All great info and I agree.
There are a couple things I wanted to add... Before you mulch, make sure you water the beds thoroughly and if it is in the budget, use a good pre-emergent like Preen or Amaze to help keep weed seeds from sprouting after the beds are cleaned and mulched.
You can also if it is within the budget add a good general slow release 8-8-8- or so granular fertilizer before mulching.
Remember to keep the mulch from piling up against the trunks/stems of plants (leave a couple inches to help keep disease and root rot at bay) and once the bed is finished, give the mulch a gentle watering to help it settle and keep it from wicking water from the soil.
