How to Get Creative with Falling Leaves - Cook Portable Warehouses

Those piles of brown and green leaves covering your yard are a constant reminder that task has been on the to-do list for way too long.

As long as there are still leaves in the trees on your property, you need to rake them weekly, if possible. Continue this process up until the first heavy winter storms hit your area. This will help you avoid reseeding your lawn next spring and prevent potential safety hazards caused by wet or frozen leaves.

We have posted in the past with tips to make raking a little quicker and easier. If you want to check out our advice, read this blog post!

You can go old fashioned with a rake or people with larger lawns might invest in more heavy duty equipment like a leaf blower or mower that vacuums leaves up. A perfect place to keep these things is in your Cook shed!

But one question remains, what should you do with the leaves after they are gathered? Of course you can just bag them and take them to the curb, but let’s think a little more creatively.

Here are 4 out-of-the-box ways to use those pesky leaves that might bring some fun to the raking process!

Get decorative trash bags

Those plain black or white heavy duty trash bags are not the most visually appealing thing to put on the curb right in front of your house. But, you aren’t just limited to just those boring colors.

Large yard trash bags come in a variety of colors and styles that can make your home look more festive. Or if you are a do-it-yourselfer, add more decoration to plain trash bags. If you have kids, it’s a great way to involve them in the leaf raking process and make it fun!

Add them to the compost pile

Having a compost pile is a great way to be environmentally conscious on a small scale and leaves are a great addition to it! Adding leaves to your compost pile will infuse nutrients into the soil and keep all the components of the pile separated.

It will take a little effort to load up a wheelbarrow with the leaves, add them to your compost pile and spread them around evenly. But trust us, it’s well worth the time and energy!

Use them as mulch

Another environmental friendly way to use of those dead leaves is as mulch in your yard. Just make sure you shred the leaves as finely as possible with your lawnmower before adding them to a garden or flower bed. Smaller pieces are easier to move around.

Most leaves help feed earthworms and other healthy insects that help gardens bloom when spring comes. But, be careful about which leaves you include because some (eucalyptus and walnut leaves) can prevent plant growth. Just make sure you double check which trees are growing in your yard.

Make fun art projects

Include the whole family and use some of those leftovers leaves in art projects with the kids. Some examples include making a paper leaf rubbing on colorful paper or creating a leaf collage with all different types. Make it educational by having children identify the type of different leaves during the craft.

For more tips and advice for your home and yard this winter, download the free in-depth resource from Cook Portable Warehouses below!