A proper clean-up isn't one big job — it's a sequence of small ones, done in order, so nothing doubles up. Here's the order we work in when we tackle a yard from scratch.
Front. Lawn first (mow, edge, blow down). Then the front beds — weed, prune any leggy growth, top up mulch if it's thinned out. Front hedges are last, because cuttings fall on the lawn and we'll sweep the area on the way out.
Sides. Side strips are where green waste piles up — fence-line trimmings, pavers covered in leaves. Whipper-snip the edges, clear the path, deal with any vine creep on the fence.
Back. Same order as front but bigger zones — mow, edge, weed beds, prune, mulch. If there are fruit trees, prune any deadwood and skirt the lower branches.
Beds. Once everything's cut and cleared, the beds get the last pass. Weeds out, mulch refreshed to 50–75mm. Mulch any thinner than that won't hold moisture or block weeds.
Green waste. Everything goes with us — clippings, prunings, weeds, the lot. Your kerbside bin shouldn't be doing this work.
A solid clean-up will set most yards up for three or four months. After that, regular fortnightly mows and a quick weed pull through the beds is all most homes need to keep the look.