If your garage is like so many others across the country and beyond, it is filled with a wide range of items that include everything from lawn care items to seasonal decorations. Most garages also have an extensive collection of sporting goods and athletic equipment, and yours may include everything from golf clubs and bikes to scooters, boating equipment, flotation devices for the pool and more. Keeping the garage organized is a top goal for many homeowners, and there are a few tips that you can follow to keep your athletic equipment organized.
- Group Like Items Together
Each garage will have a different collection of athletic equipment and gear, and the best organizational solution will be based on how you use those items. Generally, however, like items should be stored together. For example, when your child reaches for his baseball bat, he likely will also need his glove and baseballs. Keeping these items together makes it convenient to access them in a time-saving manner.
- Think About the Season
There are some sports that you may participate in throughout the year. For example, if you live in a warm weather climate, you may golf or swim year-round. However, many types of sports are seasonal, and you may consider implementing a rotating storage system so that the athletic equipment and gear for the current season's sports are placed within easy access. This may be as simple as moving items upward or downward on shelves according to the season. For example, you may pull tennis and swimming items down onto lower shelves in the summer months, and you may exchange these items with snow skiing equipment during the winter.
- Hang Large Items on the Wall
While some items can be placed on shelves, others may be too large. If you have large items that require storage, you can consider buying storage hooks to hang them on the wall or ceiling. For example, everything from snow skis and bikes to a canoe or kayak may be hung on a wall or suspended overhead with the right storage hooks.
- Make Use of Storage Bins
If you plan to use shelves or cabinets to store your smaller items, consider the benefit of investing in a few large storage bins. You may be able to invest in a large storage rack, and storage bins for each sport or activity can be placed on the rack. This way, when you need to pull out the hiking gear or the weights and other workout equipment, you simply have to pull out the right storage bin to have access to all of the related equipment and items.
- Set Up a Workout Area
Some activities will take place outside of the garage, such as organized sports like football and basketball. Others, however, may take place inside the garage. For example, you may have a stationary bike, a treadmill or free weights that you regularly use in your garage. If you use your garage in this fashion, you may consider setting aside a certain area of the garage so that it is dedicated to this activity. These may be items that you use regularly, so dedicating a work area for the activity can be beneficial.
Whether you are heavily into sports or you simply enjoy recreational sports from time to time, your garage may be filled with numerous types of athletic equipment. These tips can help you to keep your garage organized.