Ok…so I’m in the weeds…badly…and I can’t keep up with organization in the barn and the trailer… I feel like I need a barn fairy to come and make everything sparkle. But I feel stupid trying to hire someone for the barn… but people have housecleaners right?
Has anyone used a barn cleaning service or paid for their barn or trailer to be organized? Does this even exist? I’ve never heard of people doing that service, have you?
Hmmm… anyone else have this problem where you just can’t keep up?
This saved my life:
www.flylady.net. Break tasks down into 15 minute segments, don’t try to do it all at once, and have a routine. Get rid of stuff you don’t need – and you really don’t need all that stuff you think you do.
Flylady seems silly, but frankly, it does work.
Where are you located? I’m a neat freak and would come out and do it if you’re in my area!
Northern VA…what would you charge for something like that?
OMG I feel your pain and have spent the last three weekends making my barn pristine. It has taken A LOT of work, but I just took it one space at a time and slowly it began to sparkle. I second Kwill’s advice. Just break it down into manageable tasks and you will be chocked at how quickly things get cleaned up.
I’m kind of surprised no one does this to make money…haha…
This is what the lesson kids do on rainy days! I still have to watch them like a hawk because the are kids and if they can do something half way they will.
For deep down cleaning, I take every thing out and lay it out on the ground. We sweep the floors and dust all the saddle racks. I keep a bucket of warm soapy water and lots of rags on hand because barns get dusty and everything needs to be wiped down. I fill a bucket with water soap/bleach and throw all the brushes in that to soak while we put all the other stuff back up.
I organize bridles according to western and english or each horse gets their own rack (some horses have several bridles) Wipe down bits with Lysol disinfecting wipes (I do this daily after lessons too)
Saddles are put in according to size. Kids saddles in one area. Adult sizes in another. Saddle pad racks are under saddles.
Helmets all wiped down and put on shelf. Meds/ointments wiped down and put on top shelf (so kids can’t reach).
Throw away any trash, broken equipment and store any equipment not in use.
Do the same thing with the trailer. Usually have to do it after each show/trail
ride
[QUOTE=altermetoday;7776645]
I’m kind of surprised no one does this to make money…haha…[/QUOTE]
I’m not physically up to doing the cleaning due to arthritis, but I’d love to work out organization systems. (I am horribly bad at keeping my own space tidy but very good at helping other people figure things out, go figure.)
[QUOTE=altermetoday;7776606]
Northern VA…what would you charge for something like that?[/QUOTE]
Darn - Too Far! As far as charging I’m not sure. I guess it depends on the scope of the work and how long it would take me.
I don’t know that there is much of a market for this though. I know for me personally, I’m a pretty private person and would be uncomfortable hiring a stranger to go through my stuff. Not to mention, there have been a rash of tack thefts in our region so I would be paranoid and wonder if the person I was hiring was really just casing the joint and I’d be paying them to do it.
Honestly, when things need to be cleaned, I get some friends have a cooler at the barn with adult beverages. We clean and chat then we order pizza and eat. LOL!
I recently took over management of a new facility and have been cleaning like a fiend to get this place up to snuff. I feel like I’ve got barn cleaning and organization down to a science!
sent you a PM!
I’m currently working for someone who has a private barn and 7 horses. I do turn out, clean stalls, etc. I also work on cleaning/organizing in the tack room and barn. I just finished cleaning all the old bridles and saddles, and am currently working on cobwebs. I am getting $12/hour. My own tack room and barn are a mess, but if I’m getting paid for it, I am a super awesome cleaner 
Here’s just another tip from Flylady, website above:
Put out three buckets (big ones). Label them give away/sell, throw away, put away.
Set a timer for 15 minutes. Start somewhere, and put things in buckets. For the put away stuff, maybe you need to clean some of it, so it could be clean/put away.
Stop after 15 minutes and do something else. Then go back, clean some things for 15 minutes, then put them away or leave them to dry. Throw the broken, old, unusable stuff away. For stuff you don’t want, clean it up and sell it on ebay or consign it. Tack isn’t something you can just give to charity, but you could give things away to boarders or others if it’s not a high dollar item.
I don’t know a horse person who isn’t a tack hoarder, but seriously, do you need four breastplates? How about the 30 halters in various sizes and condition you have collected? Be mean to yourself and don’t clutter up your tack room! Send them out to people who can use them, have a tack garage sale.
PS I just bought another saddle today, so I have absolutely no room to talk about not hoarding, but I am getting rid of most of the girths/halters/misc. stuff I have collected over the years I am not using. I don’t need five pairs of braided reins that are extra from bridles that already have reins. I really don’t!
[QUOTE=Kwill;7776489]
This saved my life:
www.flylady.net. Break tasks down into 15 minute segments, don’t try to do it all at once, and have a routine. Get rid of stuff you don’t need – and you really don’t need all that stuff you think you do.
Flylady seems silly, but frankly, it does work.[/QUOTE]
I wish I paid as much attention to my house as I do to my barn and trailer :lol:
For an alternative to Flylady (with an app!) Google “unfilth your habitat” (“filth” is actually another f-word…) If you’re OK with some cursing, it does a great job of breaking tasks down and motivating. I find it pretty funny! I’m sure the same principles could apply to a barn and trailer.
Check out the local Pony Club or 4-H club. They might want to do it as a fundraiser, or maybe Christmas money.
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