I’ve got three boys … well four if you count my husband. We live in an older home and the basement is only partially finished. I’m not a huge fan of basements as I associate them with damp, dark spaces that are prone to leaks and drain back-ups so, I haven’t paid much attention to ours other than to use it as a dumping zone for old toys and sports equipment. The thing is though … sports equipment takes up a lot of space, it’s not exactly pretty and …it STINKS! Seriously, do I want stinky hockey equipment lying around?
Our strategy last year was to lay all the gear all over the floor to dry it out. That meant that there wasn’t anywhere for the boys to throw balls inside during the winter or play mini-sticks other than the main floor of the house. Not cool. So how does one go about transforming their damp, stinky basement into a fun sports haven for the whole family?
In a dream world … I would love to have this hockey space in our basement
But I live in place called reality. So the question remains, how do I make I make the most of our basement space?
My requirements are to:
(1) Dry out and store sports equipment
(2) Have a spot for the stationary bike and TV
(3) Create a space for kids to play mini-sticks, throw balls around and play dress-up
That’s a tall order.
First I tackled the space planning and created zones for each area (Below is my original quickish sketch to plan the space – always start with a floor plan!):
Between work, school and kids' activities, home projects can take some time and this one is no exception. So where are we at? We’ve hung two rows of hooks along one wall to hang equipment for drying and storage (which is good since hockey season has started already!).
Our next step is to begin painting the room – I have visions of a bright and happy colour combo – picture blue and orange walls (Maple Leaf blue of course) splashed with sports posters for fun. After painting is completed we’ll pad the floor with utility tiles. Add benches for under the hooks and hook up the TV. Et volia!
We're all in the midst of redecorating some part of our house so I’m keeping it real and showing you a work in progress … the key is to begin by putting a plan in place. Then you just need some execution oomph to get it done!
How do you deal with stinky hockey equipment and finding space for energetic boys?
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