I don't know about you, but I have completely and totally ignored my backyard for the last four or five months. I believe I stepped back there just once during the winter, and that was just to see if it was a raccoon I was hearing or an intruder. Needless to say, my lonely backyard is one huge, hot mess.
But now, spring has sprung! It's time to face my fears and tackle the jungle that has grown in the back of my house. For inspiration, I have put together 5 tips on how to clean up our crazy yards so we can actually do fun outdoorsy things with our families now that it's warm out.
1) Be Prepared
Make sure you have everything you need to start your project. A few musts: gardening gloves, big yard trash bags, fertilizer, sunscreen, clippers, and shears. Too many projects have been stopped early at our house because we didn't have the right supplies. This way, you'll have no excuse but to go for it.
2) Plan of Attack
Very crucial because the following scenario has happened to me more times than I'd like: I have to wrangle with a big mess out there and I just stare at it, paralyzed, not knowing where to start. For a major project like a yard clean-up, it's advisable to make a list of what to do first so you don't give up before you even begin.
3) Weed
This may not be the most fun part of the project, but it has to be done. Get your kids involved and perhaps give them an incentive — like for every bag of weeds they pull, they get a dollar.
4) Fertilize
After the winter, your plants and lawn will be starving for some nutrients. Now is the time to give them a nice dose of fertilizer to make sure they grow healthy and strong.
5) Hire Someone
Perhaps you are too busy to do any or all of the above. You know what you can do? Outsource it! If you don't already have a gardener on speed dial, just ask your friends or neighbors for recommendations. And if you can afford it, it's a great option. Then you can sit back and smell the roses — that is if the roses survived being neglected all winter!
Do you have any good tips for making yard clean-up easier?
Image via Mystery T/Flickr
