Leaf piles are fun to jump in, but gathering leaves and cleaning your lawn during the fall can be a frustrating and time consuming task. Having a strategy and the tools to help you reach your goal of a green leaf free lawn can help make this yearly task a little easier. Here are five steps to help clean up your lawn during the fall.

Step One Gather Supplies: Before you start cleaning your lawn it is important to gather your supplies. You will need a rake, biodegradable leaf bags and a wheelbarrow. Biodegradable leaf bags can be purchased at a local hardware store and are a great green alternative to collecting leafs in a plastic garbage bag.

Step Two Divide and Conquer: Identify which areas of you lawn you will be cleaning and have a strategy in mind. For example, cleaning an area under a tree will take longer due to a higher concentration of leaves. You will also want to find a day where there is not a lot of wind so leaves do not blow around as you are trying to gather them.

Step Three Pick Up Large Items: You will want to start cleaning your lawn by removing large debris such as sticks and branches. We recommend gathering them in piles around your home then transporting them with a wheelbarrow so they are out of the way. Fallen stick and branches will get in the way while you are raking.

Step Four Gather Leafs: Once the larger debris is out of your way you can begin raking the leaves. You will want to gather them in large piles around your home so that they can easily be put into your biodegradable leaf bags.

Step Five Dispose: Different towns have different policies on how to dispose of leaves. Here in Mt. Kisco, New York leaf bags should be placed on the edge of your property. Make sure they are not on the sidewalk or road as this can create a hazard for drivers and pedestrians. Once your leaf bags are gathered the town will pick them up and remove them.