If you have a spare room in your house it likely serves multiple purposes like a small space home office gym combo. The trouble with multi-purposing a room is that it quickly becomes cluttered and you no longer want to spend time in there.
Let’s take a look at some clever home office / gym layouts, equipment and design to make better use of your space. If you’ve made the transition to working from home you can even squeeze in a few reps between meetings!
Overview : How to layout my home office gym
- Choose fold away cardio equipment
- Plan for good storage and shelving for both gym gear and office gear
- Optimal office desk position for zoom calls
- Mirror: Add the illusion of space and perfect your form
- Inspirational wall art
- Wall storage: The awesomeness of peg boards
- Alternatives to bulky gym equipment
- Adaptable fold away desks
- Treadmill with built in desk
- Smart Fitness Mirror Tech
Read on to see why these are in my top 10 for creating the best small space home office gym combo.
Home office gym layout
There are two ways to look at your home office gym layout. You either have such a small space that you need the entire area to be multipurpose or you can divide the space into two areas by using some smart design and buying the right equipment for the space.
For super small spaces jump ahead to the home office gym equipment as this is key to designing a space that functions well.
If you have a little more space in your office to designate some space to gym gear then plan out your home office gym layout with the following in mind;
- Space to stretch; keep the gym space adaptable by choosing fold away cardio equipment so that the space can also be used for weights and stretching.
- Good storage; Designate some shelves for stacking dumbells, kettlebells and a few boxes for messy items like fitness bands and skipping ropes.
- Office desk position; By arranging your office desk to face into the center of the room and your back to the wall you don’t have to think about tidying up your gym gear before turning your meeting camera on!
Home office gym design
Make your home office gym a space you want to spend time. With a bit of careful planning and thought this multifunctional space can be your escape retreat rather than a cluttered mess of computer stuff and gym gear!
- Mirrors are a great way to maximise light and make the space feel bigger than it actually is but in this case they are also really practical for working out and perfecting your form. For a high tech mirror alternative check out tip #10, the Smart Connect Fitness Mirror.
- Inspirational wall art. The home office gym is a place where you are putting both your mind and body to work so take some time to find a quote or image that really inspires you and frame it with pride.
Inspirational wall art for work and gym from Etsy.
- Using every inch of wall for storage! I love a good peg board, these can be used for both gym gear like skipping ropes, fitness bands , matts and also office gear such as head phones, cords and cables. Even a simple coat or towel rack can be transformed into a handy storage addition. If your renting or dont want to put new screws in the walls to mount storage then a hook rack that just hangs over the door is a good alternative.
Home office gym equipment
- Alternatives to bulky gym equipment.
Think out side of the box and away from the typical gear you use at the gym. Instead of having a range of bar bells to get a toned upper body check out athletic ring exercises. Other options include:
- Dumbells & kettle bells
- Doorway chin up bar
- Body weight exercises ; TRX bands or athletic rings. These can be suspended from a doorway chin up bar so there’s no need to mount them from the ceiling.
- Compact or folding cardio equipment like this foldable rower. If you dont want to invest in a cardio machine or they simply take up too much space try skipping instead if the ceiling height allows. This quickly gets the heart rate up and is an awesome cardio work out.
- Adaptable fold away desks
This wall mounted fold away desk is a great hack for easily maximising your space when it’s time to stretch & strengthen.
Instead of buying an office chair, choose a fit ball that can be used both when you’re working and as gym equipment.
Wall mounted fold away desk / bookshelf ; check the current best price on Amazon.
- Treadmill with built in desk
If you are a multitasking queen then I’m sure you’ve already been considering a treadmill desk. There are a few treadmills on the market now that have the option to fold away the boring dashboard so you can place a desk at standing height. This way you can get a meeting in and your daily steps!
My pick is the Goplus 3-in-1 treadmill because it comes with an LCD dashboard that can completely fold away so I have the option of using my own standing desk but it also comes with a desk attachment.
- Gym class junkie? The latest tech in home fitness:
The latest craze in home gym technology is super sleek and perfect for setting up in a small home office. The Mirror looks like a normal decorative mirror when it’s not in use, but when it’s work out time you have a video stream of your trainer paired with your reflection so you can check your form. Some of these are controlled by touch screen and some via an app.
With many people opting to stay away from gyms and continuing to work from home it’s no wonder these are a popular investment.
Some models are designed as a gym cabinet and come fully equipped with dumbbells and workout equipment but this Echelon Reflect Smart Connect Fitness mirror focuses on getting the tech into your space at a reasonably cost… and comes with a money back guarantee!
