Looking for some home half garage gym ideas to finally put together a workout space?
There is no denying how convenient it is to have your own garage gym to exercise in.
This post will give you all the different home gym design ideas to create a space that is unique to your needs and personal preferences. Whether you have tons of floor space or just a portion or your garage, we have creative recommendations to make it work for you.
The best part is that these tips are mostly DIY so they will hopefully fit in your budget as well.
This list is mostly geared toward designing a home gym in a two-car garage but use your creativity and make it work for your unique pace whether your home gym is in your garage, guest bedroom or backyard.
Let’s dive into all the ways you can enhance your fitness routine in the comfort of your own home.
This post is all about the best home half-garage gym ideas.
Is a garage a good place for a home gym?
A garage gym has many advantages including privacy, convenient location, and the ability to design it specific to the workouts you love.
In many cases, it is also much more cost-effective to do your workouts at home rather than spending a lot of money on gym memberships or studio fitness classes. There is a larger upfront cost to set up your home gym, but in the long run, you should save money!
Some of the downsides of having a home half-garage gym is the fact that it is a multi-use space, varying temperatures depending on the season, and the upfront cost. We will give solutions to these topics later on in this post.
How to make your home gym budget friendly
- Buy exercise equipment and decor secondhand, thrifted, or off of sites like Facebook Marketplace
- Be sure to invest in high-quality workout equipment so that you don’t have to keep rebuying
- Prioritize DIY projects when possible and when it is safe to do so. Maybe you make your own motivational wall art for your mini gym or build a small shelf for your weights rather than buy one. The more you DIY the more money you will save.
Steps to create a home gym in your garage
- Clean out things you don’t use anymore (donate, sell, gift items). Try your best to sell the items or find good homes for them rather than sending it to the landfill!
- Organize leftover stuff into organized boxes or bins and label them
- Choose your flooring/mat option depending on the kinds of workouts you will do (soft mats, yoga mat, wood panels etc.)
- Decide if you want a speaker system, t.v. to display workouts etc.
- Add in your workout equipment (pilates reformer, squat rack, treadmill, stationary bike etc.). To make this more budget friendly, focus on buying second hand, buying from garage sales and thrift stores.
- Add in the fun stuff to make your space look like yours i.e. gym decor, a mini fridge with snacks, a basket of protein bars etc.
- Enjoy your dedicated space to workout in!
The Best Home Half Garage Gym Ideas On a Budget
1. Pegboard for gym gym equipment organization
I am seriously obsessed with these boards that you can throw up on the wall to organize all of your gym equipment.
It helps to have it all where you can see it and off the floor so you don’t trip on it. You can also hang your gym shoes or little shelves alongside the pegs for hanging items.
Having your items on a peg board or other wall storage ideas really opens up the floor space so you have plenty of room to crush your workout.
2. Full-length mirror to check form and make the space feel bigger
Aside from taking cute pics for Instagram (; , mirrors can be incredibly helpful to ensure you have the right form.
This can keep you safe as you power through your workouts!
Mirrors also create depth in a space to make it look bigger.
3. Storage bins if your home garage gym is a multi-use space
Earlier we went over decluttering before setting up your home gym but for many of us, the garage is a convenient place to store extra items.
If you also use your garage as a storage unit, make sure you have a system to keep your things protected and out of the way.
Storage bins are also helpful for storing your exercise equipment when you are not using it.
This is the best way to make this multi-use space possible and not let it get overwhelming and cluttered!
4. Mat for gym floor space
There are many different flooring options to choose from when putting together your garage gym so you don’t have to workout on a cold concrete floor.
Choosing the right gym floor mats will help to protect your body when working out and also will save your floors!
It will really depend on the type of workouts you plan to do. Some require a more hard floor while others can benefit from a bit of a cushion.
These puzzle-piece mats are very popular and you can rearrange them to work for your space.
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5. Yoga mats and Pilates mats for extra cushion
I highly recommend checking out these cork yoga mats. I have used mine for over 5 years and I am obsessed with it.
They absorb your sweat really well so it keeps you from slipping. This is the cork yoga mat I use and would recommend to anyone!
Yoga mats and pilates mats are also great for recovery time. After your home workout don’t forget to stretch and take good care of yourself!
6. Decorate your home gym to make it inviting and motivating
Don’t shy away from adding decor to your home gym.
