I simply start in the center of the yard and drive in ever larger circles until I reach the edge. At that point I'm dizzy from going round and round, but at least the yard is clear.
My brother always blew and raked his yard. But one day while he was at work, I blew them all together, sort of opposite of what you do. (outside in) Then ran them over in the middle, then outwards around and around a few passes each way. By the time they were piled up in the middle, they were small pieces. Then by going over them again, they were small enough that it didn't look bad at all.
In all actuality, having the mulched leaves on the ground, protects the roots during the winter months by adding a small layer to the ground cover. I'm sure it's pretty insignificant. But when the rains hit, and the leaves finish decaying, they turn into some pretty good fertilizer.
And don't worry, what ever is laying on top of the grass, will fall between the grass within a day or two. Especially after a rain. Simply because you're actually mulching them twice.