11 Organizing Tips to Keep Your Barn Clutter Free

When it comes to your barn, maintaining a clutter-free space is more about safety than aesthetics. Debris, clutter and disorganization can spook your horse, increase the risk of injury and lead to other safety hazards. As you care for your horse, barn cleaning and maintenance should be a regular part of the routine. Make it easier on yourself and more effective by incorporating these 11 organizing tips to keep your barn clutter-free.

Create and Maintain an Organized, Clutter-Free Barn

  1. Clear the Barn Aisle. A clear barn aisle is important as you walk in and out of the barn to ensure your horse doesn’t bump into clutter and get cut or bruised. Likewise, if he acts up on the cross ties, you won’t have to worry about injuries.
  1. Maintain a Cobweb-Free Space. Cobwebs or spider webs are a fire hazard and are best removed.
  1. Monitor Surfaces. Periodically check to ensure that no nails have popped through the walls and that the surfaces are splinter-free.
  1. Keep it Well Lit. Replace burned out lights to prevent your horse from becoming spooked in the barn or from getting injured as you walk to and from the stall.
  1. Clean Away Dust and Debris. A daily cleaning makes it much easier to maintain a barn that’s not cluttered with dust and debris. Toss trash immediately and give your horse’s area a quick sweeping.
  1. Store Grain Securely. Secure metal trash bins or containers are best for storing horse feed to avoid attracting rodents.
  1. Store Tack and Equipment Safely. Horse tack, blankets and other equipment should be stored securely on hooks or in cubbies where your horse can’t get tangled in them. Organized storage will also make it easier to find what you need.
  1. Remove Glass and Cardboard. Glass can accidentally break, causing a health hazard for horses. Likewise, cardboard is attractive nesting material for rodents.
  1. Have Separate Grooming Kits. To avoid the spread of skin conditions or bacteria, it’s important to have a separate grooming kit for each horse. Use a bucket, grooming bag or box to store brushes and other supplies.
  1. Keep an Equine Medical Kit Nearby. In the event of an emergency, an equine medical kit or first aid kit should always be kept handy.
  1. Store Tools Out of the Way. Brooms, shovels and manure forks should always be stored on a secure wall rack where they can’t be knocked over and become a hazard.

Turn Tips into Habits

If you’re beginning to clear out a messy barn or preparing a new area for your horse, these tips may feel overwhelming. Tackle them one at a time, allowing sufficient time for each task to be completed. As you continue incorporating these organizational tips into your daily routine, you’ll find that they will easily become a matter of course. Once they become habits, you’ll find that these tips take less time to include, while continuing to provide you and your horse with a multitude of benefits.

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