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I'm moving from a boarding situation where each horse had their own tack locker with quite a bit of space, to a place where boarders can bring a tack trunk. I've long since given up my tack trunk and so will likely buy a cheaper plastic version from a hardware store. But I've always struggled with keeping tack trunks organized. No matter how well i try in the beginning they just end up a pile of things. In the lockers it was easy to put one of those plastic drawer things in, plus I had lots of shelves, so it was easy to keep things separate and easy to find. So, looking for any organization tips so I don't end up with just a tossed around pile of things in a giant container

I would love tips too! My trailer has a built-in trunk at the front of the tack room. It's a black hole of long-forgotten stuff. I can't use boxes because of the shape (v-nose trailer), and the reusable shopping bag system I use in our chest freezer just doesn't work to contain larger bulkier items.

I've given serious thought to cutting 1/4" boards to make an interlocking grid system. That way it won't add too much weight and I'll have individual cubbies for different things like clean polo wraps, fly masks, etc.

May be a bit costly but eclectic suggestion - find an old used cedar chest. I have a very old very well built one with the large tray that is very convenient. Maybe find at used furniture type store. Blankets smell great, bug resistant and so far never had a rodent issue chewing into it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334316336113?h ... Swj~th~IdW

I'd look for a smaller deck box instead of one of the rolling tool trunks. The deck box will have vertical sides and no lost space for the wheels. That can allow you to put containers of less frequently used items in the bottom. Other than that, it is a pain, but putting things in totes and bags that are carefully chosen for tack trunk Tetris is probably your best bet.

I have one of these for the one many night show I do every few years. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-22-in ... /207138757

I have this at the new barn and some cheap dollar store plastic shoe box things on the bottom: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-22-in ... /207138757

Too many urls, so new post.


Here's one that might work: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-22- ... 62088-_-N&

If I had a chance to redo my pick for a barn trunk, think I would do this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-25-in ... /207138341

Tanga wrote:Too many urls, so new post.
If I had a chance to redo my pick for a barn trunk, think I would do this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-25-in ... /207138341

I use this to hold the equine first aid kit in the horse trailer. That top level of little containers is perfect for cotton balls, forceps, thermometers, small rolls of vet wrap, loose easy to grab finger cots and gloves. The human first aid kit doesn't fit in it, so that's stashed in the built-in trunk.

Tanga, that trunk is very cool, my only worry would be that it looks not as big as some of the other trunks.

Boarding agreement says one trunk per boarder, but I'm wondering if i can get away with 2 things since I have 2 horses. If so, then I think I might do a big trunk and get some drawer organizers/car trunk organizers for inside it and then also get one of those plastic drawer things to keep some items. For example, i'd love to have my bathing stuff in one of the plastic drawers where it can't spill on everything else or make a mess. I currently have a smaller set of drawers in my locker and I use them a lot. Fingers crossed I can bend the rules some...

I got very lucky when I went to vet school and had to board my horse(s), my grandfather built a tack trunk for me that was more like a mini - armoire on wheels. It lasted for years and accommodated pretty much everything. It lasted close to 25 years before needing to be permanently retired. While I currently have a couple of the Husky trunks for my trailer and vet stuff and find them handy I'll be the first to admit that neither alone would be able to contain what I use almost daily. You might find an 'out of fashion' armoire type of piece at a thrift store (for next to nothing) and have someone modify it for you - put wheels on it, etc. that could serve as more of a stand-up locker than footlocker. I don't know what you drive but another thought is find what you feel best accommodates your needs to keep at the barn for storage, in terms of stuff you really can't transport back and forth and then modify your vehicle to hold the rest of your horse stuff in an organized, easy to access sort of way. I have a SUV and a truck so this is possible for me. My dodge truck which has a crew cab has compartments in the floor in the back passenger area which is great for my liquid equine first aid sort of stuff and the (bench) seat fold up (or can come out) and I'm easily able to put saddle racks, etc in the back for a long-term arrangement no different than my trailer tack room.

