Storing away sports equipment – tips and tricks
We take part in many different sports throughout the year, and each requires its own equipment. It is what helps us effectively participate in said sports, and be safe while doing it. But what about the times when you aren’t active in some or all of the sports you usually do? What happens with all the equipment? Obviously, all that gear must go somewhere, and in most cases, it’s either your garage or storage in Skokie. Now, take into account the time of year, the number of people in your home doing sports or exercising. This leaves you with a lot of equipment taking up precious space. And it’s there to stay. If you relocate, your chosen movers will carry over all of that equipment. But you still have to store it somewhere. In times like these, you may find storing away sports equipment to be a real struggle.
Even though sports equipment is expensive, it’s also necessary. As such, even though it may take up a lot of space, it’s good to have it because of safety, and the quality of your workout. So, in order for your gear to last long, it needs to be stored properly. From uniforms, kneepads, and helmets, to baseball bats, bicycles and jump ropes, each piece of equipment should be stashed away the right way. Dumping everything into a box will lead you nowhere, and it can even damage some of the items. So, to help you with storing it all, we present you with a few tips and tricks for effectively storing away sports equipment.
Storing away sports equipment and why some people struggle with it
As we mentioned above, taking care of sports equipment is highly important when it is not in use. This applies to both seasonal sports, and everyday exercise. Every item should be properly prepared for storage so it can be used in the future. Golf clubs, for example, can be used for decades, and even passed on through generations, if kept in good condition. If you have kids, it is important to teach them not to throw their uniforms, shoes, and equipment into the corner of the laundry room. To prepare your gear and uniforms for off-season storage, they must be maintained and cleaned between uses. In addition, having a good storage system will make things easier in case you need to pack for a move. This means that your Chicago area movers will have an easier time transporting everything to the new location. However, some people struggle with storing everything.
A garage, or a storage unit, isn’t exactly a dedicated sports equipment stash area. This means you effectively need to build it into one. Many storage areas can’t handle both the general storing needs and holding sports gear. The reason for this is often the fact that people are either using a wrong storing system or no system at all. If you have, for example, a family of five who are all active in sports throughout the year, it can lead to a lot of pieces of athletic gear of all sizes and shapes. This can easily lead to your storage unit or garage getting overwhelmed by a mix of sports items, and everyday objects. To counter this problem and keep everything clean and easy to find, an efficient storage system is essential.
Tips and tricks to easily handle storing sports gear
Once you sort through all of your equipment and decide what needs to be stored for the season, it’s time to pick the best way to store everything. Some solutions require dedicated pieces of equipment such as shelves and bike racks, while others are easy life hacks and require common household items.
Make the most of your storage space by installing a slatwall
Whenever you go to a supermarket or any other type of store, you can’t help but be amazed at how the merchandise is displayed all over the walls neatly and cleanly. This is thanks to the slatwall storage system. The key to maximizing your storage capacity is to use every single inch of free space. With slatwall, you can easily accomplish this by creating a wall-to-wall storage solution. You can then further expand it by installing a variety of accessories such as shelves, racks, or hooks. This way you can set up dedicated zones for your sports gear, uniforms, gardening tools, or any other item you have stored away. You will maximize your storage space, keep everything separated and organized, and won’t have trouble finding what you need.
Duffle bags can be a very compact solution
If the sports you participate in require a few smaller pieces of equipment, duffle bags can be your saving grace. Place the gear for each sport in a different duffle bag, allowing you to grab the bag and go. When you finish, wash everything and place it right back into storage. To organize the packing process, you can label the bags so you know which one is for which activity. Duffle bags are easy to store, and they protect your gear from the elements and damage, making them the perfect storing choice.
Bicycles don’t have to be on the ground, they can even go on the ceiling!
Leaving your bike on its kickstand, or leaning against the wall isn’t an ideal storage solution. It can easily fall over or be damaged by you or your vehicle. To counter this, you can remove it from the ground level altogether. If you have slatwall we previously mentioned, two hooks are enough to store your bike flat against the wall. This way, they will protrude less, and be impossible to knock over. If you don’t have any room left on your walls, you can go even higher with ceiling hooks. Even though ceiling hooks aren’t ideal for storing away sports equipment of all kinds, they work wonders for bicycles. All you have to do is install the hooks in a way so they leave you enough headroom, and they will keep the bulky items out of your way.
You can easily store balls with a bit of bungee cord
This is a surprisingly simple way to store your balls and make use of space that would otherwise be wasted. If you just toss them all into one box, you have to dig around for one specific ball, and then place them all back inside. All you need here is a square frame and a few strong, elastic bungee cords. Hook the bungee cords on the top and bottom of the frame, and you’re done! You can store balls of all sizes here, and getting them in and out of storage will be a breeze. The balls are in a vertical position, and the cord keeps them in place.
The beauty of this improvised rack is the fact that you can install it anywhere, even in spots that would otherwise be unused space. The area between your wall and the garage door is a great place, for example. When you think about the methods of storing away sports equipment, your options depend on the available space, and the gear you’re working with. With these nifty tips and tricks, you will surely find solutions that work the best for you and your home.