Okay, so the gutters were overflowing every time it rained, and my wife was starting to give me that look. You know the one. Time to tackle the dreaded gutter cleaning. I procrastinated for a while, but the growing water stains on the siding finally pushed me over the edge.

Finding Someone to Do It

First, I thought, "I'll just hire someone." Seemed easier, right? I started looking around, checking online for "gutter cleaning companies" near me.

So many options,it makes me dizzy.I don't know which one is good and which one is not.

I read some reviews, looked at some prices, and I started thinking, "Wait a minute...this is going to cost how much?"

Doing some calculate and compare

I'm no math whiz, but even I could see that paying someone to do this a couple of times a year was going to add up. Especially when I started thinking about all the other house stuff we need to do.

Fine,I do it myself

So, I grumbled a bit (okay, a lot), grabbed my old ladder, and headed outside. It was one of those extendable ones, which always feels a little wobbly, even on solid ground.

First step: safety. Or, my version of it, anyway. I made sure the ladder was on a level surface, and I had my wife hold it steady at the bottom. Because, you know, falling off a ladder is not on my to-do list.

Then came the "fun" part. I climbed up, armed with a pair of gardening gloves and a small trowel. Let me tell you, the gunk that accumulates in gutters is...well, it's something. Leaves, twigs, dirt, the occasional bird's nest (empty, thankfully!), and some unidentifiable slimy stuff.

• Scoop and Toss: I started scooping out the mess, tossing it onto a tarp I'd spread out below. Highly recommend the tarp, by the way. Makes cleanup way easier.
• The Hose is king: Once I got the big stuff out, I used a garden hose with a spray nozzle to flush out the remaining debris. That part was actually kind of satisfying, watching all that gunk wash away.
• Downspout Check: Don't forget the downspouts! I made sure those were clear, too. Sometimes you gotta poke around in there with a stick or something to get things moving.

It took a while, and it wasn't glamorous, but I got it done. My gutters are clean, the water flows freely, and my wife is no longer giving me that look. Plus, I saved some serious cash, which I can now use for something much more interesting than gutter cleaning.

Would I do it again? Probably. As long as the cost always makes me dizzy.