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You sleep through your alarm and immediately remember your running date. There’s
still time! Leaping out of bed, you dig for your shorts, that great pair that fits
right and doesn’t chafe. Hmmm. Not in the bureau. Darn. Not in the closet, either.
Laundry? Ahaaa! Here they are! On they go. Toss on a T and head out the door. No!
Wait! Shoes! Where’d you put your new Nikes?! Shoot, it’s getting late! Just grab the
old pair and race for the bakery.
Sound familiar? Life’s complicated enough without the added stress of chasing down
exercise gear at the last minute. Fact is, for a lot of people, there’s barely time to
fit in exercise, let alone finding spare time to track down sports equipment. To help,
we offer some ideas for storing your stuff, so it’s organized and always ready to go
when you are.
Bike Storage
Besides keeping the bike ready for a quick getaway, a good storage spot will ensure
that the bike doesn’t get knocked over and damaged and perhaps that it isn’t in the
way of the car every time you pull into the garage.
Always store your two-wheeler in the house or in a climate-controlled garage or building.
By doing so, you will prevent corrosion and wear caused by the weather that can quickly
damage the working parts of the bike and ultimately ruin it (given enough exposure).
The simplest way to store a bike is to hang it on a bike hook. These hooks (available
at hardware stores for about $6 for two) are shaped like a big question mark with a
threaded end, and they can easily be screwed into a stud in the wall. To hang the bike,
simply roll it toward the wall, lift the front wheel and pick the bike up enough to
get the wheel on the hook (it may help to put your knee under the seat and lift with
your leg). You can place the front or rear wheel on the hook too, whichever works best
for your situation.
Another way to use the hooks is to mount them overhead. This will get the bike up out
of the way if you have the space. To do it, install two hooks about 42 inches apart in
ceiling rafters. Then you’ll be able to lift the bike by the seat and handlebars and
hang it horizontally by placing the front and rear wheel on the hooks (this takes a
little strength and coordination, though).
Bikes look large, but they don’t really take up much space and with a little creativity,
you can almost always find a place to stash a bike in even the smallest home. For
example, for a while I had six bikes stored in our 900-square-foot condo. Two hung in
closets, two rested on a wall rack, and the others were hoisted into wasted space in
the stair well via ropes and pulleys. We didn’t even notice the bikes after a while.
Clothing Storage
There are two problems with sports clothing: It gets all sweaty when you work out, and
most people don’t want to run a load of clothes the minute they get back from
exercising; and the stuff has a nasty habit of disappearing once you toss it in the
laundry or stash it in your dresser.
To solve the sweaty clothes problem, it helps to have a spot put aside for hanging
sports clothes after a workout. (If you just toss them in the hamper or in a heap,
they’ll likely mildew.) Find something that allows ventilation, so your togs won’t
grow that nasty mold. Instead of hanging them on doorknobs and draping them on the
towel rack, consider installing some drying hooks or a drying rack for these clothes.
That way, you’ll know where they are and what’s dirty and needs washing.
To deal with losing stuff and keeping it orderly and easy to find, consider creating a
separate place for exercise clothing. I like those sliding wire basket organizers
available at home supply and hardware stores made by Lee/Rowan. You can see through the
basket, which makes finding stuff easy. And the baskets are airy to let stuff breathe.
To keep things that come in pairs from getting separated such as socks and gloves,
safety pin them together before putting them in the wash.
For storing exercise shoes (great for helmets, too), consider installing a wire rack
on the wall in the garage or laundry room. This makes more sense than bringing muddy
shoes into the bedroom and mixing them with your dress shoes. Plus, a wire rack makes
it easy to spot the shoes, and having the exercise shoes all in one place makes it
easier to find them when it’s time to train.
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Trick and Tips for Dealing with Sports Equipment |
- Bikes stored on the floor
If you store bikes standing on the floor, keep the tires inflated fully to
prevent cracking and deterioration.
- To dry wet shoes quickly
Stuff newspapers inside the shoes. Replace the newspapers as needed until all
the moisture is absorbed from the shoes (twice usually does it).
- Helmet liners
The liners in most helmets can be removed and washed. Remove yours carefully,
though. Sometimes they’re attached permanently. If yours have Velcro, they
should come out. Clean helmet straps with a wet cloth to get the salt out
because it can cause chafing.
- Helmet storage
If you can’t store helmets on a shelf, hang them by the straps or simply hang
them on the bike’s handlebars.
- Multiple bikes
You can fit several bikes side by side in a tight space by alternating how
they hang, i.e. bars up, bars down and so on.
- Storage in the car
If you drive to work out, you may want to stash some gear in an equipment bag
in your car. Don’t leave valuables such as bicycles in plain sight, though.
Cars are all too easy to break into.
- Helmet storage in the car
Don’t store a helmet inside a car during hot weather. Heat rises quickly and
can easily ruin the helmet the same way it’ll melt a videotape.
- Muddy clothes
When you come back from a muddy mountain bike ride all covered in filth,
don’t even undress. Instead, have your buddy, or handle the hose yourself,
and blast yourself clean while you’re wearing your clothes. This will save a
lot of mess and wear and tear on the washing machine. Rinse the mud off the
bike too.
- Date your shoes
Date your running/walking shoes with an indelible marker so you know when you
bought them. This will help to determine when it’s time for replacements. Also,
write the size on them because the factory markings often wear off.
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