There are a ton of benefits to having exercise equipment at home. Not only is having a home gym convenient, but you can also build a setup that works for you and your fitness goals. 

You’ll find that having your own 24-hour personalised gym will motivate you to get moving, whether it’s for a jog, weightlifting session, or stretching break. Plus, as we explored in our recent article, Converting Your Garage Space Into a Home Gym, having gym equipment at home can save you money. 

Even if you know that you want a home gym, you might be caught up with a few practical questions. How much space do you need to have the gym you want? How can you organise your space most efficiently? And what can you do if you’re being overrun with clutter? Before you start ordering treadmills and weight sets, take a look at this helpful Spacer guide for some tips on planning out your at-home gym.   

Tip #1: Break out the calculator

We’re starting with the most necessary, and perhaps least exciting, part of your at-home gym planning process. But it’s important to have a clear idea of how much space you can dedicate to your exercise equipment before you start making big purchases.

What you’ll want to do is figure out the square metres of your workout room. If you’re sharing your gym space with other furniture pieces like a desk or dresser, it’s important not to simply go off of the floorplan of your home, but actually measure out the area that you have available. From there, you can start to plan out which items will fit in your space. 

Here are a few averages that can help you conceptualise the space you can dedicate to gym equipment:

• Treadmills. This piece of exercise equipment can vary widely in size, but the dimensions tend to range between 1.5 and 2 square metres. That said, it’s suggested to dedicate somewhere between 2 and 3 square metres to prevent injuries. If you plan on walking, you can opt for a smaller treadmill with a length of about 160cm. But joggers or anyone with a longer stride will need a treadmill with a longer belt: at least 200cm is recommended.

• Rowing and elliptical machines/ pilates reformers. These longer pieces of gym equipment will take up about 1 square metre to 2 square metres, and they range in length anywhere from 200 to 250cm. 

• Exercise bikes. Stationary bikes to take up less space, usually somewhere between half of a square metre and 1.5 square metres. Recumbent exercise bicycles are generally longer than the upright variety, with a length of around 170cm.  

• Large gym equipment. Items such as multi-gym systems will require the most space, anywhere between 2.5 and 4 square metres of floor area. 

• Yoga mats. Yoga mats are great for stretching, pushups, plank, and other HIIT exercises. While yoga mats are usually about 170cm long, don’t limit this area to the dimensions of your mat. A good stretching/exercise area should be at least 2.5 square metres.

How many equipment items could you comfortably house in your at-home gym without feeling claustrophobic or increasing your risk for injury? With these estimates in mind, you can start to calculate what gym equipment can fit in your space.

Tip #2: Maximise your floor space

Now that you’ve taken a look at the numbers, is there any way that you can maximise the space in your gym room with some creative hacks?

One way to do this would be to swap out all floor lamps with overhead lighting. Not only will this open up more square meterage but it will also keep your electrical outlets free for your exercise equipment. 

Another way to clear up some floor space would be to install floating shelves for your equipment instead of relying on a standing cabinet or shelving unit. Floating shelves can hold your towels, music speakers, and other small items so that you don’t need a table to hold your supplies. If you use weight plates, these can also be stored on a wall mount, but you’ll want to check the strength of your wall before installing. 

And finally, if your at-home gym is doubling as a storage room, is there any way that you can clear those items out? Finding other spaces in your home to store furniture pieces and storage boxes will make sure that you can enjoy your exercise equipment at home without extra clutter. 

If you’re struggling to find homes for your stored items, you might consider renting out a storage space with Spacer. There, you’ll be able to find cheap storage options no matter what city or neighbourhood you’re in. From Canberra to Brisbane to Perth, there are hundreds of garages, spare bedrooms and backyard sheds right in your suburb to help declutter your at-home gym.

Tip #3: Create a blueprint and then test it

So far, you’ve calculated your floor space and the dimensions of the exercise equipment on your wishlist. You’ve creatively cleared up your gym area and placed bulky items in storage. That means you’re ready to put pencil to paper and start planning out the blueprint for your home gym. Try to be as precise as possible, including electrical outlet locations, windows and doors to your floor plan drawing. 

Once you’ve drawn up a blueprint that you think will give you the best home gym for your space, then it’s time to test your design. You can do this by marking the floor with masking tape to signify where the exercise equipment will be in your gym. 

When you have the blueprint mapped out in tape in your actual room, you can visualise what the space will look like when your gym equipment is in it. Do you need to make any adjustments? Are you being realistic about the items that can fit in your space? 

Once you’re fully confident that your blueprint will give you a home gym that you will love, then you can start the exciting process of ordering your equipment!

Tip #4: Still struggling with space? Rethink your exercise equipment wish list

If you’ve cleared out as much clutter as possible and your blueprint is still just not adding up, you have a few options. On the one hand, consider space-saving gym equipment. There are treadmills and rowing machines that fold up when not in use. Or, if you’re considering buying an exercise bike to supplement your cycling practice, you might opt for a bicycle home trainer stand instead. That way, you can detach your bicycle and store as usual after your workout.

Another option, here, is to rethink your workouts. You can achieve many of your fitness goals with body weighted workouts or strategic HIIT training so that you’re not dedicating so much of your space to bulky exercise equipment.  

Another smart investment could be hiring a Personal Trainer for to come to your home gym for a consult. The Personal Trainer will be able to let you know what equipment will be best for your situation based on your goals, budget, and space. Just make sure you’ve hired a qualified Personal Trainer, who has completed at minimum a Cert 3 in Fitness and is not just a ‘gym junkie.’

How will you make space for your perfect home gym?

With these Spacer tips, you can plan out your ideal at-home gym. Whether you’ve got plenty of space for cardio and weightlifting machines, or you need to be a bit more selective about how much exercise equipment you can fit in your space, you’re well on your way to having an amazing at-home workout area!