Every week, the holiday season is creeping ever closer. While out shopping the other day, my eyes landed on a reel of string lights, so it seems like it’s almost time for decorating. I love holiday lights as much as anyone else, but I was also reminded of my university days where I had these same lights strung about my college dorm room. Much like the rest of the underclassmen in my building, I chose string lights to provide a much-needed ambient glow and festive feel to the dull and dungeon-like surroundings.

Without the string lights, my other options were using the single overhead too-bright, harsh light; scattering multiple table or floor lamps around the room, or trying to coax some natural light from the single window. If you were as unfortunate as I, your window looked out to a forest of through which no sunlight could enter. I needed a simple and quick way to light my whole room without the blinding white hue of the overhead light or running around turning several lamps on and off all day. In come the string lights! I installed several sets then and have used them for more than just holiday decorating ever since. And I’ve picked up some handy tricks and ideas that I hope will help you when mounting your own string lights!

What kind of string lights are we talking?

We’re talking about Patio string lights or Christmas lights. The string lights I used back in school were an old Christmas set given to me by my parents, but you’d be better off with a brand new set from 1000Bulbs. Your main choice is between incandescent or LED bulbs, each yielding different benefits. Incandescent bulbs will save you a fair bit, so if you’re just looking to decorate a college dorm room, then these would be a great choice. LEDs, on the other hand, are a bit pricier, but well worth the investment. They will last 10x longer than your average incandescents. They can also be strung together in longer chains; preventing you from having to find a new outlet every so often. Finally, and arguably most importantly, LEDs emit far less heat and require a fraction of the energy needed for incandescents. After running incandescent lights for a while, you’ll notice the room gets a bit toasty. While LEDs do emit some heat, it’s barely enough to notice even after running them significantly longer.

Mounting your string lights:

Now we’re getting to the good stuff! How should you go about mounting your string lights? Just like any other project, the first step is to plan your layout. Go as simple or as complicated as you want! You can stick to the simple outline of your ceiling. Maybe shape them into a square to light and frame a series of photos. Or go for a starry, twinkling sky feel by slightly draping the lights from wall to wall. Whatever you choose, take some measurements of your room with a tape measure to find the footage needed for your intended layout.

Another huge game changer for me was when I discovered light clips. It’s embarrassing to say I didn’t know about these for my first time mounting lights. I just grabbed some tape and hoped they wouldn’t fall down anytime I opened or closed my door! What a difference a good set of adhesive clips makes! Such an easier experience. Most clips use a 3M adhesive, so they’re nice and secure without having to nail holes in your walls. Follow your layout and stick the clips in corners and at equidistant intervals to maintain a symmetrical look. You can either rest the string on the clip, or if you want it to be a little more taut, you can wrap the string around once or twice to make sure it stays in place. This also helps if you have a couple of extra feet of lights–wrapping them around the clips will help camouflage the excess.

My final piece of advice for you is to have fun and be creative with it! If you’re doing this in your college dorm room, ask a roommate or neighbor for a hand. It’s a great way to meet new people and settle into your new home away from home. For whatever project you're working on, 1000Bulbs has got everything you need. Give us a call at 1-800-624-4488, or visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.