The Christmas Decor Hack That'll Make It So Easy To Hang Garlands Outside

Hanging décor outside your home is frequently challenging. Whether you're using clips, nails, staples, or siding hooks, there's the question of whether you leave them attached to your home all year or install and remove them every time you put up and take down decorations like holiday lights. Garlands can be even more challenging to hang because generally they twist and bend to conform to a space, so they won't necessarily hang on traditional hook-like implements. Moreover, they're generally close to places people encounter, like door frames, columns, and banisters, so unsightly nails and staples are more likely to (literally) stick out. Luckily, there's an easy hack that involves a hot glue gun and heavy-duty glue sticks that'll make hanging those garlands outside so much easier.

Garland decorations date back to some of the earliest recorded instances of Christmas holidays when evergreens were a reminder that spring would come again. Centuries before Christmas trees became the symbol of the holiday, garlands hung inside and outside the home were a welcome and expected sight, often incorporating several types of boughs and even colorful fruits and berries. As the OG of Christmas decorations, naturally, we want to find a way to incorporate it into our own outdoor décor.

For this hack, you're going to want weatherproof, indoor/outdoor glue sticks, such as Gorilla Glue's Hot Glue Sticks. They come in full size and mini, depending on the size of your gun, and are dual-temperature, allowing for incredible versatility in your projects. Most importantly, though, these sticks will remain bonded in most weather, from as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning as long as you don't submerge them in water, they should adhere through the holiday season.

To hang your garlands, use a high-temperature glue gun to stick the garland to your surfaces. You don't need to glue the entire length of the garland, but be sure to hit any corners, ends, halfway points, weight-bearing pieces, and rogue stems. If possible, it's also best to apply the glue and hang the garland on a sunny day when the temperature reaches over 45 degrees Fahrenheit, to ensure the initial bond is secure. When you're ready to remove your decoration at the end of the season, soak a Q-tip or cotton round in rubbing alcohol and then wipe it along the point where the glue meets the side of your house. This should release the bond, and you can pull it away or use a small putty knife to gently break the seal. Happy decorating!