When it comes to managing the barn, I make good use of the plastic, sliding-drawer containers that can be found at Wal-Mart or similar stores. I use the smaller containers to hold a set of grooming tools for each horse, with their name labeled on it. Everything has a place to be put away, and there's no confusion on whose brush is who's for the boarders at the barn too.
For each horse at the barn, we made a grooming bucket out of a plastic ice cream container (with the plastic handle). We spray painted and decorated the outside, put the horses name on it with sponge letters and filled it with that horse's brushes, hoof pick, comb, rubber bands for braiding and a small spay bottle filled with Show Sheen. It is cheap, easy to carry and keeps the brushes from being used on other horses. We enjoyed decorating the containers.
I have alot of good tips! But Im only going to share a few! I noticed alot of brushes go missing, so I keep mine in a peppermint container. Put tags on your tack to let people know its yours. Make sections in your tack box, (hoof, grooming tools, tropical aids, etc...)To keep track of emercency aids create a first aid kit with Bandages, wonder dust, your vet's number etc... I hope you like my tips! Put them to good use!
COLOR-CODE!!! I board my horse, and all my stuff is purple so everyone else recognizes it's my stuff. Also I use my helmet as another bucket (it's not just a brain bucket anymore) When it's cold I put my gloves, hat, and any other things in there as well.
I use The bright colors of Duct tape to label all of my stuff, especially brushes and whips and crops. I also use the sliding drawer storage bins for polowraps and stuff that I don't use daily.
For me, everything has to have a place. If I use certain things every day, then I put them in a place that is easy to reach, and easy to put away. Things that I just need on special occations, (saddle soap, shedding blades, extra brushes) I put in a couple plastic containers, each marked and store them there. Plastic containers are the key! Have fun!
Keep it clean! I think it's critical that every barn be organized in theory. What I mean is that you can easily find things even if to the outsider it is a disorganized mess! I can barely fit into my tack room but I know where everything is and it is all spotless! Hope this helps.
We organize our horse's things into colors. All my horse's grooming tools, blanket, halter, etc. is all red. Hope that helps! :)
All the people in our ban have "horse colors" or colors specifically for their horse, & all their blankets & supplies are those colors. Like mine are Navy & Silver, another persons is Lime green & Black, another is Red & black, & we all have little "lockers" in the tack room & we keep all our seperate stuff in there. So nothing can ever get mixed up & if it does, we know whos it is because of the colors. :)