A small apartment should not stop you from having a home gym. It is possible to have a functional workout area in your living room or office: all you need is some creativity in design and storage. The right paint color, natural light, and a few mirrors can make the space feel larger, but how do you store gym equipment in a small apartment?
Here is a list of storage ideas for your small apartment gym:
Your home gym doesn't need to have all the equipment you see in a commercial gym because you probably won't use all of them. Most gym equipment is large, and they occupy a lot of space. That's why it's essential to know your workout routine and buy the necessary equipment. Being honest with yourself will go a long way in helping you maximize the space in your apartment.
Now, let's look at the storage solutions above in detail.
1. Install Some Shelving Units
Shelving units can be floating shelves, bookshelves, wire or metal storage shelves in the house. They are best for keeping loose items such as free weights, kettlebells, yoga mats, exercise balls, an ab wheel, and more.
2. Peg Some of Your Equipment on the Wall
A pegboard is a board with regular hole patterns for inserting pegs. Commonly used for games, it can also be a creative way to store gym equipment in a small space. It's straightforward to make, too, so it can be a DIY project.
A pegboard is perfect for storing resistance bands, yoga mats, foam rollers, and jump ropes. All you need to do is add the pegs and place the equipment on top of them. You can use as many pegs as required for each particular gear.
3. Invest in a Storage Bench
You can make your workout bench more functional by using it as storage. You can buy a storage bench with storage and add dividers to it, or you can custom make yours.
Some storage benches have wheels, making them great for storing weights because they can be heavy to move around. You can push around a storage bench with wheels to your workstation and easily access your weights.
4. Make Space for Your Equipment in the Closet
Sometimes you want it all out of sight, and in a small apartment, the closet might be your best option. You can add more shelving in your closet to accommodate all your gym equipment.
Ensure that you choose strong material to carry the weight of any heavy gym equipment.
5. Go Retro with a Metal Locker
A metal locker is another great way of hiding away your gym equipment while adding some style to your space.
After tucking away your gear, you can use a magnet to stick photos and other artwork on the sides of the locker. You can also paint it to match your room décor and style.
6. Mount Your Equipment on the Wall
Vertical storage is an efficient way to store your gym equipment in a small apartment. To keep your floor clutter-free, you can easily mount things like bars, weight plates, and mats on the wall.
Before mounting anything on your walls, ensure you seek an expert opinion on whether the wall can handle the weight.
7. Use Your Coat Rack to Store Jump Ropes and Exercise Bands
It's always wise to start using what you already have in the house. Turning your coat rack into gym storage is one brilliant move.
Jump ropes can get tangled up when stored inappropriately.
They can also be trip hazards when left aimlessly on the floor. Hanging your ropes and elastic bands on a coat rack keeps them organized and accessible when needed.
8. Blend in Some of Your Home Gym Equipment as Décor
Gym equipment comes in many colors and designs. So why not work that into your home's aesthetic?
Things like ropes and some stylish yoga mats can blend in handsomely if you put a pretty vase or a lovely artwork next to it on the shelf.
9. Buy an All-in-One Home Gym Storage Rack
An all-in-one storage rack can store all the equipment you have in your home gym. This includes:
- Mats
- Kettlebells
- Dumbbells
- Foam rollers
- Resistance bands
- The list goes on...
All-in-one gym storage racks are designed to hold all the heavy equipment, unlike the ordinary shelves, which can break easily.
The all-in-one storage rack also has wheels making it a great option if your home gym shares space with your living or dining area. It's very convenient because you can wheel it in and out of the room whenever necessary.
10. Bonus: Go Digital with Smart Home Gym Equipment
A smart home gym is not something you expect to see on a storage hack list but we wanted to give you something extra!
With an intelligent home gym, you might not need to buy any equipment. A good example is "The Mirror", which only takes up 2 feet of space.
The Mirror brings the work out to you, from yoga to cardio workouts.
This smart mirror will monitor you throughout the workout and ensure that you maintain the proper form while at it. The Mirror is a beautiful piece of technology that you don't have to worry about storing away when not in use.
Another fitness tech that is trending is the Peloton bike. A Peloton is a stationary bike with a large screen to stream and participate in workout classes. The bike can easily fit in the corner of your room, where it will not look out of place.