9 Essential Outdoor Tools for New Homeowners

There is a lot that goes into the process of becoming a homeowner, from the closing process to actually getting settled into your new home and adjusting to all the responsibilities that home ownership entails.

One of the bigger home ownership duties that can overwhelm a lot of people is maintaining your yard, whether you have a larger backyard or a small outdoor space. Keeping up with routine yard maintenance and cleanup is important, and in order to do that, you need to have the right tools and equipment. When you’re a new homeowner, you may not know where to start or which tools you are going to need. That’s why we’re here to help!

Let’s take a look at the most essential power equipment and outdoor tools that you should have handy to help make your everyday life a lot easier when it comes to yard upkeep.

1. Lawn Mower

If you have any grass at all in your yard, you’re going to need to pick up a lawn mower. Which type of lawn mower you need is going to depend on the size and landscape of your yard. If you have a smaller, flatter yard, a walking mower is going to be perfect for you. However, if your backyard is larger and you’re going to be mowing a big area, a lawn tractor or zero-turn will do wonders for you and your body, especially in those humid summer months. 

Check out our Complete Lawn Mower Buying Guide to dig deeper into the different types of lawn mowers and the benefits that each of them have.

2. String Trimmer

A string trimmer (also known as a weed wacker) is going to be needed to maintain those tighter, narrower areas where your mower can’t quite reach. Think of areas like between your house and the mower, or sidewalks, trees, and shrub areas where the blades don’t fit. A string trimmer will make it easy to remove any extra grass or weeds that you missed or had trouble removing with the mower. It’s good to have as you give your yard a good walk-through after mowing to do any spot work.

3. Blower

Even if you don’t have a larger yard, or a lot of trees, a blower will be useful when it comes to yard upkeep. After you get done mowing, you’ll need to remove any grass clipping from your yard, porch, driveway, or sidewalk/walkway. That’s where the blower comes in! They’ll also be a life saver during those fall months, when the leaves drop from the trees and start to cover your yard.

4. Lawn Cart

If you’re going to be doing projects that involve hauling things around your yard, you’re definitely going to want to have a nice lawn cart. If you’re looking for something more portable and quicker to use, pick up a hand cart. However, you can also choose a towable cart, which you’ll be able to use with your lawn tractor or other outdoor vehicles. Lawn carts will be useful year-round, from spring and fall cleanup, to moving things as you winterize your yard.

5. Lawn Spreader

Lawn spreaders help you distribute fertilizer, grass seed, and soil amendments, making it easy to cover a lot of ground when it comes time to get your yard these necessary nutrients. Much like lawn carts, lawn spreaders have a few different types depending on how you want to work. You can choose a handheld, push, or towable spreader, each having their own pros and cons. Regardless of which type you choose, these are going to save you a lot of time and effort when you are trying to grow green and healthy grass.

6. Pruner

Keeping your trees, bushes, or shrubs in order will be a lot easier with a pruner. With a pruner, you’ll have no trouble cutting off dead branches or even just shaping your yard accents to your liking. You can opt for a simple hand pruner if you plan on using it for small trees and shrubs, or you can pick up a powered one, that will give you a bit more strength if you have thicker branches that you’ll be cutting through.

7. Chainsaw/Pole Saw

If you have a larger yard with a lot of trees, you’ll want to keep a chainsaw or pole saw in your arsenal of outdoor yard equipment. Chainsaws will make it easier to maintain and trim those larger trees in your yard, while also making it easy to clean up any fallen trees during windy storms. If you plan on keeping logs to use for backyard fires, a chainsaw will be the perfect tool to help cut your own logs to have for a firepit.

8. Tiller

Anyone that has a backyard garden, small or large, should have a tiller. A tiller will break up soil and kill weeds, helping you create a healthy environment for your garden to grow. It’s recommended that you till your garden every year, so this will be an absolute need if you plan on growing plants and flowers in your backyard.

9. Lawn Sweeper

Lawn sweepers are perfect for those who have larger yards with large trees that will produce a lot of leaves dropping into your yard. A sweeper will help streamline your fall yard cleanup, eliminating the need for a rake since you’ll be able to scoop everything up with it. It’ll also double up as a great tool in the spring and summer, sweeping up grass clippings after you get done mowing your lawn.

As a new homeowner, these 9 items will help get you on the right track when it comes to maintaining your new backyard and keeping it in great shape year-round. While you might not need every single one of these tools, they each have their own benefits that would make them great to have for even the smallest everyday backyard projects.

Check out our full selection of these outdoor yard essentials and more online at FleetFarm.com or at a store near you.