# How do you all do it?!?



## GrassDaddy (Mar 21, 2017)

Hey All

So my first year working a "normal job" and it's killing me. Not the job part but the keeping up with the lawn part. How have you all been doing this!? I knew but didn't really know just how much an advantage owning my own business and working from home was for lawn care but now I REALLY know. Any tips?? LOL

I will say this, the Cub Cadet has made a world of difference for mowing, I can do the whole yard in maybe 2 minutes. So at least it's not overwhelmingly shaggy now lol.

On top of that I've been able to get to TLF maybe twice this year. I'll poke around in Discord but usually cuz it's just chit chat in the moment.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

It's tough - I have fallen behind this year.


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## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

Most of the time I do my yard work on my days off. Sometimes I do a little here and there before work. I definitely fell behind mowing this year.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

GrassDaddy said:


> Hey All
> 
> So my first year working a "normal job" and it's killing me. Not the job part but the keeping up with the lawn part. How have you all been doing this!? I knew but didn't really know just how much an advantage owning my own business and working from home was for lawn care but now I REALLY know. Any tips?? LOL
> 
> ...


It's really a matter of prioritizing what's important in your life. I will say that there have been times that I have been to your channel and been frustrated because you haven't posted anything. But who am I to be upset because you were spending time with your kids or living your life. If you didn't have a YouTube following would you even worry about your lawn right now? Work your job, spend time with your kids, and keep your wife happy. Do that and you can sleep at night. While I enjoy your videos and would love to see you post more, I don't want it to cause issues in your personal life. You put those kids and your wife first and make a video when you can.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

I plan out in my head what needs done. I do just a little bit a few nights a week as I can. I definitely don't get stressed out about it. With three kids I make sure they get involved in the lawn as well if they want.


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

I have fallen behind also... a busy job paired with a job change right in the middle of the growing season really changed the dynamic for me this year. I'm just working this fall on setting myself up for success in the spring.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I break up tasks into separate evenings, and weekend mornings and evenings. Too hot in the afternoons.

I edge one evening, then weed whack the next, then mow and bag, then blow the leftovers I miss by bagging.

I don't have a choice because our HOA inspects at random, and they love sending wannabe-Nazi "citations"....

If you plan your tasks out, you can get it done without killing yourself or getting rained out; I watch weather daily.

But it takes hard work and dedication, there is no denying that. The Texas sun and heat are truly merciless.

I put a bar towel on my head, wrap a bandanna around my head, put on a baseball cap, and wear ear muffs.

Safety or safety sun glasses (I mow after sunset sometimes); bandanna around my nose and mouth. Gloves.

I keep a bar towel on my lawn tractor to dry off, and a quart pitcher of ice water filled up by my loving bride.

And I take a break when I start getting winded or overheated. Sit in front of a high velocity fan to cool off.

And then I get up and go again until I am done, and can take a nice relaxing shower to clean up and crash....

I save myself about $4000 a year, and I do a much better job. I enjoy looking at my yard when I'm done....

And the best part is when I am done, at year end, I have made about a dollar an hour doing it all myself! :thumbsup: :tease: :wacko: :crazy: :sad:


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## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Definitely hard. Not going to lie last year in about June I checked out and outside of mowing I didn't do crap yard wise. I had a 3 year old and a 6 month old. Also my wife and I work opposite schedules a lot to avoid babysitting so unless kids were taking a nap I just didn't have time to do yard stuff.

This year has been a little better not that the 1 year old is a little more self dependent. I try to get some stuff done like watering or spraying in early morning when kids are still asleep.


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

FlowRider said:


> I break up tasks into separate evenings, and weekend mornings and evenings.
> 
> ...
> 
> If you plan your tasks out, you can get it done without killing yourself or getting rained out; I watch weather daily.


One of my downfalls this year was my poor planning. To fix that, I'm setting up a kanban board (for lawn and other house-related needs) so I can also jot down tasks that are required to complete the job in order, and to also keep work-in-progress projects to a minimum. I'm also going to spend some off-season time coming up with an actual lawn care plan.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I try to keep things simple. I always plan to mow twice a week. For example I'm doing Monday and Friday nights. If weather/birthday parties doesn't look good I switch it up or down a day. If I can't mow, then I know I have another day planned.

Getting pgr down helps a lot, but keeping the pgr schedule is more challenging.


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## Babaganoosh (Apr 21, 2019)

I am lucky to get out of work earlier than the 9 to 5 people. So I have a few extra hours. That being said I do try to get the regular maintenance type of stuff done on workdays even if I'm a little tired. Mowing, edging etc. That way I have the weekdays for doing things that take more time. Spraying pre emergent and watering it in, aerating, seeding, mulching the beds.

You don't have to have a water tight plan. As a matter of fact a little bit looser plan that you can adapt depending on weather conditions, life, or surprise weed/fungus issues is better.

I find that having a calendar in front of me helps. Then I use a pencil because life always finds a way to mess with you.

How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time... Small manageable pieces is always better than getting overwhelmed and doing nothing or jamming everything into one day. Many times I'll just get right to it after work, keep the momentum going. If I stop and rest it's over.


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## arj116 (Sep 7, 2019)

Time and money is my biggest enemy, Mortgage, property tax, car, phone, kids private school fees etc left me with nothing in my pocket. My line line of work (auto sector) crazy hours. I am lucky if I get a day to put solid 5-6 hours in. Plus owning a corner house with a dilapidated lawn *see my thread in cool season * which makes for an even tougher outcome to get it sorted


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