What To Do With Fall Leaves | 9 DIY Ideas

Don’t know what to do with fall leaves? Here are some very creative uses for them that go beyond piling trash bags on the curb.

What to Do With Fall Leaves | 9 Smart Uses

1. Press Them

Pressing your leaves helps preserve its vibrant color and natural beauty for weeks or even months to come. There are a few options you can use to preserve your autumn leaves. Click here to learn how!

2. Make a Compost Pile

Instead of buying compost all the time, rake your leaves into a compost pile and make sure it’s safe from the winter elements. Fall leaves are a rich source of carbon, and make sure to balance it out with some nitrogen-rich compostables like grass and animal manure.

By the time spring comes, it should be ready for you to use in your garden.

3. Use as Mulch

Fallen leaves make the perfect mulching material. Not only do they keep your weeds at bay, but also keep your soil warm and moist throughout the winter months.

Tip: Make sure to shred your leaves first before mulching. Using whole leaves can cause your soil to dry even further as they’ll block off air and water circulation.

4. Doodle on Them

It’s exactly how it sounds: Get some paint and draw on your leaves. Make sure to press them first for the best results.

Metallic markers go beautifully with autumn foliage.

5. Print on Fabric

This is a great project to create with your kids. With some fabric paint and a paint roller, you can print some leaf outlines on fabric and create a one-of-a-kind shirt.

6. Create a Wreath

This fall leaf wreath adds a warm cheer to your home this time of the year. Make sure your leaves are sufficiently dry so they don’t crumple when you place them on the wreath.

7. Use as Cold Storage

Gather as many leaves as you can, dry them, and pack them as tightly as you can. You can then use them to store particularly sensitive plants or even root crops.

8. Cast Them

Get some Plaster of Paris and make a cast out of your fall leaves. It’s so simple and so satisfying to look at.

9. Make a Leaf Crown

Fresh fallen leaves make the perfect material to make some leaf crowns. Gather some of them and connect them together using the stems until you get a crown large enough to fit your head.

For other ideas, check out this DIY leaf bowl Dave Hax did with autumn leaves:

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As we prepare for the fall season, here are some ideas to consider when thinking of what to do with fall leaves. Instead of throwing everything away, there are ways where we can recycle and repurpose these leaves.