weeds

It is actually not very good for your soil to leave is 'bare', as the rain and lack of bonding roots and leaves to sheild the soil cause the soil structure to be damaged. Often better to leave a protective carpet of weeds rather than remove everything and leave the soil bare. It might be worth growing a 'green mulch' while you decide what you're going to do. This is usually a type of mustard - they'll have it at your garden centre. This can then be dug back into the ground, which will improve it, when you are ready to get planting. Otherwise, can I suggest you just hoe out any weeds you want rid - pesticides are nasty things and their manufacture is really bad for the environment :-(
Hope this helps :-)

Good advice from Sid, take it!!!!