Ah, the warm weather is here! Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and the siren song of landscaping beckons. But what if that’s not your wheelhouse? Maybe you’re not quite the green thumb others might be. Not all landscaping tasks are created equal. Some small jobs pack a punch of frustration that’s disproportionate to their size. Ocean State Job Lot has a few seemingly innocent tasks you might want to avoid unless you’re looking for a serious test of your patience (and maybe your sanity).
The Dreaded Weed Pulling Marathon
Weeds. It may seem like a never-ending battle! Those tiny, tenacious invaders that seem to pop up overnight. Pulling a few might seem harmless, but before you know it, you’re on your hands and knees, sun beating down, back aching, and you’ve barely made a dent. It’s like fighting a hydra – pull one weed, and three more appear. Avoid this endless battle by investing in some good weed preventer that you can get at Ocean State Job Lot or a comfy gardening stool. Your back will thank you.
Edging the Entire Yard with Hand Shears
Edging looks so neat and tidy, right? That is when it’s done with a power edger. But attempting to edge your entire yard with hand shears? That’s a special kind of torture meant for only a few. What starts as a challenging project quickly becomes an hours-long ordeal of snipping, bending, and wishing you’d just let the grass grow wild. Unless you’re training for a hand-shearing competition, save yourself the trouble and rent a power edger.
Planting Tiny Seeds Individually
You might think that those packets of tiny seeds look so promising. But then you try to plant them individually, following the precise spacing instructions. It’s like trying to herd cattle. Avoid accidentally spilling half the packet and this miniature nightmare by using a seed dispenser or just scattering them and thinning later. Your sanity (and your seed supply) will be much happier.
Relocating a Million Little Pebbles
If you think: “I’ll just move these decorative pebbles over here,” you’re wrong. Those pebbles seem to multiply and scatter with every scoop. You end up chasing them all over the yard, filling buckets, and still finding stray pebbles months later. Unless you’re building a zen garden that requires absolute pebble perfection, maybe just leave those little guys where they are.
Cleaning Out the Gutters by Hand (Without Gloves)
Cleaning gutters is, of course, important. But reaching into a slimy, leaf-filled gutter without gloves? Why would you do that? You’re just asking for a handful of gunk, a spider encounter, and the lingering feeling of “ew” for the rest of the day. Invest in some gloves from Job Lot, a gutter scoop, or better yet, gutter guards. Your hands will thank you.
So, next time you’re tempted by a seemingly small landscaping task, take a moment to consider the potential for frustration. Sometimes, the smallest jobs are the biggest tests of patience. And remember, it’s okay to say, “Nope, not today!”