Gyms are expensive, intimidating and sometimes smelly (who needs them!?). Instead, you can use a home gym to stay fit and healthy in the comfort of your own apartment. Don’t have a lot of space? Don’t fret! Rent. is here to help with home gym ideas for small apartments. Working out at home can be simple and doesn’t have to take up a lot of room.
Get the Equipment
It’s OK if you don’t have the room or the funds to have a treadmill or elliptical in your apartment–all you need are some weights, a mat, an exercise ball, a foam roller and a jump rope on hand. It’s easy to come up with excuses to not work out when you don’t have the necessary equipment, so don’t even give yourself the opportunity to have these thoughts. Consider buying items that are versatile and can be used for various exercises.
Storage Solutions
If you have a spare bedroom that doubles as an office, you can also turn this into a small home gym and break a sweat without being interrupted by your roomies. Creating a home gym may seem like a shot in the dark if you don’t have a spare room–especially if you live in a small apartment. Invest in a storage ottoman that does double duty in your living space. You can even get something as simple as a bin to toss all of your equipment into after a strenuous workout. It helps to have storage options where your equipment isn’t stowed away completely so that you see your weights and mat each day when you pass by–it will serve as a reminder to work out!
Inspiring Décor
Everyone needs a little inspiration from time to time, even if you’re a marathon runner. There are just some days when you simply don’t feel like it. Whatever gives you that extra boost of confidence and motivation can be incorporated into your décor. You may be someone who needs their workout sanctuary to be calming with colors like mint green, or you might be encouraged to amp it up with tough-love signs like “suck it up buttercup.” It doesn’t matter what gets your butt in gear, as long as it works!
Exercise Videos
Many people prefer to go to exercise classes because an instructor tells them exactly what they should be doing. While we would all love to have a personal trainer come into our homes to whip us into shape, that isn’t realistic for most of us. You can purchase exercise videos or an online subscription from sites like DailyBurns or GaiamTV, which give you access to hundreds of exercise videos. On a really tight budget? You can find free workout videos on Youtube!
Create a Plan
Studies have shown that people lose more weight if they write down what they are eating and how much they exercise because they can visually take note of their habits. Consider creating a weekly or monthly schedule of workouts to hang up on a wall, and mark off each day as you go along. After a while, you will keep exercising just for that crisscross.
