Tis’ the season for decking those halls and one thing’s for sure: hauling tangled lights and ornaments out of the attic or garage — then trying to put them up the hard way — can leave you feeling more frustrated than jolly. If disorganized holiday storage and decorating methods have landed you on the Naughty List, we can help you turn nice again with a few helpful tips, tricks and handy products from CableOrganizer®. So read up, grab some lights and tinsel…and hum a little of that tune that goes fa-la-la-la-la….
3M® HOOKS
If you have a wreath or string of lights to hang but aren’t too keen on sinking nails into your walls or doors, think about using non-destructive 3M® hooks, which get a strong grip on smooth surfaces thanks to a special silicone adhesive that comes off cleanly when it’s no longer needed. Depending on what the decorating job is, there are several options available. For indoor holiday illumination, we recommend the 3M® tiny, crystal-clear decorating clips, which were created with twinkle lights in mind…they blend right into whatever surface you mount them on, and have the ability to firmly hold small wires without crushing them. On the other hand, decorating with heavier, bulkier items like wreaths calls for something a little more substantial — but “substantial” need not detract from holiday décor. At least, it doesn’t when it comes in the form of 3M® Command™ metal hooks. These sleek, designer-look hooks use the same non-damaging adhesive to support up to five pounds; and they come in four different beautiful finishes (chrome, brushed nickel, antique bronze and antique copper) to match any shiny or sparkly bits in your decorations.
STAPLE GUNS FOR WIRES AND CABLES
When it comes to outdoor decorating during the holidays, it can be very easy to damage the insulation on light strands, rendering them unsafe to use or just plain useless. Increase your odds of Christmas light survival by passing up harsh fasteners like nails and tacks (which can cause abrasion or place pressure on wires) in favor of gentler options like light clips or specifically-designed wire and cable staples. Available from both Acme® and GB® wire and cable staples (and staple guns) can securely attach twinkle lights along rooflines and around doors and windows without compressing their wires or cutting through wire insulation. Cable staples also have the added benefit if installing quickly — and not leaving sizable holes all over your house.
BRAIDED SLEEVING
Are wires taking away from your winter wonderland? This is where Techflex® Braided Sleeving can keep the spirit of the season and protect cables. Use standard sleeving like Flexo® PET in the appropriate holiday colors, which can expand up to 150% over harnesses and oversized connectors. Blue and white can be used to cover the cables for any electrified Hanukkah decorations. Choose red, white, or green to protect and disguise any Christmas light wires. Holiday sleeving is another Christmas option woven of red, green, and gold. For Kwanzaa, black, red, and green sleeving can be used for any cords if there are festive electrical lights. Specialty sleeving like Flexo® Mylar® in silver or gold, manages cables with holiday flair too, while providing shielding against electromagnetic interference.
FLOOR CORD COVERS
It doesn’t matter if you’re decorating indoors or out: if there are Christmas lights running along the floor or across a walkway, it’s in their best interest —and the best interest of anyone who may be walking near them — to keep those fragile strands under protective cover. But covering up floor-level bulbs and wires doesn’t mean that you have to detract from the overall holiday spectacle — as a matter of fact, products like our cord covers can actually enhance the glow. Many cord covers are simple to install: just cut them to the needed length with a utility knife, insert the strings of twinkle lights and secure to the floor with double-sided or hook-and-loop tape. They’re the perfect solution for preventing lights from getting wet, having their bulbs crushed or being tripped over. Call us crazy, but we think that the holidays should be both beautiful and safe.
CORD ORGANIZER
When it comes time to take down the Christmas lights and stow them away until next year, take a minute and think back to when you unpacked them for this season. When you pulled them out of the boxes, were you treated to the sight of neatly wound, tangle-free lights? Or did you find yourself confronted with the ugly reality of knotted light strands that had no beginning or end? If your answer is the latter, allow us to help. We’ve found that just about any storage situation involving large quantities of cords can be simplified with nothing more than the cord reel or winder. Some let you spool up to 150 feet of cord without worrying about the cord becoming knotted, kinked or twisted.
