How to Make Nightlights with Outdoor Solar Lights

We’ve all seen those nifty outdoor solar lights, and many of us use them to light dark areas outside the home. They’re perfect for surrounding a deck, lighting a dark walkway, or to draw attention to landscaping. Anyone can install them, and best of all, they run on the energy of the sun along with long-lasting rechargeable Ni-Cad batteries. Once they’re fully charged, many are designed to light up the night for ten full hours.

The first solar powered outdoor lights weren’t nearly as effective as they are now, and the prices have dropped significantly over the years. I recall paying $10 for a single solar light over 15 years ago, and to the best of my knowledge, the rechargeable battery wasn’t removable. Also, the light was never bright enough to light up anything, even after the solar panel was exposed to bright sunlight the entire day. Outdoor solar lights have really improved over the years, and although they’re marketed for outdoor use, they can be used indoors as effective and efficient nightlights.

If you want to save a little money and cut down on energy usage, give these ideas a try. For the price of a few outdoor lights you’ll save a little money on electricity, especially if you use a number of nightlights. They’re not just for outdoors anymore, and here you’ll learn practical and decorative ways to use solar lights inside your home and have the nightlights you want without using costly electricity.

Decorate a Solar Nightlight

Take advantage of the rays of the sun, and place the tops of outdoor solar lights outside during peek daylight hours. Bring them inside when the sun goes down, and place them anywhere you can use indoor nightlights. Outdoor solar lights make fantastic nightlights, and they’ll stay well lit for most of the night.

If you don’t want ordinary black-framed outdoor solar lights in your home, consider decorating the edges. They look great when decorated with faux gems, glass beads, small shells, and anything else that matches specific dÃ?©cor. You can even create a handy hanger with a loop made from satin ribbon. Use your creativity and imagination to create nightlights that look as decorative as they are practical.

How About a Solar Lantern?

My favorite solar nightlights looks just like an old-fashioned lanterns. I leave mine outside during the day so they can absorb sunlight, and at night I place it one on my fireplace mantel and another upstairs on a nightstand. My solar nightlights meant for outdoor use cast a subtle white light that’s perfect for the living room and bedroom. I don’t like sleeping in an all-dark house, and my solar lanterns are the perfect solution to plug-in electric nightlights. Solar-powered nightlights won’t save hundreds of dollars a year, but each method of saving energy adds up to significant savings.