I have wanted string lights in the backyard for a very long time, probably about half the time we've lived here (which is 14 years). We couldn't agree for a long time how to just have them over the patio so that project was stalled for YEARS. Then when running or walking to get Luke from school I'd see string lights in someone's backyard, even during the day, and think "Wow! That looks so festive!" (not that enthusiastic if I was nearing the end of a run, or to be honest, even at the beginning some times) and it renewed my want of string lights. I know they are cliche and basic and whatever, but they are also fun and cheery and feel a little bit like magic when they are on.
The turning point in actually getting string lights was when I finally realized a solution - we'd just have string lights over the WHOLE backyard instead of just the patio! Now we didn't need a way to loop them around the patio and the whole yard could feel magical. And it does. I am still amazed every night when they turn on and both the boys have been too, when they are up late enough to see them. (Matt won't admit to being amazed but he also took a bunch of pictures of them on the first night they were up...so he was amazed too.)
This wasn't a hard project but the most time consuming part, by far, was doing all the shopping and finding the items we'd need. It was A LOT more internet shopping than I expected but it all came together. The actual work of hanging them wasn't too bad, it maybe took an hour all together?
All of our supplies (a multitude of affiliate links coming!):
We needed 100 feet and debated for a while if we should do multiple strands together or just do 100 feet (we did 100 feet on one strand). We also wanted LED and lights at least every 18 inches, lots I looked at only had then every 2-3 feet which wasn't a lot of lights. We, obviously, also needed lights rated for outside and plastic bulbs because nobody wants broken glass all over the yard. These met all our criteria with lights every foot even!
2) Extra bulbs
The pack came with ONE extra bulb which didn't seem like enough so we bought an additional 25 extra bulbs in case they stop making them by the time we need a replacement. And then Matt used the extra bulb to replace our fridge light which had been out for about 4 years. I am still surprised every time I open the fridge and there is light.
3) Rope to hang lights
With our 50 feet between house and garage, we were concerned the cord wasn't strong enough to hold the lights up with the tension from having it fairly taut. We also needed black rope to blend in with the light cord. This is way more than we needed but Matt also used it to replace all the boat and jet ski tie-offs at the lake and for a clothes line there. AND we still have a lot left over.
4) White outdoor extension cord
We wanted white because the cord would be running along our white downspout to get to the outlet, this was long enough and is for outdoor use.
5) Outdoor timer
This was the easiest item to check off the list because I just used what Young House Love had used and recommended. I ordered online and did curbside pick-up (Home Depot could take some notes from Target's curbside pick-up process...) and that was that. It's for outside and has multiple options for how long you want the lights on. Ours come on post-sunset and stay on for 2 hours. In a few months, when the sun is setting earlier, we'll probably switch to the 4 hour length but for now, they are on when it's dark and we've only been up late enough once to actually see them turn off!
6) Eye hooks
Just generic ones from Lowes.
Part of my problem in the beginning of my search was being resistant to spending money. Just looking at 100 feet of lights was getting expensive (in my opinion) and that wasn't even everything we needed. It took Matt reassuring me that if we were going to do them, we should do them right, to be ok with spending a little more than I had originally planned.
We did the assembly over multiple nights. The light bulbs needed screwed into the sockets and I did that while watching tv one night with Matt. Another evening Matt screwed in the eye hooks and we strung the rope (I don't think the lights had been delivered yet when we did this, otherwise we would have probably done both at the same time). Then we hung the lights another night.
Matt worked out his knots so we'd have extra length and could lower the rope to hook on the lights while standing on the ground. I counted out 50 lights so we knew when we'd have to turn back towards the house. The lights don't quite go to the garage; they turn about a foot away. Once the lights were all hooked he tightened the rope and we made sure the rope went through the tree ok. Tied it off, plugged them in and we were set!
We plan to take these down October-ish, when we are clearing out the backyard of furniture and raking leaves. Matt says the knot on the non-plug side isn't coming down so the rope will probably stay against the house for the winter while the lights are in the garage or basement. With harsher weather we don't want the lights getting destroyed, as extra magical as they would be in the snow. But we also have Christmas lights up and on in the front for part of the winter anyways! (I left our lights in the porch up and turning on twice a day until February 29th this year!)
It is surprising how much light these let off! We have 100 bulbs that use 1 watt each but they put off A LOT of light. Our bedroom windows face the side yard and we can still tell when the lights are on or off from there. We've checked with our neighbors to make sure the lights aren't shining into their bedrooms and they are only on for 2 hours right now. They don't come on until about 9:30pm so the boys hardly see them but I hope for some fires with the boys under the lights come fall.
The only downside is that there are now lights hanging where I use to do my occasional color guard spinning in the backyard. At some point in quarantine I was actually doing quite a bit of it! We already had a lot of lines through our backyard: our own power line, our fios line, something for the neighbors (that I've wanted moved for 14 years but have no idea how to go about it or what the line is even for). I've suggested adding a THIRD strand between these two, to help disguise the multitude of of lines but Matt said no. Another 50 lights would make it crazy bright too! I'll just have to relocate my spinning.
Since we are spending even more time at home this year than usual and are slowly working on making improvements to the backyard (I'll keep posting about those as they happen!) this was a fantastic project to take on right now. It was really easy once I figured out what to buy and, even the 22 hours a day they are off, the lights make the yard feel a little magical. I am delighted again every night when I see them on and am so glad we finally got this done!
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