Christmas lights for a small house

Three steps, with a stop after each

Step 1 alone is a deliberate, finished entrance. Step 2 frames the front. Step 3 reads from the street. The shopping list for all three is 1 C9 string and 1 mini string, and the C9 reel runs about $45 to $80 per 100 ft reel, so one reel is the main cost, with a mini string and clips on top. The mid-range reel price used by the calculator is $60.

What to leave dark

A small house crowded with lights looks smaller. Negative space is the point: the unlit wall is what makes the lit door and eave read as bright.

• The side walls. Nobody sees them from the street and each foot costs the same.
• The porch roof if it is less than 8 ft wide. A wreath does the job.
• Every shrub. Light one or two near the door.
• The back. Keep the plug count low.

Power and safety

At this size one outdoor outlet and one timer are enough, and a total of 75 ft of LED draws only a few tens of watts. ENERGY STAR says certified LED strings use about 92% less energy than incandescent, and Eversource's advice is not to overload a circuit, use GFCI outlets, and use only lights labeled for outdoor use. The CPSC adds that damaged sets with cracked sockets or frayed wire should be thrown out.

Most small houses have a low eave, so a stepladder is enough; see gutter clips for fasteners that leave no marks. If this is your first year, try ideas on a budget and the calculator before spending.

When to add a fourth step

If the first three steps feel thin after a night or two, add one thing: a lit tree or two net-light shrubs beside the door. A single front tree trunk takes 25 to 40 ft of mini lights, and a net covers about 24 sq ft of bush. Adding more than one of these usually makes a small front look busy, so change one item and look from the curb before you add another.

Looks that suit a small house

• Classic roofline: the eave only, if you stop at step 3.
• Window wreaths: the cheapest step 2.
• Net-light bushes: one or two, by the door.
• Hallmark cozy: door garland and a wreath.

Upload a photo of your house and try stopping at step 2 against step 3. Preview it on my house, free