UNITED STATES—I’ll be the first to admit it, doing yard work is no fun, but it has to be done. So precisely what can one do to lessen the burden of having worn out muscles and being exhausted? Put a plan in motion. I realized the other day that in most parts of the country all four seasons play a major role, in the fall you have leaves to be raked. In the winter you have snow to shovel, in the spring and summer you have grass to cut and take care of.
If you aren’t a landscaper, or if you’re looking to make a little bit of extra income these are things to consider. This weekend I had the lucky chore of raking the leaves. Trust me; try not to get a home surrounded by three massive trees if possible. Raking requires a bit of muscle. It’s not as easy as people make it seem. So I did put a plan in place, usually I wait till all the leaves drop off the trees before raking; hey, I don’t want to have to do it again and again, and again.
So I chose to rake leaves in increments, wait a week and rake, wait another week and rake, and then once all those leaves fall rake that final time. Do things in the morning if you can. Its quite, its serene and you get things done before the day is over.
For most of us leaves have to be inserted into those pesky brown paper bags that are no wear close to being large enough. I mean come on, can someone please make paper bags larger than the typical size that has dominated the world as we know it for the past decade or so.
Having a partner is good; this is where kids come in handy. Get them outdoors and have them help with either a) raking the leaves b) picking up the leaves c) cleaning any debris that might be left over. Yes, if kids receive a weekly allowance this is one stellar way to make them earn it, plus it gets them outdoors and gives them a bit of exercise at the same time.
When it comes to cutting the grass or shoveling the snow the same rules apply. If its only one person doing all the work trust me you’ll burn out quicker than you can count to three. Yard work is no easy task, but if you own a home or let’s face it live in a home, it has to be done. Remember, the early bird always catches the worm. Procrastination is the worse thing you can do when it comes to the good ole outdoors; the longer you wait the more work you create in the end.
