Homeowner Shares The 'Life-Changing' Way To Clean Up Fall Leaves The Easy Way

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No one wants to spend hours in the yard raking leaves. We're always looking for a shortcut that will save us time and effort. According to @todayshomeowner on TikTok, the easiest way to rid yourself of those unwanted fall leaves is by simply sweeping them onto a tarp. A viewer even called it "life changing." But is it the ultimate time-saver you need? The answer is: It depends. Let's take a closer look at the buzz.

More and more gardeners are using this method each time autumn rolls around. You might start to think the biggest mistake you can make during fall cleanup is ignoring the leaves-on-a-tarp trick. After all, the concept is simple. Roll out your tarp and sweep the leaves right onto the middle. You can even leave the rake in the shed and try pushing them onto the sheeting with a snow shovel. Of course, you might be wondering ... then what? 

The TikToker has an easy answer to this question. He staples wooden dowels to each end of the material to make handles. After filling the tarp with leaves, he grabbed the handle and folds the plastic in half. Then, he picks up the makeshift leaf sling and slides the leaves into a waiting lawn bag. This handy trick could make your life a lot easier if you want to dump yard refuse.

The tarp leaf trick has become so popular that you can even buy reusable bags that lay flat and can be zipped up with a drawstring, like this Raindeway 6- by 6-foot tarp. Of course, this technique might not be for everyone. It's probably not the best strategy for a big yard, because using a relatively small square (as seen in the video) might not really help you save that much time on a yard that's an acre or bigger. 

Roland from the Getting It Done YouTube channel noted that this hack is best tried on a day with little wind. Polyethylene tarps can be slippery, which is good when you want to slide the leaves into a landscaping bag, but bad if you want them to stay put. During a breezy fall day, you might spend your fair share of time chasing leaves and cursing the plastic, making the essential fall task even more complicated than if you just raked it all up.

For smaller yards that are sheltered from the wind, this DIY leaf hack could save you some serious time. But I'd say for larger yards, you might be better off just shredding them with your riding lawn mower and mulching them where they lay. This will help the leaves decompose faster. Not to mention, bagged yard waste often ends up crowding landfills. There's a lot to be said for the movement to leave the leaves in your yard in the fall. Fallen foliage provides nutrients to the soil and helps regulate moisture and insulate your grass.