Hi Guys! I’m starting a 2021 fitness goals theme series, and focusing on home gym organization. Today specifically on gym floorspace design.

The home gym organization guide will be in 3 parts.

• Part 1: Floorspace Design
• Part 2: Wall Organization
• Part 3: Media/Electronic Organization

Note, if you’re in the early building phases of your gym, then check out my previous post How To Build a Home Gym. You’ll find ALL the details of building a dedicated space.

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Floorspace Design

Let’s start with some key points on floorspace design of your home gym. Along the way I’ll share some lessons learned tips during our gym reno, that may be helpful when configuring your gym.

Planning

Home gym organization begins with thinking about your workout needs and what you’ll be focusing on. Decide on and be realistic about your specific workout zones, i.e. cardio, strength training, yoga. If you need to purchase items, create a must have and nice to have list. Don’t forget to plan for those nice to have items! It will save you from disappoint in the future.

*Side note – I used the FloorPlanner app to design our entire basement. The measurements and taping I did translated to an almost to scale rendering of the basement home gym.

Lay Out, Group and Arrange

• Plan your open space first. Think of total body workouts/aerobic step/zoomba etc.
• Bulky items such as treadmill, bench, bike should ideally be out of the way. Also near outlets where you can hide the wires (to prevent injury).
• Group similar items, such as weights/kettlebells and arrange based on ease of access.
• Smaller workout equipment, such as resistance bands should be off the floor.
• Group cool down/stretching item such as foam rollers, yoga mat.
• Workout accessories, such as towels, water bottles etc. should also be off the floor.

More on the last three bullet points in the wall organization post coming up.

Painter’s tape is going to be your best friend during this next phase. Trust me you don’t want to be moving weights or other equipment around multiple times.

Measure & Tape (EVERYTHING):

• If you already have existing equipment, measure and tape them into their respective spots. Otherwise, if you’re looking to order items, make sure to find the specs online.
• Tape ample open space for you to move around freely. Keep in mind, weight training & total body workouts etc., requires more room.

Excuse the mess in the pic, obviously before our reno, but you get the picture. We realized our space was too small after working out in the taped area for several weeks. We made our adjustments accordingly. Over estimate where possible. (I know I’ve said this already but it’s key for you to have enough room)! In the end our gym measures 9ft x 16ft.

Execution

When organizing your floorspace after you’ve planned/taped, use mats to define workout zones.

In the picture below, the mats define the workout zones, and like items are grouped together. Bulky equipment are near outlets (if need be) and off to the side.

Sources: NordicTrack c1750 Treadmill (similar) | Tone Kettlebells | Marcy Bench (similar) | Black Foam Roller | Green Foam Roller | Yoga Mat | Gray Rubber Non Slip Workout Mat (similar) |Bowflex SelectTech 552 | Black Treadmill Mat (similar) | Dumbell Stand

Below, the Marcy Bench (similar) is in a spot that’s again off to the side, maximizing valuable real-estate .

The black Treadmill Mat (similar) not only defines your zone, but provides cushioning to your work area (to throw down weights on).

The Rubber-Cal Coin Grip Flooring Mat defines the open space and provides a non-slip surface. Furthermore, they also protect the flooring underneath.

A Dumbell Stand (similar) is an excellent way to avoid clutter, especially if you have multiple small weights. Plus the design of this stand maximizes floor space.

The Bowflex SelectTech 552 is an excellent option if you’re short on space. They are expensive, however single set of adjustable weights replace multiple dumbbells’ in the long run.

The spot where our treadmill is placed, is narrower compared to the rest of the gym. As the treadmill is self-contained, during planning we ensured we had just enough room towards the back of the gym.

Again we laid a Treadmill Mat (similar) to define and protect the space underneath our NordicTrack Treadmill (similar)

Also, during planning we knew we were going to add a Power Tower (similar), that still had to be purchased. It’s placed just off to the side of the open space area. As I’ve mentioned before, plan for growth!

Stand back and take a look at your gym space. Keep things visually appealing. Don’t crowd your equipment and make sure there’s flow (as to minimize clutter).

This was part 1 of the home gym organization – floorspace design, in detail. Please leave me any questions you may have in the comments or email. Follow me on my other social media profiles. **Instagram **Twitter **Facebook

Check out Part 2 | Gym Wall Organization.