It’s about that time of the year; time to get out your rakes! Fall can be one of the most exciting and beautiful seasons, but it can often be overshadowed by the overbearing chore that is raking. Raking up all the fall leaves can be time-consuming, challenging, and put a real strain on your body, but we want to help!
We want you to spend more time enjoying the outdoors with friends and family, so here are some useful tips to make raking less of a hassle:
Health And Safety Come First
Raking can be a real workout and strain your body, so make sure not to overexert yourself with this laborious task. A few ways to take care of yourself include wearing gloves to protect your hands, wearing a mask if you suffer from allergies, staying hydrated, taking frequent breaks, and not doing more work than you can handle; it’s not worth pushing yourself too hard and getting hurt.
Divide Your Lawn Into Sections
Make a plan and consider dividing your property into sections before you start. Take on one area at a time, and if you have a large lawn, don’t do it all in one day.
Use a Tarp
Rather than bending over every few minutes to pick up leaves and strain your back while doing so, take out a tarp and rake the leaves onto it. Grab the tarp and drag all the leaves into the area you want to collect them.
Rake With The Wind And Downhill
Raking is already a tough job; don’t make it more difficult than it needs to be. Leaves are light and can easily blow in the wind. Make sure to rake with the wind, so they don’t blow away from you, and rake downhill to let gravity help out too.
Pull The Leaves Toward You
Don’t twist or turn as your rake. Be conscious to pull the leaves toward you and stand more straight. You want to be careful not to bend your back over too much. Your muscles will thank you later.
Stomp On The Leaves Before You Step Away
Don’t let the wind ruin your hard work! If you need to take a break or step away from your leaf piles before collecting them, walk and step all over them to prevent them from blowing away.
Utilize Your Lawnmower
If your lawnmower has an attachment that can shred leaves and collect the clippings, use it! This will cut down heavily the amount of raking you need to do, which will be a lifesaver for your back. Collecting the leaves will also be a breeze since the clippings will go right in the bag attached to your mower.
Happy raking!
Home Exterior Care in Norwalk, CT
Spend your autumn season focusing on family fun and not taking care of your property. The experts at Landmark Exteriors are here to help your home’s exterior look and perform its best this fall season and all year long! Give us a call at (203) 838-3838 to learn more.