Avoid obsession. Don't think that your yard is going to stay clean and pretty every day. Don't be tempted to bring out your rake every afternoon. The mess is just going to come back the next day.
Have more than one person help you. Take turns at raking and bagging/disposing of the leaves. This will not only make the job more interactive, but it takes less time doing the job.
Use a leaf blower or the lawnmower. What better way to get rid of leaves than just waving a blower or mowing the yard? Using a lawnmower might be best when there are not that many leaves in the area, to avoid getting sticks and other items in the lawnmower. Remember that the rake is more environmentally-friendly and quieter than these gas-chewing machines. Remember that some leaf blowers, especially the ones designed for home use, can be reversed to act as a vacuum and mulch the leaves on their way into a collection bag.
Pick a day to rake leaves and stick with it. Saving a day to rake leaves once a week is better than maintaining the yard and wasting time every other day. Make exceptions and plan another day when rain is expected (or rake the day before!). No one wants to rake and pick up wet leaves and mud.
Avoid hot periods of the day. Plan something else between the hours of 11 am and 2 pm, or whenever it's the hottest part of the day. Raking leaves is more fun when it's cooler during sunrise or sunset - you want this to be fun, not a chore in the hot sun.
Don't track them in. Remove your shoes or at least wipe your feet, so you don't have to clean up leaves indoors, too.
Put your leaves to good use. Compost them or use them as mulch for your garden. They can help insulate the ground during winter, keep weeds down during early spring, and fertilize your garden into the growing season as they break down, all with very little effort. Won't you enjoy knowing that you're putting those nutrients back into the soil?
Give yourself a reward afterwards. A reward can give you a lot of motivation to complete the job.
Comments
0 comment