Repurposed Garden Baskets Make Beautiful Outdoor Hanging Lights

Light up your outdoor space by repurposing garden baskets and making beautiful outdoor hanging lights.

Summer is coming, so it is time to enjoy the great outdoors.

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There will be swimming, gardening, dining, hiking, and hanging out. These are my favorite things to do in the summer.

What is your favorite part of summer? I have to admit. I do not enjoy the heat. However, I love everything else about Summer.

The grandkids are out of school and venture over to swim quite often, which means we will be barbecuing and just hanging out outside.

We have lived in our home for over 25 years. During that time, we have created several outdoor spaces.

My planting yard on the side has to be one of my favorites.

This space is full of rusty charm. I have vintage scaffolding lined with galvanized watering cans, slices of wood, and charming old birdhouses.

My workbench has stacks of red clay pots and all the charm of a well-used workspace.

One thing we were lacking in this area was great lighting.

It was time to get creative and develop lighting to fit my space, but I did not want any ordinary lighting

Suddenly It came to me and I was overjoyed. Outdoor hanging lights from the strand lights!

But here is the clincher. I wanted to create lights using galvanized wire baskets we use in the garden.

If you wonder where I am going with this, you are not alone. My husband was not quite sure about this idea either. But stay with me.

I did my research and found out what I was going to need to make them.

First, we would string the market lights like we already had in the backyard and then adapt the sockets to fit my hanging light fixtures. Easy right?

Now, you don’t want to do this and hang heavy chandeliers. The sockets can not take the weight, so if you don’t love my basket idea, be sure to use something lightweight.

Here’s the secret, garden basket light fixtures are easy to make!

Trust me…. this is an easy process, it just takes patience, and I have to admit, I had some help.

A little manpower is always good for the heavy lifting.

You will need a few supplies in addition to the baskets and the market lights.

You will need one socket on a cord per light fixture you are making.

I had bought these at Ikea, but I do not see that they currently have them.

You can also get sockets on a cord here.

These light sockets come with very long cords, so you need to cut them to the correct length for your table.

Purchase this small plug one for each light fixture you are making.

Remove the outer coating on the last inch of your wire and separate the black and white wires. Attach per the image above. Fold the top over and close it with the screw supplied with the plug.

Now you are ready to attach the socket end to the basket.

You will need to clip a small hole in the bottom of the basket, large enough to be able to insert the socket.

Remove the end part of the socket, insert the cord end through the top of the basket and then attach the piece you removed back onto the socket inside the basket. Now, insert the light bulb into the socket.

Next, you need to remove the light bulbs from the sockets you want your lights to hang. Replace the light bulb with this socket adapter

.

Now you are ready to hang the lights and I guarantee you will love them!

Lastly, insert your plug into the socket where you removed the light bulb.

If you love this idea but are not sure about the basket concept, you may like some of these.

For a more dramatic look, use different shapes of baskets and hang them at different heights.

I love how these outdoor light fixtures came out. I have had such fun decorating them for different occasions.

Use napkins for a fun look. Cut them into 4″ strips, and weave the fabric through the wires.

Fresh greenery around the edge at Christmas time creates a simple wreath on the light fixtures.

The possibilities are endless. Remember not to hang anything heavy on them.

See my fall table decorations to see how we enjoy these lights in October.

SHOP MY GARDEN