoor lights around the perimeter of your house because they make it easy to secure decorations evenly without damaging the gutters or needing any tools. They're quick to install and can be reused each year.

When using your ladder to hang lights, safety is key—always ensure the ladder is on stable, level ground and maintains three points of contact for balance. It’s also a good idea to have someone hold it for extra support. Try to avoid overreaching by moving the ladder frequently, and never stand on the top rung to maintain balance.

Before hanging Christmas lights, plug them in to check that they’re working. When you’re ready, set up your ladder and clip the hooks in before threading your lights in as you wish.

A Bunnings Team Member is hanging icicle lights using gutter hooks along the perimeter of a house.

2Opt for connected lights

Being smart about your lighting choice is going to make your job a lot easier. Opting for connected lights, such as string lights with built-in connectors, reduces the need for multiple power cords as you can link several strands together. You won’t need to hide as many cords leaving you with a cleaner finish. However, if you’ve got a balcony or don’t have access to a power plug outdoors, you can always opt for battery-operated or solar-powered lights instead of using an extension cord.
A person is pressing the switch on a weatherproof power point

3Use an outdoor safety box

When hanging lights outdoors, you’ll need to get an outdoor safety box to minimise the possibility of electric shock when it rains and ensure your light display doesn’t go out when the weather takes a turn. An outdoor safe box is a weatherproof box designed to protect your plugs from rain, dirt, and other outdoor elements. To install, simply place your plugs inside the box, secure the lid, and mount it in a stable location to keep it away from water or debris on the ground.
A person is pointing at an Arlec outdoor cord safe box

4Try smart lights and plugs

Smart lights are a popular choice these days because they’re convenient and let you control your lights through an app. You’ll get the flexibility of changing colours, setting timers and even setting up scheduled times to turn your lights on and off.

If you’re using lights from different brands, getting a smart plug will help you simplify the controls. Once you plug the lights into the adaptor, they can be controlled via one central app, so it’s worth it if you’ve got a very detailed design or many different brands of lights to work with.

A woman in a red t-shirt is plugging a double adaptor into a weatherproof power point, while some lights are lying on the floor.

5Go solar

Net lights are a great choice to cover larger areas quickly and easily. They’re a great option for hedges, fences, bushes and even small trees in your garden. Going for a solar-powered net option means the lights can charge up during the day and automatically turn on during night-time - so it really is a set and forget. To install them, unfold the netting and drape it over your desired area making sure it's taut and not bunched up, then secure the edges with garden stakes or clips to hold them in place. Finally, place the solar panel in a sunny spot so it can charge during the day.
A woman in a red t-shirt is placing net lights on the hedges in the garden

6Get creative with fairy lights

Think of different ways to incorporate fairy lights in your backyard - like weaving them around plant trainers or a trellis to create some height in your festive display. Start by wrapping the lights around the structure from the bottom up, securing them with gentle ties or clips at intervals to ensure even coverage. Plug your lights in, or opt for battery-powered or solar-powered fairy lights for more flexibility in your design. Illuminate your doorway too by stringing fairy lights around using adhesive hooks to hang them in place.

A woman in a red shirt is wrapping string lights around a plant trainer placed in an outside area 

Fairy lights can really bring warmth and magic to any area in your home - but a great option is creating a ceiling canopy in the hallway or above the dining table. Do this by attaching adhesive hooks to the ceiling and hanging the lights in a cascading pattern, running them tightly or dangling slightly for a softer look. For an extra festive boost, pick some of your favourite baubles to thread through the lights as you hang them up.

Green Bunnings hammer
Tip: Opt for fairy light cords that match your ceiling paint colour as closely as possible. Often black, white, clear and dark green options are available.
String of fairy lights hanging from the ceiling

7Use battery powered lights

For more indoor decor, consider string battery-powered lights. They come in so many different designs that you can keep them up all year round! From stars, to shells, to flowers, to snowflakes, there’s something for everyone. For a mini project, find some twigs from your garden and place them in a vase. Then wrap the lights randomly through the twigs for a chic centre-piece to warm up your dining table or hallway console. Simply hide the battery pack amongst the sticks towards the bottom.
A vase with branches and lights is placed in front of a large mirror in a hallway, with string lights hanging from the ceiling

8Decorate your table

A similar D.I.Y. to the above is switching out the string lights for wired battery lights. These typically look really dainty and can be manipulated to hold shape. Take a medium glass vase, or multiple vases or mason jars to fill with the wire lights. You can also drop in some candy canes or baubles to add some extra festivity. Keep the battery pack out of sight and you’re all done. Place on your dining table, desk or on a bookshelf for a gentle glow.

Keep in mind...

  • For the D.I.Y.s that involve glass vases, make sure to use battery operated lights as these won’t overheat and cause any hazards.
  • Plan your lighting layout in advance to make sure you know where your power sources are and if you’ll have enough lights and power boxes.
Three vases on a table are decorated with string lights, one has a pinecone, one has baubles, and one has artificial red berry stems

9Looking for more D.I.Y. lighting ideas?

Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.