At Home Gym Shed Makeover on a Budget!

A messy backyard shed gets an inexpensive DIY transformation into an at home gym shed using secondhand workout equipment and small storage solutions.

This post is sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart.

The home gym shed is packed with workout equipment and ready for shredding!

And by shredding, I mean puttering along on my cardio bike. 😉

Robert, Mr. Marine Corps over here, is more likely to do the shredding. But I might get into some weight lifting myself now since this gym shed makes me feel so inspired!!!

We managed this pool shed repurposing makeover on a super tight budget over the course if 2 weeks repurposing lumber, mixing cans of old paint, and replacing the walls with cheap faux brick panels.

Over the past 10 years, Robert has collected lots of gym equipment from Facebook Marketplace and secondhand sports stores; all of which he used in our dirty, grungy garage before we had this shed idea.

I added in some organizing items and a few necessities from Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart, and now it feels like a tiny little health spa in our backyard!

Home Gym Storage

We definitely needed some shelves for all of the smaller items in our gym like resistance bands and jump ropes, so this shelf with metal hooks worked perfectly.

This industrial pipe shelf was the perfect fit for small items like our Bluetooth speaker, yoga blocks, an atomic clock, and foam roller for muscle recovery.

Beside the door, I used this 3-cube shelf for holding a few hand weights, this wire basket for storing gym towels, and a mini fridge for keeping water bottles cold.

(I gave the framed Theodore Roosevelt quote to Robert for his birthday last year. It fits right in that corner for a dose of motivation.)

Home Gym Floor Workout Area

For the floor, Robert found these heavy duty rubber gym mats secondhand from Facebook Marketplace that were still in great condition. You can get them as horse stall mats from your local farm supply store too.

We hung up two of these huge black framed mirrors so we can check our form. I looked everywhere for mirrors this big and these Walmart ones were 3 times cheaper than anywhere else I could find them!

Gym Lighting

Okay, this might be my favorite feature of the entire room. We had this ledge running all around the top of our faux brick walls, and we thought it would be a cool feature to place these color changing LED strip lights!

The light strips even have pre-programmed light shows. They make those dark 5 a.m. workouts more fun, that’s for sure. Perfect for cranking the music and having a blast.

We added in an industrial style fan with lights and retractable blades too so we can have a breeze. Later, if we feel we need one when summer comes back around, we might add a wall a/c unit.

Gym Shed Cardio Area

This cardio bike is the only new piece of gym equipment we just got, so I’ll share more about it as I get used to it. I love that we put it right at the window so I can look out into the backyard pool area as I ride.

Weight Lifting Area

Robert had this squat rack crammed into our garage for years, and now this setup makes way more sense.

We’ll likely add a chalkboard where he can jot down workout circuits and goals. He has a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science, so now he can really put it to use in here.

Tips for Creating a Home Gym on a Budget

• Search local classifieds or secondhand sports stores for used equipment. Most of our workout equipment is secondhand and collected over the past decade.
• Get creative to add interest to the walls without spending too much. Stencil the walls or hang a simple poster that inspires you.
• Consider a small shelf to keep any small equipment organized and easy to find.
• Use rubber flooring for joint support during workouts. Check your local farm supply store for stall mats.
• If you’re starting your home gym from scratch, just some simple resistance bands, jump rope, and good running shoes is all you need to get a full strength/cardio workout.

Sources

These are all of the extra items we used in here from Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart to complete the gym shed.

• DIY Faux Brick Walls
• Mirrors
• 3-Cube Shelf
• Wire Basket
• Hand Towels
• Shelf with Hooks
• Industrial Pipe 3-Tier Shelf
• Atomic Clock
• LED Strip Lights

We already owned most of the other sources in here, but I’ll put together a blog post later with ways to build up to your own home gym as your budget allows over time.

Robert’s exercise background isn’t something we’ve ever really shared before, but it’s something he’s so knowledgable about that maybe it could help someone else needing a budget-focused home gym resource.

It’s hard to believe what the shed looked like just 2 weeks ago, right? I can’t get over how massive this change was.

Now I guess with all of the pool shed stuff shoved into the garage, a garage makeover is on the list for 2022. 😉