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Yard Card Prep Checklist

Five minutes of prep is the difference between a display that stands proud for 24 hours and one that leans by lunchtime. Print it, or just read it.

2–3 days before

  • Water the lawn well. Soft ground = stakes that hold.
  • Mow and trim now — not after the display is up.
  • Reply to your confirmation email with anything buried: sprinkler heads, invisible fence, septic, drains.
  • Tell us about gates, gate codes, and dogs.

The day before

  • Do NOT water. Saturated ground means mud and sinking stakes.
  • Turn off automatic sprinklers for the length of the rental.
  • Move cars, trash cans, and anything parked on the display area.
  • Confirm placement with us if you want it facing the house instead of the street.

Setup time

  • If it's a night setup, leave the front light off — we work fine in the dark.
  • If it's an early-morning setup, we'll be quiet. You won't hear us.
  • You do not need to be home. You do not need to be awake.
  • If we need side-yard access, leave the gate unlocked.

While it's up

  • Look, don't touch. The signs are sturdy but they are not play equipment.
  • No mowing, no weed-whacking, no trimmer line anywhere near it.
  • Keep pets and climbing kids clear of the letters.
  • Rain is fine. Severe coastal storms — we'll call you.
  • Take photos. Tag @swellsignslbi. We'd love to share it.

Pickup day

  • Leave it up. Do not pull any stakes yourself.
  • You don't need to be home.
  • We remove every piece and every stake. The pinholes close within a day or two.

The One Thing People Forget

Sprinkler heads. Every single time. We're staking into a lawn in the dark, and we cannot see what's under it. One reply to your confirmation email — "irrigation runs along the walkway, heads near the mailbox" — prevents the only real problem that can happen on a setup.

Same goes for invisible fence wire, septic fields, and French drains. Ten seconds of typing saves everyone a bad morning.

Want the Long Version?

We wrote a full guide: How to Prep Your Yard for a Sign Display.

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