Tie It Up

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One way to hang a wreath on your door without banging in any nails:

Cut a 12-foot length of ribbon that’s at least one inch wide (to bear the weight).

Pull one end through the center of the wreath; hold the ends together so the wreath hangs at the center of the loop.

Swing the ribbon over the top of the door, with the wreath on the other side (the outside). Use the ends of the ribbon to raise or lower the wreath to the desired height (on a standard eight-foot-tall door, about 11/2 feet from the top).

Tie the ribbon around the inside doorknob with a double-knotted bow.

Plug It In

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The more twinkle you like on your tree, mantel, doorway, or hedges, the more outlets you’ll need — but won’t necessarily have. This 25-foot green multiextension cord ($19, Lowe’s, www.lowes.com) simplifies the plugging-in process by providing not one but three outlets, spaced out every eight feet. It works indoors and outdoors and includes mounting holes, so you can hang it where you need it. If you’re planning a mega–lighting project, you can connect the cords end-to-end for longer runs.

Roll It Around

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Prevent clusters of tangled tree lights by winding them up on Wrap-N-Roll reels ($14.50 for four, Solutions, www.solutionscatalog.com). Each accommodates two 100-bulb miniature-light strands. Next year just roll out the lights — and give up trying to fit them back into those killjoy boxes.

Hook It Up

(shown, bottom right)
Put the toolbox away. This 131/2-inch-long copper wreath hanger ($6, Smith & Hawken, www.smithandhawken.com) slips over the top of a door up to 17/8 inches thick.