First time homeowners may find difficulty choosing a place to start when it comes to yard work. Prioritizing the projects to be done around the home can be simple: start with a clean up, finish with planting, and work on everything else in between. Most yard work involves making the landscape look presentable, while other types of yard work are aimed at repairing damage or fixing other issues that may cause damage. The latter should take place first, though a clean up may still be necessary before any other projects can be completed.
Start yard work by picking up trash, dead leaves, fallen branches, and other obvious eyesores. Move on to remove weeds, invasive plants that do not have a place in the yard, old yard furniture or rotten fences, and so on. If the projects start to get too big — removing a tree stump, for example, can take hours or even days — save it for later. Special equipment may be necessary for some projects, and it is best to dedicate an entire day to them. Clean-ups are usually quite simple, and they make the biggest impact on the aesthetic of a yard.
Once the yard is clean, it is time to do some landscaping yard work. This may involve mowing the lawn, digging an area for a garden, preparing flower beds for planting, installing edging, trimming hedges and trees, and so on. Most of these projects can be done in a day, but some larger projects may require more time. Flower and garden beds in particular may take more than one day, as the ground will need to be tilled and rocks and roots will have to be removed. It is perhaps best to dedicate an entire day to these tasks alone. Reseeding a lawn can also take some time, so be sure to allot enough time for the project.
Yard work will inevitably involve more time-consuming chores at some point. Repairing stone walls or fences are common yard chores, and if the fences are wood, they may need to be repainted or re-stained yearly or every other year. Cleaning out sheds and garages can be a time-consuming, yet very satisfying, job that will make yard maintenance quicker and easier, since all tools will be more readily available and accessible. When it comes time to remove that tree stump, a trip to the hardware store may be necessary in order to rent a stump grinder. Be sure to read the directions carefully if unfamiliar with the machine, or hire a professional tree service company to do this tedious and difficult project.
