Go to the gym a lot? Good for you. Tend to dump your gear at the front door as you head for the shower, resulting in a haphazard pile of yoga mats, smelly sneakers, and squash rackets? Not so great.
Or perhaps you’re the ‘Hansel and Gretel’ type, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs (read: sweaty socks, exercise bands, gym bag) throughout the house, resulting in a frantic search every time you head out for your next session.
Is your gym gear and equipment stored away nicely? Picture: Kmart
Either way, we’ve rounded up a few options to help store your exercise paraphernalia stylishly, safely and easily within arm’s reach.
Depending on your particular gear and the space you have in your home, it might be handy to think of your storage solutions in terms of either wall space, floor space or furniture.
Walls & doors
Walls and doors provide opportunity to free up precious floor space. If you tote your yoga mat around using a shoulder strap or bag, simply hook the strap over a single wall hook.
Hooks are also the perfect place to hang tangle-prone bits and pieces like earphones, exercise bands and skipping ropes.
Short on wall space? Add some hooks to the inside of your front or cupboard doors instead; or upgrade your hall stand to something with more storage (shelves, built-in hooks, or room underneath the table to stash a couple of baskets that can hold your gear).
An on-trend peg board also provides countless options for hanging storage solutions, with the freedom to add shelves (for smaller items and electronics), single pegs (for hanging), and baskets (for larger or awkwardly shaped items).
On-trend peg boards provide countless options for gym storage. Picture: Polished Habitat
Floor
If you’re really tight on space, consider using the often overlooked (and, ahem, non-dusted) real estate underneath your larger furniture items.
It’s a cheap and easy option for anything you want to keep out of sight (but not necessarily out of mind), including exercise gear such as hand weights, yoga mats, racquets and shoes.
Under your couches, coffee table and bed are all options, depending on their clearance from the floor.
Check the available space (especially height) and take your pick of shallow drawers, baskets or under-bed storage options (try IKEA).
Storage furniture & vessels
If you’re constantly looking for places to stash your stuff, it might be time to invest in some furniture that doubles up on functionality, adding valuable storage space.
Don’t have much cash to splash? Simple and affordable box-style shelving can be turned on its side, creating a horizontal row of ‘storage units’ for weights, balls, boxing gloves and sneakers that also doubles as bench seating.
KALLAX, $89. Picture: IKEA
Finally, a simple basket (Ikea has a great range) gives you somewhere to pop your gear into as soon as you walk in the front door.
Choose a tall, narrow basket for things like yoga mats (an umbrella stand could also work); or go for larger options you can dump your whole kit in… after emptying out your sweaty clothes, of course.
Sorted.
Article repurposed from Handy ways to store your gym gear at home by Nikki Wallman. Author at realestate.com.au.
