How To Rake Leaves

Raking leaves is a yearly rite for anyone who has trees in their yard, but it can lead to muscle pain and a huge mess if you don't know how to rake leaves properly. The best answer to getting rid of leaves is a leaf blower or a mulching lawn mower, but if you don't have one or can't afford one, than raking is probably your next best option. When you rake you are pulling the leaves across your lawn into one large pile, where you can bag and dispose of them. While the actual task of raking isn't very difficult, it requires the use of a few muscles that don't get much work, so using an improper form, or raking too much in a single day, can cause debilitating pain.

Things you will need:

• Rake
• Tarp
• Bags

1. Pick the right day to rake leaves. It should be a day where there is no rain and very little wind. The past two or three days should also have been dry, so the leaves aren't wet and sticky.
2. Clear off a small patch of lawn. This patch should just be big enough to fit your tarp. Make this patch in a central location on your lawn, since you will be raking all the leaves here.
3. Lay out the tarp over the clear spot.
4. Rake the leaves toward the tarp. Start one one end of the lawn, furthest from the tarp. Use short strokes to prevent yourself from stretching too far.
5. Take frequent breaks, switch up your hands and keep your feet moving. Raking leaves isn't difficult, but if you simply repeat the same motion over and over, you will end up in extreme pain by the next day.
6. Pick up the tarp, once all the leaves are on it, by the corners. You can then take it wherever you want. You can use dead leaves as compost in a flower bed, or you can simply bag them up and throw them away.