When the leaves start changing colors and the wind blows in cool fall weather, it’s easy to want to cozy up to a warm cup of hot cocoa. Although, don’t let the leaves lay for too long, or the beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows start to pile up and turn brown. No one wants to spend hours raking up all of those leaves, which is why we compiled these eight tips to make raking leaves easier.
Rake with the Wind and Downhill
Raking can be hard enough work, so you don’t want to be working against yourself. Raking with the wind and downhill can save you some extra energy. With gravity on your side, you’ll be done in no time.
Use a Tarp
Using a tarp will help save your back in the long run. Instead of bending over every time you need to pick up leaves and placing them in a bag or wheelbarrow, you can rake the leaves onto a tarp. When the tarp gets full, all you must do is drag it wherever you are going to dump them.
Stomp on Piles
Sometimes you get into a bind and have to leave all your hard work for later. If this happens, stomping on the piles of leaves will prevent the piles from blowing across your lawn.
Pull the Leaves Toward You
Twisting and turning doesn’t do much for you, besides put stress on your back. That’s why you always want to pull leaves toward you when you rake and tighten your abdominal muscles to keep stress off your back.
Make Sections
Dividing your lawn into sections is super helpful for efficiency. Do one section at a time. If your lawn is bigger, don’t try to tire yourself out by doing it all in one day.
Mow Your Lawn
Some people don’t realize how important it is to mow your lawn until the grass has stopped growing for the season. If your mower has a bag that collects lawn clippings, you can use it to collect leaves too.
Shred Your Leaves
If you need mulch in the spring, you can shred your leaves with the lawn mower and use them where needed. You’ll have less to rake, and your lawn will have extra nutrients.
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Rake Before Snowfall
Leaves are a lot more difficult to rake up after winter. Your grass can die from being suffocated by the leaves.
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