Decorating your house with holiday lighting can be a real pain if you don't know what you're doing. Heck, even the most experienced Clark Griswold's can still run into their fair share of tangles, electrical issues and high power bills.

For those that don't know much about stringing their lights, here are some helpful dos and don'ts to make your house a comfortable haven for the spirit of the holidays (and all your extended family).

Don'ts

Don't mix LED and conventional, or incandescent, lighting. This is a common mistake because light boxes at stores can easily be mismatched and look very similar to each other, so take special note of what type of lights you're buying, and purchase them from a trusted retailer.

Mixing the two is not an issue from an electrical standpoint (you're still safe), but aesthetically it won't be as pleasant. So, avoid the clash.

Don't light everything in sight, especially if you're using LED lights. LED lights are typically brighter than traditional halogens and thus not as many are needed. In addition, LED lights are very durable, about 80 percent more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and higher quality lights overall, according to Spencer Vriens, Vice President of Modern Display, a home and holiday decor store in Salt Lake City.

If you're going all out and want a true Griswold effect, then LEDs are your perfect bulb — bright, beautiful, but unlike Clark himself, you won't run the risk of shutting down the city power grid. Fair warning: Your neighbors may still blame you for ruining their carpet, though.

Don't forget the trees and bushes. If your lighting a bush, completely cover it with a net of lights, not just the front or top. If you have trees, wrap the trunk and branches. This is a tip that professionals use and you see it on nearly all of the decorated trees in downtown Salt Lake City.

Don't use indoor-use extension cords outside. Remember to always use outdoor extension cords, otherwise you could be looking at a lot of light and heat you probably weren't planning on.

Don't cheat yourself by not knowing what your options are. Many people don't know that they can purchase lights by the spool, 100 foot precut cords with sockets, or individual sockets to replace on the lights you currently have.

Don't make the mistake of thinking you can't cut and customize fixtures and cords, because you definitely can! According to Vriens, people using C7 or C9 cords can cut and modify the cords because they run as parallel cicuitry, as opposed to mini lights that run in a series.

"Basically you insert the cord in the plug (no wire stripping needed), press it down and slide the cover on, simple as that. There are small copper teeth that pierce the line and make the connection when you slide the cover on," said Vriens.

"We have female plugs that work the same way," said Vriens. "We also have female plugs that you can use and attach to the middle of the cord."

Dos

Have patience and stick to your vision of your home. This means making sure all bulbs are exposed (not stuck in your rain gutter or something) and evenly spaced. While it's easy to get frustrated and want to just get the job over with, take the time to focus on the details. Like so many things in life, it's the details that make the biggest difference.

Use more lights if your house sits back farther off the road. This will give your home more curb appeal and help brighten it up.

Make a plan beforehand and know what kind of effect you're going for before you start stringing. This will make the job go easier and will make you feel more accomplished in the end.

Take advantage of the unique aspects of your home like chimneys, peaks, windows, ridges, etc. These are great to highlight and will make your home look like your own while adding pleasing depth and dimension for your eyes to look at.

Add prelighted wreaths, candles, etc., to windows, doors and columns. These are easy additions, making for a timeless look that will always beckon the spirit of the holidays.

Remember that going bigger isn't necessarily better. Often, the most beauty is found in the simplest of designs.

Other things to consider

If using LED lights, make sure the boxes are marked "warm light" as opposed to "cool light" with a color rendering index above 80. The warm light LED lights won't give off that cool, bluish color that LEDs have been known for in the past. Updates in LED technology have largely eliminated this now. While being more expensive up front, LED lights will cost less to have lit and will last longer, which may make them worth the investment if that's the look you're going for.

Remember to unplug or turn lights off during the day. With the days being so dark most of the time now, it's easy to forget this easy step in saving money on the power bill during the holidays.

Set out to purchase lights that are the same brand. Often, many light-stringing newbies will purchase a variety of brands to try, only to discover that the colors are drastically different from one another, despite appearing the same on the box.

No matter what you decide for light stringing escapades, Modern Display can help you create the look and feel you've always dreamed of, in a DIY fashion.

Related topics