Ideally, this space is your happy place so aside from the basic necessities, there are simple ways to add your own unique flair to your home gym.
Try to keep things bright with a fresh coat of white paint (maybe an accent wall), good lighting and/or natural lighting.
Here are a few home gym decor ideas to get you started and achieve that aesthetic home gym of your dreams:
- Motivational quotes
- Plants
- Vision Board
- Quote wall
- DIY Mural wall
- Poster with different workouts
- Bright wallpaper
- Framed motivating artwork
- Room divider to separate where you store stuff (or keep your car) from where you workout
7. Utilize a shoe rack to store weights
In order to stay within your budget, consider using a shoe rack that you no longer use as a cubby to store your weights.
This will keep them perfectly organized and you can put storage bins on top to store other items!
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8. Use your closet space to hideaway gym equipment
If your garage has a closet in it this is a great way to increase your storage in your mini gym.
Consider taking the door off the hinges and adding wallpaper (or paint!) to the inside of the closet to widen the feel of your garage. You can store some of your extra gym equipment in here as well.
- For small items, you can add a rolling cart (or bar cart) as they are perfect for storage space.
These can also be a fun diy project if you are good at building. Consider storing small weights, resistance bands, shoes, gym clothes etc. in these.
Benefits of working out at home
There are so many advantages to working out at home. You can easily reach your fitness goals as there are fewer barriers to getting to the gym and feeling comfortable there.
Even if you only have a small space to work with, like part of your garage, you can still reap all the great benefits of a convenient home workout.
Here are a few benefits of using a home gym:
- Control the temperature, music, etc.
- Upfront investment (equipment, mats etc.) but then virtually free to use
- Saves commute time to and from the gym which in turn saves gas money
- It truly is a no-judgment zone since you have plenty of privacy
- You can workout whenever you want
- Skip the crowded gyms
Home workout ideas
You can do many different workouts right at home in your garage.
Skip the expensive gym membership at a commercial gym and opt for these movement practices.
Here are a few home workouts to get started with that can fit in most home gyms:
- Boxing/kickboxing
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Weightlifting & strength training (bench press, power rack, squat stand, adjustable dumbbells, arm weights)
- Foldable treadmill or walking pad treadmill
- Stationary bike
- Door frame chin-up bar
- Weighted hula hoop
- HITT workouts (resistance bands, jump ropes, etc.)
- Ballet bar for ballet or Barre
- Stability ball workouts (also called balance ball, exercise ball)
- Foam roller & massage ball for recovery
- Mini trampoline
If you would like to get started with yoga at home, check out our yoga videos!
How much does it cost to make a home half garage gym?
There really is no perfect answer to this since the price can really range depending on the type of workout you choose.
It can start with a $20 yoga mat and go all the way up to the thousands if you want to invest in an expensive home gym system.
Ways to make your home gym more budget friendly:
- Use second-hand equipment. Buy it from the thrift store, Facebook Marketplace, yard sales/garage sales etc.
- Start slow. You don’t HAVE to build it all in one day. Add things on as you go
- If you want to get really creative, you could rent out the space for other people to reserve it to get their workout in. Then you could benefit from a home gym, along with other people benefiting as well!
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How to heat a garage gym?
When the temperature drops, you will be SO grateful to have a space close to home where you can workout, rather than brave it through the cold and snow.
Your best friend in this case will be a space heater and of course, simply moving your body. Start your heater a bit before you head out to exercise. Make sure to wear long sleeves that will keep you at a comfortable temperature.
Lastly, ensure that all windows are closed and places where heat could escape are sealed shut. Even taking rest breaks back inside in the warmth to keep yourself comfortable is a great way to maintain your body temperature.
How to cool down a garage gym?
So what about when summer rolls around? Hot yoga enthusiasts will love their own toasty studio to flow in but what about everyone else?
Here are a few quick tips for keeping your garage gym cool:
- Use a box fan or three (;
- Misting fan
- Mini air conditioner
- Using a cooling vest with ice packs
- Light-blocking curtains over windows
- If you are not using an air conditioner open up all of the windows and the garage door.
- Make sure you have plenty of water or sports drinks to stay hydrated
How do you plan to create your garage home gym? Will you use an idea on this list or another creative idea? If you have any other ideas let us know in the comments below!
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Stay well,
Maggie
This post was all about garage home gyms and home gym organization ideas.
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