A Timed Technique Makes Raking Leaves Less Daunting

If your yard is shaded by trees with leaves that fall off in the autumn, you're most likely familiar with the daunting task of having to rake them up. There are many leaf blower brands that will leave your lawn spick and span; however, some people still prefer a rake and the exercise it provides.

While it's common to think that letting all the leaves fall before raking is the most efficient way to tidy up, for the best results, you should clear leaves from your yard multiple times throughout the season. This helps prevent mold growth from trapped moisture and suffocation of your grass underneath. Plus, taking multiple passes at raking is much less daunting than tackling one massive pile at the end of the season. The best technique for raking leaves to make it easier and more enjoyable is to break the task up into smaller tasks to tackle every day — aim to spend about 10 minutes per day clearing a small section of your yard.

Spending hours raking your lawn in the peak of autumn isn't the most ideal plan, and it certainly isn't good for your grass. You should never let the raked leaves in your lawn pile up; instead of waiting until every single leaf has dropped, the best strategy is to spend some time each day during the fall clearing one small, manageable area. This is especially beneficial when the leaves are wet or heavy with dew — trying to spend a large amount of time bent over raking leaves can lead to injuries like lower back pain or strained muscles. Breaking up the task into 10-minute daily segments can prevent physical fatigue and strain.

To maximize your raking efforts, start by choosing a spot in the yard where the leaves are thickest. Your first round of 10 minutes might not collect all the leaves in that area (depending on how many trees you have), and that's just fine. Your goal with breaking up leaf raking into multiple, smaller sessions is not to clean up all the leaves at once, but rather to make leaf cleanup a daily maintenance chore and to keep it from being overwhelming.

As you rake, be sure to bag your cleared piles immediately so that you're not cleaning the same leaves again tomorrow. Once your 10 minutes are up, fold up the bag and put your tools away — you're done for the day. When you come back tomorrow, simply pick up where you left off or choose the next thickest spot. As each day passes, you'll notice that the chore gets easier and the leaf piles shrink faster. Overall, you won't be straining your body for hours at a time, and you'll avoid the daunting sight of a completely covered yard.