To throw a bag in Leaf it Alone, first clean the Porch to 100% to unlock bag tying. When a bag is full, hold the right mouse button to tie it and keep holding to carry it, then aim and click to throw. For long throws, sprint and jump, then throw at the top of the jump.
Unlock Bag Tying First
You cannot throw bags at the start of the game, because you can only empty your bag straight into a trash bin. The bag tying ability is the reward for cleaning the Porch to 100%. Most players do the Porch first for exactly this reason.
Bag tying is also one of the three abilities for the Almighty achievement, alongside sprint from the Court and crouch from the Swings. Once tying is unlocked, full bags no longer force you to walk back to a bin. You can tie them, stack them and deal with them later.
How to Tie, Carry and Throw
Fill your bag with leaves until it is full. Hold the right mouse button to tie it, and keep holding it to carry the tied bag around. While you hold it, aim where you want it to go and click to throw.
A tied bag can be thrown into a trash bin to sell the leaves, or tossed to another spot to store it. Update 1.1 added input rebinding for keyboard and gamepad, plus an input toggle option. With the toggle on, you do not need to keep holding buttons the whole time.
| Action | Default input | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tie a full bag | Hold right mouse button | Needs bag tying from the Porch |
| Carry a tied bag | Keep holding right mouse button | Toggle option available since 1.1 |
| Throw | Click while carrying | Aim slightly above the target |
| Throw farther | Sprint + jump, then throw | Sprint comes from the Court |
How to Throw a Bag Farther
Distance comes from your movement when you let go. Sprint toward the target, jump, and throw at the top of the jump. Players also report that double-clicking right after the throw to punch the bag adds extra distance.
Aim slightly above the bin rather than straight at it, because the bag drops in an arc. Several players say one movement speed bonus helps, such as the +0.2 m/s from the Front Yard or Driveway. Practice a few throws before you rely on it in a timed run.
Trashketball: Dump a Bag From 15 Meters
Trashketball asks you to dump a leaf bag while at least 15 meters from the trash bin, and 41.5% of Steam players have it. You need bag tying from the Porch and sprint from the Court. Guides recommend throwing from the basketball Court.
The most reliable method from the Steam community goes over the garage. Stand on the left corner of the free-throw line on the Court and jump-throw over the garage toward the bin by the basement. The walls funnel the bag into the corner bin, so you barely need to aim.
- Unlock bag tying (Porch) and sprint (Court).
- Tie a full bag and carry it to the Court.
- Stand at the left corner of the free-throw line.
- Sprint, jump and throw over the garage toward the backyard bin.
Dunk Like You're Drunk: Bag Through the Hoop
The Dunk like you're drunk achievement wants three items through the basketball hoop on the Court. You need a tied leaf bag, the basketball from the garage and the beach ball from the pool. The soccer ball in the front yard is not required.
Bring all three items to the Court and throw them through the basket one by one. One guide found throwing almost vertically from a suitable distance worked best. 45.1% of Steam players have this achievement.
Why Store Bags Instead of Selling Them
Tied bags are more than a convenience, because they let you hold leaves until they are worth more. Three areas raise leaf value by 25% each: the Entrance, the Basement and the Pool. Selling bags only after those bonuses is the key to the Work smart, not hard achievement.
You can also throw bags across the yard to dump them later at the nearest bin. One guide notes this works well in the Maze, where walking back with each bag wastes time. A second trash bin sits right next to the basement entrance.
Bag Sizes and Prices
You start with a small bag that holds 50 leaves, which fills up fast. The shed sells two upgrades that make each throw count for more. Buying either one also unlocks Novice Investor.
| Bag | Price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Starting bag | Free | 50 leaves |
| Medium Leaf Bag | $0.75 | 200 leaves |
| Large Leaf Bag | $3.49 | 500 leaves |
Where the Trash Bins Are
Throwing a bag into a bin sells its leaves, so knowing the bins saves a lot of walking. There is a bin at the Entrance, and another in the backyard corner right next to the basement entrance. Since update 1.1, the Journal map also marks trash bins.
The backyard bin is the target for the over-the-garage Trashketball throw. Speedrunners throw bags straight into it while cleaning the Basement. That avoids carrying bags all the way around the house.
Bag Fixes From Patches
Several patches changed how bags behave, so update the game if throws feel odd. Patch 1.0.12 stopped tied bags from going through walls when tied while crouching or near walls. It also improved the visuals of bags landing in trash bins.
Patch 1.0.14 stopped leaf bags clipping through the shed wall. Patch 1.0.8 added colliders so stacked bags can no longer be used to jump into a neighbouring area. Patch 1.0.4 reduced the bins' interaction area so picking up nearby leaves is easier.
Throwing Bags in the Castle Map
The Castle map added in update 1.1 has two achievements built around leaf bags. Ring My Bell asks you to hit a bell with a leaf bag. Guides say dropping the bag from the bookshelf in the Library tower is the reliable way.
Sisyphus asks you to break a mosaic and rebuild it. Throw a leaf bag at any assembled mosaic, then put the fallen pieces back. Trade Master needs one bag sold for $10, using an 800-leaf bag and the leaf-value bonuses.
Seal the Deal and Bag Sizes
Seal the Deal unlocks after you put 5,000 leaves into tied bags. That is 100 small bags of 50 leaves, 25 medium bags of 200, or 10 large bags of 500. It usually happens naturally during a normal playthrough.
Bigger bags mean fewer trips. The Medium Leaf Bag costs $0.75 in the shed and holds 200 leaves, and the Large Leaf Bag costs $3.49 and holds 500. Buying any item, such as the Medium bag, also unlocks Novice Investor.