How To Revamp Your Tack Room With BarnManager

Tack rooms are important areas of every barn for several reasons. They are not only where equipment is stored, but are often places where clients and employees spend time. Since people tend to congregate in areas like tack rooms, why not make them organized and comfortable spots to hang out? Continue reading for a few fun ways to restyle your tack room from BarnManager.

Purge Unused Items

The first step in any redecorating, remodeling, or organizing project is to clear out unused items. Even if you recently got rid of old equipment and supplies, chances are good that more things have started to pile up. Once you have thrown out all the unneeded things, focus on organizing and storing the equipment that needs to stay. Doing this task regularly in every area that accumulates clutter over time will go a long way toward keeping your barn looking tidy and welcoming.

Pick a Style

Once you have gotten rid of all the unnecessary items in your tack room, start thinking about a style or theme to follow during the makeover. Although this sounds complicated, it can be something as simple as picking a predominant color or two. Choosing a theme will give you a vision and help with decision-making during the revamping process.

Repaint Wooden Furniture

Repainting or staining wooden trunks, saddle racks, tables, or desks is an easy way to give your tack room a fresh, updated look. Buying new furniture may not be an option so retouching those wooden pieces is a more affordable way to go. Recruit some barnmates to help since painting projects can be time-consuming.

Look for Used Items

Adding a table, chairs, or cabinet to your tack room can make the area more comfortable and functional. If you are thinking about adding new furniture or replacing something, consider going to a tag sale or looking for used pieces online. Even if the items need a fresh coat of paint, they are still less expensive than buying new. Double-check measurements to avoid accidentally buying something that does not fit in the space.

Decorate

Once all the furniture is organized you can start decorating the room. Consider adding an area rug or carpet to make the space more welcoming. Make sure the carpet is easy to clean. Pick a darker color that will hide dirt or footing. Another way to decorate your tack room is to hang up ribbons. Depending on the size of the space and what you have hanging on the walls already, the ribbons could be displayed around the whole room or just in one area. Photos can also help decorate the walls. Print out your favorite shots from horse shows or around the barn and invest in nice frames. Lastly, consider purchasing a vase and flowers, real or fake, to brighten the room.

You do not have to be an interior designer to do a tack room makeover. If you make a plan ahead of time and find a few friends to help, it does not need to be overwhelming. Remember to keep it simple, have fun, and soon enough everyone will enjoy the benefit of a comfortable place to hang out in the barn!

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How to Begin Spring Cleaning Your Barn

The entrance of warmer weather often brings the spark of new life and desire to start fresh. This winter was a tough one in many parts of the country, and it was made even tougher by the ongoing pandemic. With health and sanitation on everyone’s mind and more pleasant weather being ushered in (hopefully), it’s a perfect time to do some spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning can be a daunting task, especially if your barn is large or is made up of many individuals who have belongings taking up space. BarnManager is here to serve as a guide to tidy up your barn and get everyone to pitch in and do their part.

1. Remove winter gear from sight.

Ask everyone to remove their winter belongings from the barn. Once the weather warms up just enough to know winter won’t be sneaking back in, it’s time to put away the blankets, the heavy gloves, and more bulky items that may be taking up space and collecting more dirt than necessary. Designate a small area for riders to drop their blankets to keep them in one place. If the blankets will just be stored until next winter, put an organization system into place that will keep them out of the way but easily accessible for when temperatures drop again.

 

2. Take everything off the shelves.

Once winter gear is out of the way, it’s time to clean everything else. If you have shelves of stocked with saddle pads, polo wraps, and horse products, take all the items out so you can see the surface below. This way, you can properly dust from the bottom up, getting rid of all the dust that collected during the past year. Also use this step to identify dirty, expired, and damaged items that you can repurpose, dispose of, or repair.

3. Restock the empty, dust-free shelves.

Use a system that makes sense; put the most frequently used products front and center, while less regularly used items can go further back on shelves. You will also notice more easily when items are running low and may need to be replaced.

4. Ask all your clients/students to go through steps two and three with their own trunks.

Ask them to remove all items, get rid of anything unused or unnecessary, and scrub the baseboards of their trunks. While many may not be thrilled, it will help everyone keep their things clean and organized in the long run.

5. Clean all the tack.

Though many riders are responsible for their own tack, every barn has extra tack that may go unused for most of the year. This equipment ends up gathering dust and mold and could easily be refurbished and sold rather than sitting around. Grabbing an old rag and your best tack cleaner and scrub all those extra saddles and bridles that remain will help make your tack room shine. Give all the bits an extra polish to add some sparkle.

6. Sanitize all surfaces.

If we’ve learned anything in 2020, it would be how easily germs can spread. Think of all the surfaces in the barn that multiple people touch on a daily basis. Grab some disinfectant spray and wipe them all down. Kitchen counters, grooming stalls, bathrooms, and other areas should be cleaned regularly.

7. Enjoy the spring weather and your good-as-new barn!

There are few feelings more satisfying than finishing a big cleaning project. Enjoy the fruits of your labor (and the warm weather) by returning to business as usual with a more streamlined and welcoming space.