Luckily I have two places I can take the debris. One is a yard where we can take organic materials and is supported by our local taxes. Perhaps there is one where you can take such things even if you have to do it yourself. Good luck.

Bugs and insects overwinter in the debris and you could be dumping all the beneficial insects right into the trash if you clean up to early. Best to wait until the weather is truly spring-like before cleaning up. Oh, Compost bins are the new black!

There are more than 10 flower/veg beds on this property. This is a corner lot and the east side faces the street so I like to get it tidied up. I had a big passion plant that I failed to take down, last year, and a whole lot of milk week stalks that were beyond unsightly. And it's the new location for the feral's food bowls so I wanted to get that area cleaned up so the soil can start to dry. It's where I will be putting the 'I hope they will use it' shelter. There are some big shrubs on the N/E corner that will give them a feeling of being hidden.

I never rake the back lot so there are LOTS of fallen leaves, etc, AND YET still another flower garden for insects. I have a couple little brush piles that I just let stay, that makes great shelter.

And turned over one of my compost piles to get at some of the good stuff to put under them. I have a general rule that each annual gets a trowel full of sifted compost when it’s planted.

using a lot of that debris as homes and shelters from the storm, so don't be too hasty. Keep surveying for awhile.

I never rake leaves, and the back lot has 5 big trees. I clean up this garden simply for aesthetic reasons since it's the one most visible to the road and neighbors. And when I checked it out, the other day, I realized I hardly made a DENT in things.

When you said how many bags, I was thinking of a small lot that was getting very clean!

That one, in particular, has Day Lilies that leave a LOT of debris. During the Spring there are lots of Daffodils and Narcissus so those sprouting plants need to be uncovered. Once they really start to grow, it's too late to rake without damaging the greens.

last year blooms. New growth has started at the base.

I was thinking the same thing about my sedums.

My Daffs, Tulips and Narcissus are all popping up. I need to check the Hyacinth and other Spring blooms.

The Daffs are in full bud, in front of the house (south facing) and I hope will be blooming by Easter.