With the holiday season in full swing you may be in the process of trimming the inside and outside of your home with a variety of cheerful décor. As you adorn your residence with festive frills take heed of these three tips to stay safe while you work.

Use a stepladder and not a chair.

When hanging holiday decorations inside your home you might be tempted to use a chair, or other piece of furniture, to get to areas that are out of reach. Resist the urge—it’s not a safe move. Instead, take a moment to grab a stepladder and make sure it’s situated on level ground. Always face the ladder when you climb it. And here’s the thing—never stand on the top rung.

Choose insulated hooks to hang lights, and not tacks or nails.

Few can resist the beautiful glow and pulse of colorful holiday lights. You’ve got to be careful, though, when hanging these twinkling bulbs inside or outside of your home. If you use tacks, nails, or screws to mount your lights you could pierce through the insulation to the wiring and short out your strand. Even worse, you run the risk of electrical shock. Instead of using these sharp-edged tools, opt for things like insulated hooks.

Avoid hazardous décor.

Sometimes pretty, harmless-looking decorations can have dangerous effects. For instance, fake snow spray. Although it can create the illusion of a beautiful blanket of snow it can contain methylene chloride, which may cause headaches, drowsiness, nausea, and difficulty walking—if inhaled, according to the National Capital Poison Center. Snow spray may also cause skin irritation and mild pain and redness in the eyes.

Fake snow isn’t the only holiday decoration that can be harmful. Angel hair that’s made from spun glass can cause skin irritation. So it’s best to wear gloves when handling it, according to the American Red Cross.

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