Ditch The Old-School Rake: 7 Easier Ways To Remove Leaves

Fall is a stunning time of year when the temperatures start to drop — and leaves in stunning colors follow suit, too. But while the leaves can be lovely to look at, they can also be a huge pain to manage in your yard — and there are surely lots of other fun fall activities you could be enjoying instead of raking up foliage over and over again. As luck would have it, many experts recommend reconsidering raking the leaves in your yard, since disposing of them contributes to harmful pollution, with yard waste comprising 12% of all municipal solid waste in the U.S.

Still, there are a few reasons why the "leave the leaves" movement isn't for everyone, and you may choose to remove all the foliage from your yard anyway. For instance, too much ground cover can block out the sun and nutrients, which can harm your lawn and make it difficult for it to grow back healthily in the spring; and all those extra leaves and bits of debris can become a perfect breeding ground for tiny critters, who view the leaves not as a nuisance but as extra insulation for their nests. So if you're committed to getting rid of your yard's leaves but can't stand the thought of another Saturday afternoon spent raking up all that mess, put down the rake and try implementing these leaf removal methods instead.

Leaf blowers are sure to get the job done when it comes to collecting any unwanted leaves in your yard. Use the leaf blower to maneuver the leaves into one big pile, and this can easily become a fun spot for kids and pets (and adults, too!) to play around in. However, note that leaf blowers certainly have their downsides; they're noisy, and pump out lots of harmful air pollutants.

Decomposing leaves can provide wonderful nutrients for your lawn, but if left as-is, those leaves can take way too long to decompose — and smother your grass in the process. The solution? Break up the leaves so they can decompose more quickly using a yard equipment that you probably already have on hand: Your lawn mower. Go over the leaf-laden grass with your lawn mower several times until the leaves are nicely broken up and you can see about a half inch of grass peeking out. Then, let the leaves do their magic.

Leaf vacuums are a smart leaf blower alternative that will change the way you remove fallen leaves from your yard. They're ideal for smaller yards, and many contain a shredder that can generate nutrient-rich mulch for your lawn. Just be sure to clear the area of rocks or other yard debris that could clog and damage your leaf vacuum. You should also only use this method on dry leaves, as wet or soggy leaves can damage the device.

While leaf vacuums work best for small spaces, a lawn sweeper is a perfect option for large yards. Plus, they're a lot quieter than leaf vacuums, so you can enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature while sweeping your lawn of foliage on a crisp fall day. (And your neighbors will appreciate it, too!) Since some are powered manually, you will have to put in a lot more effort pushing your lawn sweeper, but it's a great way to get in some autumnal exercise!

If you have a smaller space and a ton of extra Amazon or UPS delivery boxes lying around, give those boxes a second life before recycling. Flatten a cardboard box and use it as a giant, oversized dustpan to scoop up leaves around your yard. A cardboard box will likely be easier to maneuver than a garbage bin, and you'll already have the leaves collected in a container for easy disposal. Alternatively, you can make a contraption like the one above and simply sweep the leaves into a trash bag.

A no-frills tool-free method? Simply scoop up leaves yourself with your hands and arms, and deposit them in a pile. This is a great way to employ kids or grandkids as yard helpers. They'll see this as a fun way to play with leaves and collect a few of their favorites for arts and crafts projects; meanwhile, you'll be benefiting from the extra hands helping out in the yard!

Once you've banished the bulk of the leaves from your yard, you may still have a few stragglers to deal with. So, in between major leaf removal projects, try using a trash picker to spear or grab and get rid of individual leaves. It will be easier on your back than bending down to pick up the leftover leaves — and when you're through, you can use the trash picker for cleaning up your yard's trash and other debris, too.