Okay I don’t normally do this kind of thing but since the number one philosophy of Minute Movement is ‘Make Your Minutes Matter’ I just have to share this tip that has made me a happy and more productive girl.

Our city offers free leaf and brush pick up twice a year and tomorrow is our day, so I have been frantically working on my spring yard clean-up this week.

We have three lovely sweet gum trees on or near our property lot which means that in addition to raking leaves all fall and winter (and spring), I have two opportunities to gather these awful spiny balls from the yard, sidewalk, and street (saving my neighbors and family from potential broken ankles).

gumball

Every time I do yard work I struggle with keeping the bag upright and open long enough for me to shovel the debris inside – and that’s just on the calm days, windy days are almost impossible! I have purchased several tools meant to help keep the bags up and open but none of them have satisfied me.

Until…

Last fall I ran across this ‘Yard Waste Bag Funnel’ by Leaf Mate and I am in LOVE! The funnel is collapsible for easy storage (I’m big on easy storage / space saving) but it opens in seconds by unfastening two clips.

funnel

When it’s open you just flip it over and slide your paper bag on (upside down).

funnel and bag

Then flip it over and it funnels everything right into the bag – easy as pie! It’s made the extensive yard work I have around here so much more enjoyable (and quicker), I might even grab another one for Coach Wright 🙂 – then we can get the work done twice as fast and get on to other ways to Make OUR Minutes Matter!