I’m a Brooklyn boy through and through. Growing up in NYC, the closest I got to leaves and ladders was the occasional fall stroll through Prospect Park. Fast forward to today, and life looks a lot different. I’m now living in the D.C. suburbs, in a single-family home with a big yard, a few towering trees, and—yes—gutters. SMH.
For weeks, I’ve been on non-stop leaf patrol, raking, sweeping, and bagging leaves out of my yard. But today? Today was a new level. For the first time ever, I found myself climbing a ladder, bucket in hand, and cleaning out my gutters with my bare hands. The most “efficient” yet dangerously questionable way to go about it.
Let me tell you—there’s nothing like standing on a shaky ladder, 15 feet in the air, pulling out damp leaves and wondering why suburban living didn’t come with a manual. It was scary, no doubt, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. And I got it done.
But here’s the truth: this gutter-cleaning life? Yeah, it’s for the birds. I’m officially waving the white flag and now actively searching for gutter guard companies—because there has got to be a safer, smarter way to keep those gutters clean.
Lesson learned: homeownership isn’t just a flex. It’s a workout, an adventure, and occasionally, a life-threatening experience.
How do you clean your gutters?
– Social Dad DC
SOCIAL DAD DC 