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Christmas lights are always the first decorations to go up during the holidays, and the last to come down at the end of the season.
But if you live in a condo rental, you might think that these beloved adornments are off-limits since installing Christmas lights could cause damage to your rented unit.
However, if you learn how to install Christmas lights without damaging your condo then you can definitely hang them up in your home for that wonderful Christmas vibe.
Is hanging Christmas lights okay when you’re renting?
The short answer to this question is, yes! You can put your decor up around your rental during the holiday season - as long as your landlord is okay with it.
In general, you should talk to your landlord and refer to your tenancy agreement first before doing any light installation. Ask for the best way to hang Christmas lights on the walls of your condo, and clarify if you’re allowed to do so with permanent fixtures like nails or screws.
If you aren’t allowed to use permanent fixtures in the rental, then you can ask for the easiest way to put Christmas lights on the house with temporary tools like adhesives, suction cups, and the like.
Always check with what your landlord is comfortable with first, before you go looking for tips for hanging Christmas lights in your condo. But as long as you follow the rules and regulations for the property, you should be perfectly fine in decorating your home today.
Why are all these lights everywhere anyway?
Now, you might be wondering why these twinkling lights are everywhere in the first place.
These decorations during the Christmas season are a tradition for many around the world. It’s a simple way to decorate a home for the holidays, and it brings about an air of nostalgia and joy throughout the month of December.
Bring that sense of joy and warmth to your own home today. Keep on reading to learn 12 easy tips for hanging Christmas lights in your condo rental this year.
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How to hang Christmas lights without damaging your condo
Here are the top 12 ways to put up gorgeous Christmas lights in your rental home temporarily this holiday season:
1. Use adhesive clips
One of the simplest ways to put decorations up around your rental home is to use adhesive clips. These temporary solutions are a great way to deck the halls with boughs of holly - without damaging your walls with nails and screws.
Just purchase these adhesive clips from your local hardware store, peel the protective film off the back, and then stick them onto your condo surfaces. These smaller hooks will help you drape your designs all over your home for that warm holiday glow indoors.
2. Place on a curtain rod
Another way to place decor around your condo is to hang them from your curtain rods, if you already have them. They’re a smart way to dangle your decorations from your window, since they’re located right above the window anyway.
Secure these ornaments properly and use zip ties to lock them in place so that passersby will see your light throughout the dark December nights.
3. Drape on furniture
If you don’t have curtains or curtain rods around your home, then that’s okay - but you probably have furniture at home, right? So make use of what you already have by draping your Christmas lights onto your existing condo furniture.
Just choose a sturdy piece of furniture that’s located near one of your outlets. This ensures that you can easily plug your wires in without worrying about their integrity throughout the holiday season.
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4. Wrap around household objects
You can also try wrapping your decor around larger household objects for that warm glow all over your home. Let your imagination run wild with where you place your trinkets. You can hang them from shelves, chairs, banisters, tables - the possibilities are endless, so get creative with your interior design today.
5. Stick wires on with adhesive putty
If you want to stick wired lights onto more unique areas of your home, like walls, then you can explore using adhesive putty. One example of an adhesive putty is Blu Tack, a reusable adhesive available at any bookstore or art store. Just stick the Blu Tack onto your chosen surface and press the wire or string into it to adhere the decor to your wall.
6. Use a suction cup hanger
You can also use hooked wire suckers, also known as suction cup hangers, to personalize things temporarily. Best used on dry and flat surfaces, these suction cup hangers are a great way to put up these fixtures at home without any damage. Just press the suction part of the hanger onto your window and connect your LEDs on its hook for an easy design fix.
7. Scotch tape
Another guide for renters is to use scotch tape for your Christmas decorations. You can easily stick them onto surfaces and remove them when needed, making for easy cleanup when the holiday season is done. Just make sure to avoid sticking the tape onto the bulbs of your decor, so that the plastic doesn’t melt and obscure your light’s warm glow.
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8. Brighten up your balcony
Want to bask in the warm glow of your holiday decor outdoors? Then move over to the balcony and put your Christmas lights up there instead.
If your balcony or outdoor area comes with its own fixture, then you can replace the bulb with a Christmas-y colored bulb instead. You can also hang your string ornaments from the same fixture, or on your balcony banisters. Again, use zip ties to secure your wires so that they don’t get messed up or blown away by the wind when you’re not at home.
9. Use screw eyes for strings and wires
If your landlord allows you to drill holes into your condo rental, then you’ve won the lottery for temporary fixtures and installations this year.
To hook up your wires, simply drill a small hole and secure a screw eye onto your balcony, wall, and other areas of your home to drape lights from today. You can also attach a metal carabiner clip to connect more decorations to the screw eye, for that extra support and security with your decorations.
10. Loop strings and wires on s-hooks
If your landlord isn’t that comfortable with you drilling a hole into the rental, then that’s perfectly okay. Along with all the other options on this list, you can also use thick plastic s-hooks to dangle ornaments temporarily. Just place one end of the hook on the edge of a shelf, rod, or bannister, and loop the strings or wires on the other free end of the hook.
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11. Freestanding Christmas lanterns
One of the simplest ways to brighten up your home this season is to purchase freestanding and battery-powered Christmas lanterns. You can do your holiday shopping online and look for rechargeable lamps that don’t require a wall outlet. That way, you can decorate almost any part of your condo rental without worrying about damage at all.
12. Plug in your parol
Last but certainly not least is to make sure to light up your home with a traditional Filipino parol this Christmas. This beloved star-shaped lantern is a symbol of joy and warmth for all Filipinos, and deserves a special place on this list for those reasons.
So whether you place your parol indoors, outdoors, on a wall, on a curtain rod, on furniture - remember to plug in your parol and let it shine throughout the holiday season.
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Christmas lights as a symbol
Christmas lights are a symbol of joy, warmth, and guidance in the midst of the cold and dark winter nights. For Christians, these represent the lonely star that guided the three wise men to Jesus’ humble birth. So remember to use your glow wisely and to provide warmth amidst a dark night with your own Christmas lights at home this year.
Key takeaways
Here are a few final tips to take with you when it comes to decorating your condo home this holiday season:
- Choose the right surfaces. If you’re using adhesives to attach your decoration, go for flat and clean surfaces first. If you’re drilling into your condo, choose walls and doors that can be easily filled again.
- Use LEDs as opposed to traditional bulbs. Unlike traditional bulbs, LED bulbs won’t overheat and cause damage to more sensitive surfaces in your home, like curtains and furniture.
- Practice safety always. If you’re worried about the safety of your light installation, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your landlord or leasing company to decorate your home properly this year.
Follow safe tips for hanging Christmas lights as you decorate your condo home with DMCI Homes Leasing. To learn more about DMCI Homes pre-selling and ready for occupancy projects, units for lease, and special promos, log on to www.dmcihomes.com or call (632) 5324-8888. You can also check out https://leasing.dmcihomes.com/ for currently available condos for rent.
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