Our New Carriage House Weight Room

For the last three weeks, we have been very busy converting the Carriage House in the back of our yard into a weight room. We now have a spacious home gym!

I know some of you are disappointed that our Carriage House is no longer an entertaining area. I have to be honest. We rarely used it. So now it has a wonderful purpose and we all love it! I can’t wait to share how fun it was to convert this room.

Transforming Our Carriage House into a Dream Fitness Weight Room

In the twenty-six years we have lived in our 100 year old home, the Carriage House has served as a charming storage space, a versatile art studio, and even an occasional entertaining area. Over time, it became a catch-all for various items, transforming into an overcrowded storage facility.

Over the years, it has looked like this!

However, one day, amidst the clutter, we had an epiphany – why not convert this underutilized space into something truly transformative?

And so, the idea was born: to turn our Carriage House into a spacious and well-equipped weight room, or as my husband fondly calls it, our very own fitness center.

Join me through the journey of how we revitalized this misused space into a haven for health and fitness.

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The Decision to Transform

After years of neglect and accumulating clutter, we realized that our Carriage House had the potential to be so much more. With a desire to prioritize our health and fitness goals, we made the bold decision to repurpose this space into a dedicated weight room.

For years we have had a small but adequate 10′ x 10′ weight room upstairs in the old sleeping porch. But it’s small and couldn’t hold more than a few items.

The prospect of having a larger area to work out in, with ample natural light and high ceilings, was incredibly enticing. Plus, it meant reclaiming a part of our property that had been underutilized for far too long.

Clearing Out and Cleaning Up

The first step in our transformation journey was to declutter and clean out the Carriage House. We spent countless hours sorting through boxes, donating items we no longer needed, and hosting a large sale where most of the items found a new home. It was a labor-intensive process, but the prospect of creating a functional and inspiring space kept us motivated.

Ok, maybe I wasn’t motivated all of the time because it was a huge project! OMG. But at least I was technically working out moving and lifting everything out of the Carriage House!

Once the clutter was cleared, we gave the space a thorough cleaning to remove the accumulated dust and grime. As the dust settled, we could already envision the potential of the space and felt a renewed sense of excitement for the project ahead.

Adding Essential Features

With a clean slate before us, we began to envision the layout and design of our new weight room. My son Matt created the design and layout of the space and created a budget for the transformation.

One of the first additions was a durable mat floor, providing a comfortable and supportive surface for workouts. Additionally, we installed a heater/AC split air unit to ensure year-round comfort during our training sessions.

Equipment Upgrades

Next came the exciting part – outfitting our weight room with top-of-the-line equipment. We started by relocating our existing workout gear from the smaller space inside our house, including dumbbells, a reformer, and a Peloton bike. These staples formed the foundation of our home gym setup.

To enhance our workouts further, we invested in additional equipment tailored to our fitness goals. This included a Squat Rack for strength training, individual floor mats for stretching and core exercises, a reclining bench for added versatility, and a Tonal digital weight machine for a comprehensive full-body workout experience.

The mats and hanging rack we bought are wonderful because they hang on the wall. This prevents them from getting stepped on all of the time!

Choosing the workout equipment wasn’t hard.

Plus we have lots of foam rollers (hard and soft), kettlebells, and bands.

The Squat Rack and Trap Bar are more used by my boys and husband. It took me a while to get used to them but I like them too.

Embracing the Space

The Carriage House, once a forgotten storage space, had been reborn as a vibrant and dynamic fitness center.

The open layout, flooded with natural light from all four sides of the room, provided an invigorating environment for our workouts. The high ceilings added a sense of spaciousness and freedom, allowing us to move and stretch without constraint.

And the chandeliers (which were already there) add a touch of elegance.

And light!

The Joy of Movement

Since completing the transformation, our family has fully embraced our new weight room. I commit to four days of workouts per week, relishing the opportunity to challenge myself and push my limits.

Meanwhile, my husband and son make use of the space nearly every day, incorporating strength training, cardio, and flexibility exercises into their routines.

The Perfect Transformation

Looking back on our journey, we couldn’t be happier with the decision to convert our Carriage House into a weight room. Not only has it provided us with a dedicated space to prioritize our health and fitness, but it has also breathed new life into a previously neglected area of our property.

The transformation of our Carriage House into a weight room has been nothing short of extraordinary. From clearing out clutter to outfitting the space with state-of-the-art equipment, every step of the journey has been worth it.

Now, as we sweat, challenge ourselves, and grow stronger together, we’re grateful for the opportunity to turn our vision into reality and create the perfect fitness haven right in our backyard.

My Favorite Fitness Essentials!

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