The Complete Organizing Kids Sports Equipment Guide

If you have kids, like me, you will likely have a lot of sports equipment in your home. You know the items I'm referring to - the knee pads, uniforms, shirts, and pants. Items specifically for sports, such as tennis balls, baseball gloves, shin guards, baseball bats, cleats, and helmets, can be challenging to find in your home, especially if they are buried in a large pile of sports stuff. This article will share a variety of kids' equipment solutions and tips to help you and your kids stay on schedule and find everything you need when you need it. Let's visit all the organizing kids' sports equipment and give you the best ways on how to keep you and them organized.

Jump to:

• Store The Balls
• Storing and Protecting Gear
• Sports Bags
• Protective Gear Clothing Storage Idea
• Footwear Storage Idea
• Where to store equipment?
• Additional Tips for Organizing Sports Equipment and Kids

While I have several organizing products you can buy to organize the sports equipment below, don't feel like you need to buy everything new. Repurpose items you already have - large coffee cans work great for storing baseballs, and old laundry baskets can corral outdoor equipment in the garage. There are plenty of places that sell or give away second-hand equipment. Be sure to know your kids' sizes before shopping and determine what they need for their specific sport. Below are some suggestions:

• Visit second-hand stores
• Kids’ sports equipment store retail business
• Ask people in your local community in your Facebook Group
• Search on Facebook Marketplace
• Play it Again Sports - this site will also buy your outgrown equipment
• Sideline Swap - you can buy and sell products with other sports parents.

Store The Balls

The first organizing of kids' sports equipment we will tackle will be the different balls in your kids' sports. If you have larger balls, such as soccer balls and basketballs, that need a home, consider something that will keep the balls separate and make it easier to access when they are mounted on the wall in a garage(affiliate). I'm not the only one who gets frustrated when balls are rolling around the garage (affiliate) floor, am I?

If you have a variety of random balls in different sizes for different sports that need to be stored, Something like the one below may work for this as well. It's free-standing and can help hold other items, such as baseball bats and helmets.

Heavy-duty wall hooks can easily hold a hanging mesh bag on the wall for easy on-the-go play.

Sports Equipment: Balls Basketball Holder Wall Mount, 2pcs Premium Hand-Shaped Ball Storage Rack

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Sports Equipment: Balls Wall Mount Basketball Rack,Vertical/Horizontal Football Holder,Holds 14 Balls

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Heavy Duty Hooks 16 Pack Garage Hooks – Heavy Duty Steel Wall Mount Storage Organizer with Anti-Slip Coating for Power Tools

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(affiliate)

Storing and Protecting Gear

Drying racks (affiliate) are great for hockey equipment or any other sport to help dry your clothes. Before buying them, ensure you have a designated place for them. It may look small, but remember to add all the gear to it. Allocate at least double the space of the standing unit on the front, back, and sides. Select a drying rack (affiliate) that is sturdy enough to support the gear you will be placing on it. Not all drying racks (affiliate) can hold the weight.

Drying Rack - Amazon Basics Foldable Portable Laundry Drying Rack for Indoor Air Drying Clothing, 14.5 x 29.5 x 41.8 inches (LxWxH), Chrome Silver

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(affiliate)

Sports Bags

There are various storage options available for the equipment that kids use. Most can be stored in bags for easy access. Hockey bags are long and great for keeping everything together. A baseball bag can hold bats as well as other things like baseballs, a glove, a scorebook and pens, lineup cards, a first aid kit, sunscreen, a uniform, a water bottle, a clipboard, and even a rule book.

Duffle Bag

Below are links from Amazon (affiliate) for the various bags available for different sports. If you click through, I will receive a small commission if you purchase on Amazon (affiliate). Thank you for supporting my business.

• Baseball Bats Bags (affiliate)
• Soft Ball Bags (affiliate)
• Gulf Club Bags (affiliate) or Gulf Bags
• Ice Hockey Stick Bags (affiliate)
• Cricket Bags (affiliate)
• Lacrosse Bags (affiliate)
• Field Hockey Bags (affiliate)

Sticks

The links below are storage organizers for stick items. Some of these equipment organizers include a bat rack, which is excellent for older kids who may have several bats. If you click through, I will receive a small commission if you purchase on Amazon (affiliate). Thank you for supporting my business.

• Bats (affiliate)
• Gulf clubs (affiliate)
• Hockey sticks and bags (affiliate)
• Lacrosse Sticks (affiliate)
• Field Hockey Sticks (affiliate)

Rackets

Then, below are solutions for storing a variety of rackets. If you click through, I will receive a small commission if you purchase on Amazon (affiliate). Thank you for supporting my business.

• Pickleball (affiliate)
• Tennis (affiliate)
• Ping pong (affiliate)

If you want to repurpose a shallow bin, try this method. Laying the sticks in a shallow, rectangular under-the-bed bin with a lid may work for some of these items. However, be sure to measure the length of your longest items before purchasing or repurposing the container. Pick one with a hard plastic side, bottom, and lid. They can have wheels or they do not have to have them.

