What’s your leaf removal strategy? A little clean-up every weekend, or one big leaf haul at the end of the season? Are you a rake person, or a leaf blower person? And who’s cleaning your gutters? It seems that throughout October and November, every time you blink there’s another layer of leaves and debris covering our lawns. Thankfully the weather across the country has been mild (if not downright unseasonably hot), and fall foliage is beautiful… because we’re sure spending a lot of time outside keeping our homes looking tidy! Here are some of our favorite leaf clean-up tips and tricks:
Blow ‘em away:
The quickest and easiest method of leaf removal is with a leaf blower. High-powered blowers are typically too heavy and potentially dangerous for a child to operate, so consider the pros and cons before essentially purchasing yourself a chore. Of course, leaf blowing is only appropriate at homes with an area to blow leaves towards. The neighbor’s yard does not count!
Bag ‘em up:
If your yard doesn’t have an area to dump leaves, don’t go starting a war with the neighbor by blowing all your leaves into their yard. The simple old-school rake + bag method is effective, although time-consuming. This is a great chore for children of all ages, though! Oftentimes rules or regulations regarding yard waste apply in waste collection: always check with the local municipality to ensure your leaves are in the proper receptacles.
Lay out a tarp:
Rake or blow all your leaves toward a large tarp laid out on the lawn. If you’re doing leaf removal alone, this method may not be the best. If you have a partner or a team (this is also a kid-friendly chore!) it becomes an easy task to each grab a side of the tarp and transport the debris over to the woods or otherwise designated “dumping area.”
Shred the leaves:
If your lawn is covered in leaves… do a pass with your lawn mower to shred the leaves. Many lawnmowers come with leaf-specific attachments that will bag the leaves for you. This allows you to more easily repurpose the leaves as a kind of mulch or fertilizer. Fill your flower beds, garden, or compost with mulched leaves!
What did we miss? What’s your best tip for saving time and energy during this laborious time of year? For all your home service needs, call one of our sister companies at Neighborly!
