Last updated 2026-10-05
Start with the look you want
Before anything goes up, it helps to know what you want the finished home to feel like. Walk outside and look at your house from the street. Which parts do you notice first — the roofline, the front door, a tree in the yard? Those are usually the spots worth highlighting.
You don't need a plan drawn out. A few notes or a couple of reference photos are plenty to talk through with whoever is doing the install. The goal is to start with a direction, not a finished blueprint.
Check your outlets and access
Most holiday lighting runs on standard outdoor outlets. Take a minute to find yours and make sure they work. If you aren't sure whether you have enough outdoor power, note where the closest outlets are — that's a useful thing to mention when you request an estimate.
Think about access too. Lighting often goes along the roofline and up into trees, so clear paths to those areas help. Move ladders, hoses, bikes, and patio furniture away from the walls where lights will go.
Clear the areas that will be lit
Trim back any branches that hang right in front of where lights would run. Sweep porches and clear walkways. If a gate needs to be opened for back or side yard access, let your installer know ahead of time and make sure pets are secured.
A little clearing goes a long way. The easier it is to reach every spot, the cleaner the finished look.
Note the little things
Small details help the install go smoothly:
- Where your outdoor outlets are
- Any spots that are hard to reach or fragile
- Timers or smart plugs you already own
- Whether you want warm white, color, or a mix
You don't have to decide everything yourself. A good conversation about your home and the look you want is usually all it takes.
Think about which areas to highlight
The roofline, the front entry, columns, and trees are all areas of a home that can be lit. Which ones make sense for your house depends on its shape and style. A low ranch might need nothing more than a clean roofline and a lit door. A two-story home can carry more — the roofline, the windows, and a front tree all working together.
Walk out to the street and look back at your house. What you see from there is what your neighbors and guests will see. That view is a good guide for where to focus.
Time it with the season
Holiday lighting is seasonal, and the busier weeks fill up first. Thinking a little ahead — even a few weeks — gives you more flexibility on when the lights go up. If you're unsure about timing, just ask.
There are no hard deadlines, but reaching out early usually makes things easier. The install can happen at a time that works for you, and you are not rushing to get on the schedule during the busiest stretch.
Plan for takedown too
The lights go up for the season, but they also come down after it. Thinking about takedown before the install means you are not stuck with a tangle of lights in January. If you are hiring someone for the install, ask about takedown and storage at the same time — it is easier to plan the whole season at once than to figure out the back end later.
Takedown and storage means the lights come down safely and are kept until the next year. You don't have to get back on a ladder, and you don't have to find a place to store everything yourself.
What to bring up at the estimate
When you request an estimate, a few things are worth mentioning:
- Which areas of your home you'd like to highlight
- Whether you want warm white, color, or a mix
- Where your outdoor outlets are
- Any access issues — gates, pets, hard-to-reach spots
- Whether you're interested in takedown and storage too
The more you share, the better the conversation. But you don't need to have it all figured out — a rough idea is enough to start.
Don't overthink it
The most common mistake is overthinking the plan. A clean roofline and a lit entry can be enough on their own. You can always add more — a tree, the columns, the windows — if you want a fuller look. The goal is a coordinated look that fits your home, not a checklist of every possible spot.
If you're not sure where to start, warm white along the roofline and a lit front door is a safe, classic combination. From there you can build out based on what feels right for your home.
The day of the install
On the day the lights go up, the main thing is access. Make sure the paths to the areas that will be lit are clear, and that anyone doing the work can get to the walls, the roofline, and any trees. If you have pets, make sure they are secured. If you have a timer or smart plug, have it ready.
You don't need to be up on the ladder — that's the whole point of hiring it out. But being around to answer questions or point out a specific spot can help the finished look match what you had in mind.