Sports Equipment Storage Tips

Sports equipment storage is important for keeping equipment out of the way. Improperly stored items can be hazardous when walking through the garage. Single family home garages may house off-season clothing, a washer and dryer, family vehicles, and yard maintenance equipment.

Storage equipment can help keep everything the family needs to run smoothly out of the way until needed. Active families may have several sports they are actively participating in. Keeping the equipment organized and easily accessible is important. Here are some tips for sports equipment storage at home.

There are several different sports seasons throughout the year. Soccer equipment, hockey equipment, baseball equipment, and basketball equipment are not cheap. Your family may have an investment in the cost of paying for the sports league fees as well as purchasing equipment used for practice and in some instances games. Storing sports equipment also helps to protect the equipment from accidental damage. Other children in the family can use the equipment in safe condition.

Organizing your sports equipment begins with first assessing how much storage space there is in the garage. Use a tape measure or yardstick and write down available spaces. Be sure to include open space on the walls and above existing items in the garage such as cars. This space is often neglected, but by adding a storage lift system it can hold lots of less-used items.

Ensure there is enough space to comfortably walk in front of the storage areas and to be able to open and close the storage furniture or containers.

Move bikes off the floor by using a bike stand or mounting them on the wall with bike hooks. Use over-the-door-style stroller hooks to store shopping strollers and jogging strollers. Moving both bikes and strollers out of the way helps to make more room for sports equipment.

Installing a shelving-style system is a great way to have everything visible. Shelving comes in a variety of different styles and affordable price ranges. Clear storage bins can be used to place items on the shelves. Labeling the outside of each bin with the contents prevents having lots of "mystery bins" where you don't know what's inside.

Consider organizing each shelf or a section on the shelf for one specific sport. For example, basketball equipment may be on the first shelf, soccer equipment on the second shelf, hockey on the third shelf, and if no one is currently playing football put it on the highest shelf. The shelves can be rotated throughout the year, placing the equipment that is used the most often on the lowest shelf.

Ball Claws work well for the one or two balls that are being used a few times a week. Install the ball claw at a level where it is easily accessible by the children. If there is a basketball hoop in the backyard keep the ball claw with the basketball closest to the door leading outside.

Keep some open space on the shelves where children can get into the habit of putting the sports equipment back themselves. This could be a clear storage bin without a top to put things in temporarily, and with the help of an adult they can store the items on higher shelves later.

Storing sports equipment is a task that does take some planning, but the results are well worth the time. We hope you've enjoyed these tips to organize sports equipment in the garage.