I tend to declutter pretty frequently. For whatever reason, an excess of things overwhelms me, so maintaining a minimalistic lifestyle benefits my space and mental health. And as you could imagine, this goes far beyond my house and makes an appearance in my tack room as well. I try to live my life aligned with the seasons so when seasons come and go, so do some of the material goodies. Along with living in alignment with the season, the things I bring into my space are very intentional and practical. However, sometimes there are impulse buys and gifts from loved ones that do tend to collect or items that may have outgrown theirs practically.
This even applies to the tack rooms, folks! With a recent tack room decluttering that I did, I’d like to share my tips and tricks with you as to how I decided what stays, what goes, and how to store the less frequently used items! So let’s jump in.
1) Purge the items you haven’t used since last summer.
This may seem like an obvious one, but some people like to hold on to things thinking they’ll use them next time. Trust me, if you haven’t used it in over a year chances are slime you’re going to need it again. If it has remained in your space during the last four seasons and you haven’t touched it, then toss it.
Okay so now that we have the unused items out of the way let’s move on.
2) Organize the items you use more frequently.
Now you’re going to create two different piles/stacks. One for items used frequently and the other for items that aren’t used as often. Don’t skip this step! It may seem small and pointless, but I promise it’s not. It’s critical when it comes time to place your tack in its designated areas.
*Side note- less frequently doesn’t mean used once 6 years ago. It means you may not use it every day or every month but it at least gets used a couple of times a year. A perfect example of this for me is my horse blankets. They are only used about 2 times a year but when I need them, I have them, and Im thankful that I haven’t tossed them.
3) Organize items into their types.
The item groups I had consisted of grooming supplies, feed supplements, training equipment, bridles with bits, bridles without bits, rope halters, flat halters, Western saddles, English saddles, vet supplies such as medicines, ointments, wraps, Banamine, etc. I think you’re getting the idea!
4) Figure out what goes where.
Frequently used items are usually conveniently stored on wall hooks, saddle racks, and cabinets. Find your ‘frequently used items’ pile and begin to place your tack, training equipment, vet supplies, clothes, and farrier equipment (or whatever your item types are) into designed spaces that are easy to access.
5) Decide how to store your less frequently used items.
There are methods of storage for absolutely everything it seems like these days. But I really prefer plastic totes! They don’t last forever but if they are kept in a clean space and the lids are able to clip shut, then they will last you a really long time! This is how I store the pesky winter blankets I was telling you about earlier. It’s perfect because I can keep the tote stored under my saddle rack and my blankets stay clean until I need them again. But I encourage you to find a storage method that works best for you and your space. What works for one person may not work for another so play around with some ideas until you find what you prefer!
If anything I hope this has given you some decluttering inspiration. If you plan on decluttering your tack room or have just done so, feel free to send me some before and after pictures or let me know your favorite method for decluttering on Insta @unbridledmama.
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