Diwali prep sneaks up on everyone. Here’s the checklist we’d give a friend: what to check at home, how to decorate inside and outside with LED lights, which switches and wires to upgrade, and the small things that save your evening.

Diwali 2026 Home Checklist: Lights, Switches, Wiring and the Small Things Everyone Forgets

Diwali is on 8 November, which is under four weeks away. Every year, the last week before Dhanteras looks the same at our counter in Bhagirath Palace. One person wants lights for the mandir. The next wants a new switch plate because the old one has gone yellow. Someone else needs an extension board "urgently" because guests are arriving tonight.

None of them did anything wrong. Diwali home preparation just sneaks up on everyone. So we've put together the checklist we'd give a friend: what to check, what to buy, and what to order early so you're not fighting the crowd on Dhanteras.

1. Check What You Already Have (10 Minutes)

Before you buy anything new, walk through your house once.

Switches and sockets: Look for yellow or brown marks, cracks, loose pins, or anything warm to touch after use. A loose socket running festive lights for six hours a night is how most Diwali short circuits start.

Extension boards: If the cable is thin, brittle or taped up, replace it. Don't wait for it to fail.

Your MCB board: Know where it is, and make sure everyone at home knows too. If something trips during a party, nobody should be hunting for it with a phone torch.

If any of this worries you, call your electrician this week. By Dhanteras he'll be booked solid.

2. Make the Home Glow with LED Lights

You don't need to light up everything. Pick three or four spots and do them well.

Mandir or puja corner: A warm white glow behind or above the idols looks soft and traditional.

Behind the TV unit or a feature wall: Turns a plain wall into something that looks designed.

False ceiling, shelves, wardrobes and mirrors: Light along the edges makes the room feel bigger.

Passages and staircases: A soft light for guests to walk by, and safer too.

For most of these, pasteable LED strip lights are the easiest option. They stick on, so there's no drilling or hammering.

Want to see what's in stock right now? Our Diwali range, with photos and rates, is in one WhatsApp catalogue.

👉 Open the Diwali Catalogue on WhatsApp

A few things to know before buying LED strip lights

Warm white vs cool white vs colour: Warm white gives the diya-like glow and suits most homes. Cool white works in kitchens. Keep colour for kids' rooms or one fun corner.

Buy the driver (adapter) with the strip. It has to match the strip's voltage (12V or 24V, printed on it). The wrong driver means flickering, dimness or a burnt strip.

Leave room in the driver. Pick one rated about 20% above the strip's total wattage so it doesn't overheat.

Balcony or outdoor use needs a waterproof strip. Check the IP rating on the label.

Stick it properly. Wipe the wall clean, avoid freshly painted or powdery surfaces, press firmly, and test the strip before you peel the backing.

3. Decorate the Outside of Your Home

The outside is what neighbours, guests and everyone walking past will see first, so it's worth doing well. It's also where most things go wrong, because of rain, dew, dust and wind. A little planning goes a long way.

Where to light up outside

Main gate and entrance: Frame the door or gate with a warm white glow. Add your rangoli, toran and diyas below it and the whole entrance comes together.

Balcony and railings: The easiest way to make a building front look festive from the road.

Boundary wall and pillars: A neat line of light along the top of the wall looks far better than lights scattered everywhere.

Rooftop edge or parapet: Gives the whole house an outline at night.

Name plate and steps: Light these softly so guests can see where they're walking.

Trees and plants in the garden: Use outdoor-rated lights only.

5 rules for outdoor lighting that lasts

Use waterproof strips only. Look for an IP65 or higher rating on the label. Indoor strips will fail the first time it drizzles or the dew settles.

Keep the driver (adapter) dry and covered. Put it under a sheltered spot, inside a proper weatherproof box, never lying on the floor or open to rain.

No taped joints. Electrical tape alone does not make a joint waterproof. Use proper waterproof connectors, or keep the joint inside a dry box.

Keep plugs and sockets off the ground and away from puddles. Use an outdoor-rated socket or a weatherproof cover.

Clean before you stick. Outdoor walls are dusty and rough. Wipe the surface, and for rough or textured walls, fix the strip in an aluminium channel or on a thin wooden or acrylic base instead of sticking it directly.

A quick note on load

Outdoor runs are usually longer, so check the total wattage of everything on one driver and one socket before you switch on. Pick a driver rated about 20% above the total, and don't plug extension boards into each other.

Our advice: Choose one colour for the outside, warm white for most homes, and add one accent colour at most. A restrained, even line of light looks more elegant than a house full of random colours.

4. Refresh Your Switches Before Diwali

New modular switch plates change how a room looks without touching the paint, and Diwali is when most families finally get this done. We've covered the top brands, finishes and features in detail in our switch guide, so have a look before you choose.

We stock Anchor, Havells, PM Cona and Legrand, so you can pick whatever suits your home and budget.

5. Renovating or Adding an AC or Geyser? Check the Wire First

Festive season is when people finally add that AC or redo a room. The electrical wire matters as much as the appliance.

Normal FR wire is enough for lights, fans and regular sockets at home.

HRFR wire is for heavy loads like ACs and geysers.

Match the wire thickness (sq mm) to the load. A thin wire on an AC is dangerous, whatever the brand.

We've explained all of this in plain language in our wire guide.

6. The Small Things That Save Your Evening

These cost little, but everyone remembers them at the last minute.

A good extension board or multiplug with individual switches and a proper thick cable. This is not the place to save ₹100.

Never plug one extension board into another.

Spare plugs, holders, tape and connectors. You'll need at least one of these on Diwali day.

A plug-in timer so lights switch off by themselves and don't stay on all night.

Keep drivers and plugs dry and in open air, never wrapped in cloth or sealed behind a panel.

For Electricians and Shopkeepers: Stock Before the Rush

Festive demand arrives all at once, and the fast sellers vanish first. Here's where we'd put the money:

LED strips in warm white first, then cool white and RGB. Drivers in different wattages are what people run out of first.

Extension boards and multiplugs. Everyone needs one in the last week.

Switches and plates for the renovation crowd: one good brand in 2 or 3 finishes.

Wires for AC and geyser jobs, plus plugs, holders, tape and connectors. Low value, but they sell every day.

Genuine products only. Festival season is when duplicates flood the market. If something fails on Diwali night, that customer won't come back.

Tip: Keep one strip light lit up on your counter. Customers will ask "yeh kitne ka hai?" without you saying a word.

Order by the end of October. For bulk rates, message us on WhatsApp and we'll send the list.

Your Diwali Timeline

This week: Check sockets, switches and extension boards. Book your electrician. By 20 October: Decide your plan, measure lengths, place your order. End of October: Shops and electricians, your stock should be in. 1 to 5 November: Install and test everything. Don't wait for Dhanteras (6 November). 8 November: Switch on, sit back, enjoy.

Why People Buy From Rastogi Electricals

We've been in Bhagirath Palace since 1997, and the approach hasn't changed.

Original products only, from brands like Havells, Polycab, Anchor, Legrand and Cona.

Proper GST bill, so you can claim warranty if something goes wrong.

Honest advice. If you need a ₹300 item, we won't sell you a ₹3,000 one.

Every order is counted and checked before packing. Nobody wants a missing item on Diwali evening.

Ready for Diwali?

Send us your list, or just tell us which rooms you're working on, and we'll tell you what you need and what it will cost.

👉 View the Diwali Catalogue on WhatsApp

Or come by the shop, sit down, have a chai, and we'll sort it out together.

Wishing you a safe, bright and happy Diwali.

Rastogi Electricals, Bhagirath Palace, Delhi