After acquiring equipment for my home gym in recent months, I realized how easy and inexpensive it can be. Depending on how much space you have and how much money you have to spend, you can create the perfect at-home gym just for you! Here are a few tips on how to make your home gym a reality.

1. Decide how much space you are willing to commit to your home gym.

2. Think about what your favorite pieces are (free weights/bands/balls/etc.).

3. If you are looking for a big ticket item go on Craigslist for your local area. I got my $1200 weight machine for $200! So many people buy big ticket workout items with the high hopes of using them all the time, but they really just end up as an expensive coat rack. Eventually people want to sell these items quickly to make space in their homes. You can often score a great deal! Make sure to barter with them when you get there as well, since most people are willing to negotiate.

4. If you have a friend or family member with an item that they don’t use, ask if they would be willing to sell it to you or let you borrow it for a while. Most people would love to have the space back and would be happy to have someone they love get some good use out of their equipment:) There are a couple of big ticket items flowing throughout various family members’ homes at the moment. Whoever will use them gets them and we can swap when needed.

5. For the smaller items such as weights/balls/bands/workout videos, check out garage sales/used sporting goods stores/thrift stores, or even sports stores that are having blowout type sales. I am not a huge garage sale person, but I know that you can get some screaming deals from people just looking to get rid of stuff. Often these items have never been used. I know I have sold unused items at one of my garage sales just to get rid of them.

6. Swap with your friends. If you have a video or a piece of equipment that you don’t use or haven’t in a while, maybe your friend does too and you can swap for a period of time. You can borrow her pilates video and she can borrow your workout bands. Everyone has some sort of equipment in their house that is being unused. Why not swap it for something new to you?!

7. When people ask for gift ideas for birthday/Christmas etc. ask for that piece of equipment you have had your eye on. Or ask for gift cards for sports stores that carry your coveted items:)

8. Lastly, make your home gym easily accessible. Don’t make it so hard to get to your equipment that you won’t want to bother with it. Don’t throw everything in a corner so that you have to lift 20 things to get to the one item you really want. Create an organized and easy to access space that invites you to come on over and work out:)

So, are you ready to create your own home gym? What is the first thing you are going to look for? Do you have any other tips for someone looking to create a home gym?
Have a great day and happy running!

Source: Livin the sweat life