The Complete Spring Yard Cleanup Checklist
A printable, pro-grade checklist for getting your yard back in shape after winter — in the right order, with the right tools.
Spring cleanup is the foundation for the entire growing season. Skip a step now and you'll pay for it in weeds, weak turf, and clogged beds for the rest of the year. Run this checklist top to bottom and you're done in a weekend.
We've broken it into four weeks for homeowners doing it themselves on weekends. Pros run the whole list in two days. Either way, do them in this order — most spring cleanup failures come from doing things out of sequence.
Week 1: Inspect and clear
- Walk the property and document winter damage
- Pick up all storm debris — branches, broken pots, blown trash
- Clean gutters and downspouts before spring rains
- Check fencing and gates for rot or loose hardware
- Inspect outdoor faucets and irrigation for freeze damage
- Test outdoor electrical outlets and lighting
Week 2: Cut and prune
- Cut back ornamental grasses to 4–6"
- Prune dormant perennials before new growth shows
- Trim summer-flowering shrubs before they leaf out
- Skip spring-blooming shrubs until after they flower
- Remove dead annuals from beds
- Cut back roses to outward-facing buds
Week 3: Beds and turf
- Pull early weeds before they seed
- Edge all bed lines with a half-moon edger
- Top-dress beds with 2" of fresh mulch
- Dethatch and aerate compacted turf
- Apply pre-emergent if you treat for crabgrass
- Overseed thin areas before temps climb
Week 4: Haul and finish
- Bag debris using a portable garbage can to keep one hand free
- Schedule pickup or haul to transfer station
- Sharpen mower blades for the season
- Service irrigation heads and run a full system test
- Power-wash hardscape and patio furniture
- Final magnetic sweep of driveway and walkways
Timing matters more than tools
Pre-emergent herbicide only works if soil temps are between 50°F and 55°F for several days running. Apply too early and it breaks down before crabgrass germinates. Too late and the crabgrass is already up. Use a soil thermometer or a local extension office's soil temp tracker.
Same for pruning: most spring bloomers (lilac, forsythia, azalea) set buds the previous summer. Cut them in early spring and you cut off this year's flowers.
Pro tip: stage bags at every workzone
Stage a Can-N-Hand at every active workzone instead of dragging one bag around. Crews move 25–40% faster when the bag goes to the debris instead of the other way around.
Four bag holders, four contractor bags, four work zones. Finish a zone completely, tie off the bag, walk it to the curb, move on. That's the entire pro workflow in one sentence.
Common spring mistakes to avoid
- Mowing too low on the first cut — set the deck high to protect stressed turf
- Mulching before edging — the edges look sloppy and the mulch falls into the lawn
- Power-washing concrete on too high a setting — etches the surface permanently
- Skipping the magnetic sweep — winter pushes nails and screws up to the surface