There are a lot of reasons why people prefer to work out at home. You don’t have to drive, you don’t share equipment with strangers, and it’s private. However, it can be difficult to know what type of equipment you need for a home gym.

Many people worry that it’s too expensive to have a gym at home or that they won’t have the space. The truth is that almost anyone can have a great home gym; it just depends on what your goals are and how you source your equipment.

Curious about what it takes to have the perfect home gym? Here’s what you need to know!

Think About Your Space

What space you have available in your home and how close you are to neighbors will have a lot to do with what gym equipment you decide to get. For example, if you live in an apartment with neighbors below you, having a lift rack or cardio equipment will be challenging unless you can agree on appropriate times with your neighbors. Those items are very loud in apartments.

But if you own your home and have a spare bedroom, you have many more options. Most people will be somewhere in between, with a bit of space in a bedroom or a basement.

Once you determine where your home gym will be, it’s time to think about your fitness goals.

What Are Your Fitness Goals?

Most people do best with a combination of cardio and strength workouts, but your exact needs will depend on your goals. Someone who is working on powerlifting will need a weight rack, a bench, barbells, and a variety of weights. Another person working on overall fitness can use free weights and possibly an elliptical.

Decide what you can do outdoors and what you need to do in your gym. For example, if you can go running outside, you might be able to skip the cost of an elliptical. But if the weather in your area is bad several months a year, it might be worth the investment.

Finally, be realistic. That will not only help you stick to your home gym routine; it will also keep costs down. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a setup when you’re just starting out. Instead, commit to one or two forms of exercise you can stick with and build from there.

Clean and Organize Your Gym Space

Now that you’ve settled on a location, it’s time to get it ready for your new equipment. It’s important for a gym area to be bright, airy, and uncluttered. It’s not very motivating to work out if your gym space is full of papers, toys, or other non-workout items that have to be moved before you can get started!

If you can’t have your home gym set up all the time, consider getting some storage containers. Bins or shelving are affordable and can help you see what you have, helping you to stay motivated to use it. Try not to store your workout gear too far from the gym space — having to haul a heavy bin up from the basement or in from the garage is just one more obstacle that can keep you from working out consistently.

Finally, make sure others in your home understand where the workout area is and are committed to keeping it clean and organized. This is especially important if others will also be using the workout equipment. It should be cleaned and put away after each workout!

Getting Gym Equipment

Once you’ve determined your space and goals, it’s time to get equipment. Don’t be shy about starting small if you’re on a budget. Consider the kinds of workouts you are most likely to enjoy and get the gear you need for those activities. For example, some people really enjoy workout videos, so a DVD player or streaming device connected to a good-sized TV could be perfect. You could get a workout mat, free weights, and stepping blocks to go with that theme.

Other folks enjoy heavy lifting, so they will want a lift rack, bench, barbells, and weights. Be sure you have someone spotting you and are working out safely!

Saving Money With Used Equipment

Even if you buy a few pieces at a time, gym equipment is a significant investment. Fortunately, you can save quite a bit by purchasing used equipment.

One of the best ways to find used equipment is online, on places like Craigslist and Facebook. Be careful to watch for scams and protect yourself when buying from these sites. Any deal that’s too good to be true should be avoided, and you should never wire money or go someplace unknown by yourself.

You can narrow down your searches by using quotes for exact items, like “15 lb dumbbells”, and by using the minus sign to exclude words, like “Rogue Fitness -Nissan.”

If you’d rather not look online, you can often score a great deal at a secondhand store or a store that specializes in used sports equipment. You might also want to consider purchasing used equipment from a gym that is closing its doors and selling all of its items.

Sell Used Pieces As You Upgrade

The good news about most gym equipment is that it holds its value relatively well. That means you can start with a particular weight set or cardio machine and then sell that when it’s time to upgrade. This allows you to not only save money when you buy, but to make money as you work your way into new routines and fitness goals.

When you combine buying high-quality used equipment with selling your current equipment as you upgrade, you can end up with an amazing home gym without breaking the bank.

Protect Your Gym Equipment

Now that you have a great setup, all you need to do is work out, right? Well, there is one other step. It’s important to protect your equipment and your home gym by getting the right home insurance coverage.

Many categories of personal belongings have a specific, low-coverage limit in a standard home insurance policy. You will want to ensure that your equipment’s full value is protected by adding the right coverage to your homeowners or renters policy. You can research Freeway Insurance reviews, for example, to see if it’s an excellent company to compare home insurance prices and get the coverage you need at a great rate.

When you have a perfect home gym, it’s essential to protect it!

Stay Strong This Year

Not going to the gym doesn’t mean you don’t work out. It just means you have an at-home gym that’s better than a monthly subscription. Once you have the space and equipment and it’s protected, all you need to do is stay consistent with your workout routine.

Your future self will thank you!