The TIQ Story

The idea for Harlan’s Trim-it-Quick lighting was born of frustration. Year after year, I would agonize at the process of untangling Christmas lights, testing and then painstakingly positioning them just right, only to find that one strand doesn’t work.

Holiday cheer = dashed.

One December, a friend and I oversaw decorating the trees at our church. We began the process with the holiday spirit, but well over an hour had passed and we were still lighting the first tree. We were discouraged by how long it was taking, and the results were an unsightly mess of wires winding in and out and crossing over from branch to branch.

Paused for a moment. And yes, those words came out of my mouth. There’s got to be a better way!

What if I could create a system in which each branch would have its own light strand.  What if I could eliminate so much of the hassle and the result is a tree that illuminates light from the center to the tip of each branch.

Cheer = the design

That evening the sketching began. A multi-stranded light set design was formed.

Once a homemade prototype out of traditional Christmas light strings and some masking tape was constructed, the idea was presented to a VP of a major store chain. It was confirmed that the product was worthy of engineering, patenting and presenting to the various retail markets.  

Cheer = every day of the year. 

Since the idea was first born, our patented lighting systems have gone to market and have proved to make lighting the holidays and year-round events a more cheerful experience. What started as a Christmas tree lighting solution, our Trim-it-Quick multi-strand light sets and kits are now successfully marketed year-round for palm trees, bushes, plants, hanging baskets, patio umbrellas and more.  All designed for easy application, quick removal and stores away nicely for the next time without all the hassle.

Most importantly the results are stunning.