I measured the space allowed, went to wayfair and looked for a standing deck chest that works for in the space. But my. Most clever was two metal two drawer metal filing cabinets. 80 bucks each, The filing cabinet drawers are large enough for standing bottles with spray tops in one, standing wraps and polos and horse boots in one a grooming caddy in one, and v them sheets, fly sheets, etc in one. The tops act as small table for things in using at the time.

Yes, Chisamba, that's really want I want--drawers long enough for a standing bottle. And other places to organize things.

I would love to have osmething like this, just without fabric drawers, which i'm sure will turn into a mess quickly.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q4VR5VB/re ... NrPXRydWU=

That's why I like the filing cabinets. Metal durable lockable cleanable. Depending on your space you might even fit three side by side. You could be fancy and paint them in your colors

Too bad you couldn't find a used one of these and put wheels on it. I checked and there are two larger inserts (back of pick up truck) available in your area for a song; but, I couldn't easily find any used units of the jr type that go into a SUV.

http://www.bowieintl.com/mobile-vet-uni ... linic/colt

Chisamba wrote:That's why I like the filing cabinets. Metal durable lockable cleanable. Depending on your space you might even fit three side by side. You could be fancy and paint them in your colors

These are easy to find at garage sales and Craigslist too. We have a big commercial grade 4-drawer filing cabinet picked up from a neighbor's garage sale for $15 and upgraded it with some Rustoleum spray paint.

If you do this, make sure you get one with drawers that are on rollers. I tried storing bottles in a cheaper filing cabinet that didn't have rollers, and it was always awkward and annoying due to the weight.

Most barns I've been in would have a fit if you rocked up with filing cabinets.

I'd check with the barn on what they really want you to use before I spent any money.

Have you looked at the upright, locker style trunks? They can be a bit pricey new, but there are people like me who scored one for free from a friend, and now has it sitting in my garage in case I need it again one day...

Duplicate

Moutaineer wrote:Most barns I've been in would have a fit if you rocked up with filing cabinets.

I'd check with the barn on what they really want you to use before I spent any money.

Have you looked at the upright, locker style trunks? They can be a bit pricey new, but there are people like me who scored one for free from a friend, and now has it sitting in my garage in case I need it again one day...

Really? Why? If a barn has a specific standard and desire for consistency they better provide it themselves,

But of course Check with your shnoots before you buy anything

They have not given me guidelines just said that I am limited to one trunk per horse. They do not care what material the trunks are in. I too am surprised that you think barns would have a fit over a 2-drawer filing cabinet. That takes up less space than most trunks.

Those upright tack trunks don't work for me. I've had one before and honestly unless I have shelves and drawers, it's just a very weird use of space. I think they're great if you need to keep your saddle in your trunk, but otherwise I don't know how anyone makes them useful. And I can't use the very tall locker style ones, no space for anything higher than 3.5ft

I have this nifty idea to convert my filing cabinets in a barn useful fabric something like this.

https://pin.it/OG0NBZR

Then I'll do extras and sell them.lol

Wanted to close the loop and share what I ended up doing:

I got one of those rolling tool chests for things that don't spill and got some car trunk organizers like this to help keep things organized inside: https://www.amazon.com/FORTEM-Organizer ... 54&sr=8-28

Then in addition to the trunk I got a rolling cart for storing lotions and potions and anything that is best kept upright. Here's a picture:

A trunk organizer is a great idea, even without the tool chest!

Canyon wrote:A trunk organizer is a great idea, even without the tool chest!

they have proven to be quite handy! in the trunk they are nice because i have some things underneath them that aren't accessed as often, but when I need to, i can just lift the whole trunk organizer out and then place it back in without having to do some crazy tetris of many different bags/containers

Blob--Looks good!

Confession: This is similar to what I do with one horse at our nice barn (but she is a white grey, hence lots of bathing potions! And they like boarder horses to look good; the other good looking horses are in full training).

I don't want to talk about overflow/seasonal change ups in my home storage areas! lol