Let’s be honest. Putting up holiday lights can be the most boring part of December. Knots. Ladders. Fingers are cold. That one burned-out light bulb that won’t work. All for that lovely holiday light installation. But what if I told you that a simple strategy may save your Saturday afternoon and your sanity?

Here’s the deal: Attach your lights to your gutters or shingles with clips that hang from them. Don’t hammer anymore; patch up fewer holes and get rid of cables that become stuck in the branches. Picture yourself clipping lights together as easily as putting Legos together. Just press, snap, and… there you go.

But what about the places where there are only bricks or siding and no gutters? Twist ties, those simple yet useful things in the kitchen, spring into action. Wrap them around the light strands and attach them to anything you can find, such railings, hooks, or even fence posts. They last longer in the drab of winter than tape ever could.

Are you still fighting the Tower of Babel that is your tangled lights? Don’t pull until you turn red in the face. Take a coat hanger hook and poke it through the mess. Then, carefully pull the knots apart. On a cold night with a mug of cocoa, it’s strangely satisfying and even good for you.

Let’s talk about spacing now. A lot of people want to be like “Clark Griswold,” but they end up with a spaced-out blink-fest. Put the string on the ground first. That helps you avoid gaps that aren’t even or the dreaded “just one more inch” issue at the end of the strand. Hang once, measure twice. Your future self will give you a high-five.

Some people swear by pre-connected setups, which come with bulbs already spaced and looped. Like using a stencil to decorate cookies, it takes the guesswork out. Quick, easy, and less stressful if you want to keep the peace on Earth (or at least in the family).

A tip from an expert? Before you hang it up, plug in the complete string. There is nothing worse than spending hours on a ladder only to find that half of your display is black. I learned this the hard way, twice.

If you can’t get to your roof, frame your windows, porches, or even bushes. It still gives off that happy glow, and your knees will thank you. Bonus: It’s easy to change or fix ground-level lights.

Don’t forget that the memories are what make it magical, not the hours of fighting with cables. What are these shortcuts? They’re not about fighting with bushes and bulbs; they’re about getting back time for hot cider and decorating cookies. If you put those lights up early and call them cozy patio illumination all winter, I’ll keep your secret.