Under the Bed Storage Box with wheels by Sterilite

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(affiliate)

Protective Gear Clothing Storage Idea

Determining how to store protective gear is another aspect of organizing children's sports equipment. From helmets to jockstraps, there is usually a lot of protective gear clothing. These items need to be stored appropriately and may require drying out before reuse.

Group each type of protective gear by sport for easy grab-and-go access. The clean protective gear items can be stored in the respective sports bag if the child gets dressed away from home.

Ensure that protective gear is used seasonally. Some items may be intended for summer use, while others are suitable for winter sports. Mixing them may be an issue for the athlete.

Footwear Storage Idea

Footwear, such as sneakers, cleats, ski boots, and ice skates, can be stored in large tote bins. Plastic ones with lids work well to keep the items separated and can easily be stacked. Be sure to measure the size of the shoe before purchasing the bin.

If you have children with different shoe sizes, consider buying bins that stack on top of each other and label (affiliate) them for easy access.

Large Totes by Citylife 17 QT Plastic Storage Bins

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(affiliate)

Where to store equipment?

Finding the right place to store all these sports items is essential. We do not all have enough floor space for all the sports equipment. Leaving them on the floor can be very cumbersome and dangerous. All the necessary uniforms, gear, and accessories should be easily accessible for all family members. A place that can be easily cleaned in case the equipment becomes dirty. And, it is near where you frequently visit. There are many places to store equipment. Here are some ideas:

• garage (affiliate),
• kids' room,
• basement,
• mudroom

Wherever you decide to store your sports equipment, ensure it's in a location that's convenient for both you and your kids.

However, that is not all; let's discuss solutions to help you organize your kids' practices and games, making the before, during, and after activities more seamless.

Additional Tips for Organizing Sports Equipment and Kids

Not only will you need to determine where all this sports equipment will be organized, but you will also need to keep your kids well-organized with all their activities to help them manage their time effectively. This will ensure they arrive on time, with all the necessary items, and are ready for play. Below are additional well-organized systems and tips to help you and your kids.

Create a cleaning routine and placement of uniforms

If you have items that get dirty when they come back into the house, place them somewhere with tile or concrete for easy cleanup.

Then, create a simple routine (affiliate) for equipment care. Keep disinfectant wipes nearby for quick helmet cleanups, or designate a laundry basket (affiliate) specifically for uniforms that need washing.

Teach kids to do a quick equipment check after each game - this prevents you from discovering a broken cleat or missing shin guard five minutes before the next game!

Get the right size bins for your kids' sports.

If you want to use bins, they work fine, but be sure to get the right size. Large containers may look organized, but if a child has to rummage through the container and in the process, take out the items and spread them on the floor, is it handy and organized?

Multiple Sports? Here are some tips to organize various sports for each child.

If you have kids participating in multiple sports throughout the year, color-code the bat bags, bins, and supplies so you and your child know which gear goes with which game. This also helps keep it organized when you put them all in a central location.

Short on space and have kids doing multiple sports? Do this! If your kids play various sports throughout the year, don't keep everything accessible at once. Store off-season equipment in labeled bins on higher shelves (affiliate) or in less accessible areas. This keeps your main storage area from becoming overwhelming and makes it easier for kids to find what they need right now.

Wall mount Track systems work well for small spaces

A track system works nicely in a garage (affiliate). Look for one that offers a variety of hooks and basket selections to hang multiple items, and that doesn't occupy too much wall space. Here is one I found: Rubbermaid FastTrack.

Have a system in place for when kids outgrow their equipment

Remember that kids outgrow equipment quickly. Consider adjustable options when possible, and create a system for regularly checking if the gear still fits properly. A too-small helmet or outgrown cleats aren't only uncomfortable but also unsafe.

Create a Game Day Quick Grab Station

Set up a 'game day station' near your main storage area. Use a basket or designated shelf where you can pre-pack everything needed for the next game or practice. This saves you from scrambling around looking for that one missing sock guard when you're already running late.

Pick the right area for your family member.

When your kid is small, using a lower shelf will allow them to be independent and pick up their things for their sport. When they get older, you can place these items higher on the shelf. It works nicely that way.

Below are additional sports equipment posts I found online during my research. Feel free to check them out.

• How to Best Organize and Store Sports Equipment by Family Handyman magazine
• How To Store Kids’ Sports Gear During the Busy Summer Season by Metro Self Storage
• Storing Kids’ Sports Equipment by The Homes I Have Made

I hope this post helps you find the right sports equipment organizer (affiliate) that works best for you and your family. Let's continue the conversation. Do you have sports equipment that you don't know where to store? Do you have any quick tips that helped you organize your sports equipment? Please leave a comment below.

Please note that some of the affiliate links are through Amazon (affiliate), and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase. The other links are not affiliated links.