The jobs, people and little details that get the Long Barn ready for its next family on changeover day.
Head torches on. Portable Dyson in hand. Reading glasses perched on our noses.
Every changeover day at the Long Barn ends with one final cobweb check.
It might sound a little obsessive, but this final walk round has become our favourite part of changeover day. Our cleaning team do a fantastic job, but this final walk round isn’t about checking up on anyone. It’s our chance to see the Long Barn through the eyes of the group arriving later that day and to spot the odd flashing light bulb, fingerprint or cobweb before anyone walks through the door.
In reality, the cobweb check is just the final chapter in a much bigger story.
It all starts with the cleaning team
By the time we begin our final walk round, our brilliant cleaning team have already worked through a routine that has evolved over many years.
Beds are stripped and remade, bedrooms returned to the next group’s chosen layout, bathrooms cleaned, floors vacuumed and every room prepared for its next guests.
Over the years everyone has developed their own speciality.
Jackie MS always takes charge of the kitchen. She’s brilliant at spotting the little details that could easily be missed, whether that’s a glass that isn’t quite sparkling enough or making sure every cupboard is exactly as it should be.
Kayla loves a checklist. When it’s time for one of our regular deep cleans, she’s renowned for immaculate grout. Nothing escapes her attention.
Becky is responsible for one of our favourite finishing touches. After steaming the bedding for a photo shoot earlier this year, we realised how much smarter the beds looked. Now every duvet is given a final steam before guests arrive. It takes a little longer, but we all think it’s worth it.
Maygan is always looking for better ways to do things. She’s introduced all sorts of ideas over the years, from tumble dryer sheets in the vacuum cleaners to help keep them smelling fresh, to better ways of tackling grout and even lightly scented water in the hand steamer.
This summer Hannah has been helping us during changeovers. As a barista at Costa Coffee, she’s also improved Jackie’s milk-steaming skills, although we think improving Jackie’s latte art may be beyond even her.
A changeover day coffee break
By mid-morning it’s time for a coffee break.
The Sage coffee machine comes into its own as Ian and Jackie take turns playing barista. It makes excellent coffee, but it also serves another purpose. Every changeover we make a couple of coffees to check the grinder and settings, making sure everything is working perfectly for the next guests.
At this time of year we usually sit outside in the courtyard, often with an ice cream in hand if the weather is warm enough.
It’s a chance to catch up on everyone’s news before the second half of the day begins. We hear how the children are getting on, stories about the dogs, what’s happening on the farm that Maygan runs, and tales from Hannah’s recent trip to Thailand, where she spent time working with rescued elephants.
Those twenty minutes are our chance to catch our breath before the afternoon begins, and are one of our favourite parts of the day.
Ian’s legendary pan inspection
Every changeover has its traditions, and one of ours is Ian’s pan inspection.
Our stainless steel pans can’t just be clean. According to Ian they should look as though they’ve just come out of the box. Water marks and the rainbow bloom left by heat aren’t good enough. Out comes the Bar Keepers Friend until every pan gleams.
The inspection has become a running joke. If a pan doesn’t meet Ian’s standards, back it goes for another polish. The team particularly enjoy the rare occasions when Jackie has already declared one perfect, only for Ian to find one tiny mark they’ve all missed.
Everyone laughs, Ian gets his spotless pans, and the kitchen is ready for the next family.
The little details guests rarely notice
Around the rest of the barn, dozens of smaller jobs are happening.
The dishwashers are topped up with salt and rinse aid. The coffee machine has already been tested. The fridge settings are checked to make sure nothing has accidentally been left in holiday mode. Wi-Fi, Sky and Sonos are all checked, particularly after the occasional guest has enjoyed experimenting with the settings.
Every bedroom has at least twelve wooden hangers. Every light bulb is tested. Fresh toilet rolls are placed in every en-suite, together with a cleaning box containing Ecover products and cloths for guests to use during their stay.
In the kitchen, every plate, bowl and glass is counted, checked and polished. Chipped crockery is retired, any linen that isn’t in perfect condition is taken out of circulation, the salt and pepper grinders are topped up, and Ian sharpens the knives. We’ve stayed in too many holiday cottages where the knives are blunt, so ours never are.
Outside, the barbecue gets just as much attention. We keep two sets of cooking grids, so one set can soak while the other is ready to use. The courtyard is checked for forgotten toys and the occasional present left behind by four-legged visitors.
The bins and recycling are emptied too. We sometimes think the staff at our local recycling centre must wonder quite how much wine fourteen people can drink in a long weekend.
The jobs you can’t plan for
Every cupboard and wardrobe is checked before we close the door.
Over the years we’ve posted home everything from an entire drawer full of clothes to a food processor. It’s surprising what can be forgotten at the end of a holiday.
Behind the scenes, Ian’s workshop is rather like a slightly disorganised Aladdin’s cave. Over the years he’s built up an impressive collection of spare parts, from handles and hinges to shower fittings and countless screws. If something unexpectedly breaks, there’s a good chance the replacement is already waiting on a shelf. Only Ian knows exactly where to find it.
Ready to welcome another family
As the day draws to a close, the welcome hamper arrives, flowers are cut from the garden when they’re in season and fresh laundry—often still warm—is collected and checked before being put away. The laundry room is sorted, cleaning cloths go into the washing machine, supplies are topped up and everything is ready for the next changeover.
Only then do we begin our final walk round.
We wander from room to room, checking the little details one last time. Not because we expect guests to notice every one of them, but because together they create the feeling of arriving somewhere that is completely ready to welcome you.
We usually pause for a moment before locking up. The flowers are on the table, the beds are made, the hamper is waiting and another family is about to make memories here.
We always end up saying the same thing.
“She scrubs up very well, doesn’t she?”
It’s all part of preparing the Long Barn here in the North York Moors for the next guests to arrive.
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