Before you get topsoil, please call some landscapers in to evaluate the overall drainage profile of your lot. The proper tool to clean up your mess is a tractor with a box blade on the back. The landscaper can do this job in a morning and be gone so it takes no time at all. If you try to do it yourself, it can be done but you'll get plenty of exercise. Let the landscaper decide if you need more soil or if you have too much and need to haul some away. He'll handle it either way. When the landscaper leaves the soil will be ready for whatever you decide to do.

You'll have to put down sod or seed if you want the uniform look of grass. Otherwise you'll get a mix of plants growing that other people might call weeds. If you mow the plants every week it will look green but maybe it won't be a candidate for House Beautiful.

Before paying out good money for something called "topsoil" dig in and look at what you already have because you may simply be wasting your money on something you do not need. What is the pH of your soil? How much organic matter is in that soil? How well does that soil drain? How well does that soil retain moisture? What kind of life is in that soil?