TRY THESE 5 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS HACKS FOR WINTER

We can thank a guy named George for these daylight-saving hacks. After all, George proposed the idea of daylight savings in 1895. But adjusting the working hours to end with the sunset has been around for centuries. 

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You can read up on the fun facts about the history and the satirical writings by  Benjamin Franklin on the subject of daylight savings.

Or, we could just watch our dogs.

Elliott thinks dinner is earlier than the day before based on the sun’s location as it sets over the Colorado mountain range.

I shared this photo of Elliott on Insta the other day. Elliott just waits for me to finish up in my office so he can have the early seating option for dinner.  

Daylight Savings Hacks

Several of these daylight savings hacks come from my Realtor life. Last year, I had a semi-vacant listing in the middle of the winter. Besides having to shovel the vacant driveway,  I wanted the buyers to not have to fumble with the lights when they walked through the front door in November.

I wish I had installed a few of these.

As we set our clocks back an hour for a glorious “extra” hour on Sunday, here are a few daylight savings hacks I use with my listings (and sellers). And, these same hacks work well in our own homes as the sun descends for the day. These are the shorter days of our lives …until spring. 

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS IDEAS

1. Lighting  Add a lamp next to the front door for easy access when you arrive home. The last thing we want in the winter is to have our foot in a walking boot from a misplaced step on a stair tread. True story for me last winter. 

2. TIMERS    Lighting plays a big part in how we respond to a space. And, not all homes (or my parents) are prewired for smart technology to light up a house. 

My mom placed timers around the house when we went on vacation. So this tip comes from her. 

The good news is an old-fashioned timer is an inexpensive way to add light to different rooms at different times of the day. 

And, I think additional lighting in the winter just picks up our mood.

Sidenote: I can’t wait to have my Christmas tree set to turn on at the end of the day. 

Tip: I gave our daughter and her accounting friends lamp timers last tax season with their customary late-night schedules. 

3. OUTDOOR SOLAR LIGHTS Solar pathway lighting comes in a variety of styles and price points. Many can easily be placed (shoved) into the yard (easier before the ground freezes).

Solar pathway lighting works well around the front and back doors.

If you don’t have a front yard solar lights work just as well in a planter by the door.

I ordered these lights because they are level with the ground

Arriving home with additional lighting on the porch is great for a home that looks empty from the front of the house. 

And, even if many of us are not arriving home after the end of the workday, it is still a warm, cozy feel to see lighting on our porches or paths. 

4. STRAND OF LIGHTS

If you are short on sunlight for the solar option you can opt for a strand of lights and tuck them inside a planter. It works year-round and it adds some additional lighting around your front door (or back door) if you have a detached garage. 

I hid a strand of lights in this painted glass pumpkin. I shared how I painted glass with these photos. 

5. INSTALL A MOTION-ACTIVATED LIGHT

I love, love, love this OverLite. It is a motion-activated light that is perfect for closets, cabinets, or ceilings where you do not have a light fixture. 

The best part is this light can be attached with screws or tape adhesive (both included).

 We installed one in our entry closet and I love it! This light is bright and automatically shuts off after so many seconds of no motion.

Sometimes I have to wave my hand above my head to re-activate it, but usually, I am in and out of our hall closet.

This motion-activated light works great under a kitchen sink or if you need additional light near the furnace.  

This would be great for house guests or grandparents who may not be as familiar with a home’s layout when it is dark. 

With daylight savings, this is the perfect time to add a little light in a closet or dimly lit garage. 

SHOP THESE IDEAS HERE:

Enjoy the early morning light and the interior lighting at the end of the day. I would love for you to join my once-a-week newsletter, The Weekend Edit, for other tips and one-hour decor projects for the weekends.

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