We Created a Home Gym!

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The quarantine 15 is no joke! Well, the truth is that we didn’t create the home gym just to lose some extra weight, although that is certainly a strong perk. We created the home gym to get healthier and fitter. My husband, in particular, really wanted a dedicated space to keep all our workout gear and the kids haven’t really been using their playroom. For the last several months, they’ve preferred to play in their bedrooms or in the living room. So playroom –> home gym… let’s go!

We had already accumulated a few workout equipment pieces, such as this treadmill and elliptical years ago. 

So I purchased the exercise ball from Walmart for only $10. I love that it’s purple and that it matches my yoga mat, which I received many years ago. 

I also wanted to create a functional station in one corner of the room. I had this black magnetic message board in my office so I brought it to the gym. I printed out a few infographics with various exercise routines using the exercise ball. I could use some inspiration there! I also added a motivational postcard on the wall. That silver wall-mounted thing on the wall is actually a wine rack from Ikea – we rolled up some towels and stuck them in there. It works great! And finally, that grid storage system had been in our garage for a while but it wasn’t really being put to use there, so I moved it to the gym and decided to hang a bunch of reistance bands & small weights on it. 

Here’s a close-up of all the wall-mounted goodies!

I actually ordered a HUGE wall decal too for this space from eBay, but it hasn’t arrived yet. When it does come, I’ll take a pic and update this post. I hope this post inspires you to also create a dedicated space in your home for exercise and fitness. It doesn’t even have to be a whole room – just a corner of a room will work too! 

Here are 5 tips to save money when creating a gym space in your home:

1. Start with only the essential equipment, such as an exercise ball, a few weights, a resistance band. If the budget allows, purchase one larger piece of equipment.
2. Skip any fancy flooring options. While some manufacturers boast special types of flooring for exercise rooms, they are not necessary.
3. A lot of Black Friday sales include exercise equipment. If possible, wait for a special sale on big-ticket items.
4. If you’d really like to cut some costs, check out Facebook marketplace, garage sales or eBay for gently-used exercise equipment. 
5. For exercise routines & workout inspiration, check out YouTube. There are thousands of routines and ideas available for free!

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