DIY Sports Equipment Storage

If you’re looking to contain an assortment of balls, sticks, bats, and more, try out this DIY sports equipment storage.

With 2 kids under 6 getting interested in sports, it feels like we have a zillion balls, bats, and sticks littering the yard. I’ve tried several containment methods with limited success. This year, we decided to make a dedicated sports equipment storage unit and our yard has never looked better!

Other than purchasing screws, this project was completely free. We repurposed old cedar fencing for the frame and base, extra Bungee cords to hold the balls in place, straps left over from a chair cushion project, and netting from a broken soccer goal. This is a great project for repurposing materials – check what you have lying around before heading to the store.

@creativelyhome

🏐🏈⚽️ Organizing our sports gear with this DIY storage from repurposed fence panels. 🏸⚾️ Check out the full tutorial on our blog by searcing “Sports Storage” on creativelyhome.com. #sportsgear #diyproject #organization #diystorage #sports #repurposed #storagesolutions

♬ Wallflower – The Derailers

If you’re looking for projects using repurposed materials, check out these ideas:

• Repurposes for Plastic Food Containers
• Under Couch Storage for Toys
• Bookcase Makeover Using Upholstered Cardboard
• Sew a Baby Blanket Lap Quilt
• Mounted Garden Tool Storage Box

Customize Size and Features

One major benefit of any DIY project is the ability to customize the size and features. Make this DIY sports equipment storage unit in whatever width, height, depth, and configuration that works for you. If your family has more balls than sticks, consider enlarging the size of the ball storage section. Adjust the distance between the elastic bands based on your unique collection of balls.

We chose the 21″ height based off of our collection of bats and sticks – they either extend above or end right below the top. The kids don’t have to reach into the unit to grab the equipment. The 21″ height will continue to work as the kids get older and accumulate longer sports equipment.

Select Wood for DIY Sports Equipment Storage

This DIY sports equipment storage is a great project for repurposed materials. We used 2 old cedar fence panels – the rails form the internal structure and the pickets form the base and sides. When selecting wood for this project, consider whether the storage will live outside or inside and use appropriate wood. Prime and paint if using wood that isn’t meant to be outside.

How to Involve Kids in Making DIY Sport Equipment Storage

Even though this project involves big tools and lots of cutting, drilling, and nailing, get the kiddos involved throughout the process. Ask kids to gather all of the sports equipment and talk about how big to make the storage unit. Get the tape measure out to figure out the dimensions.

Depending on your child’s age and experience (and your comfort level), a kiddo could help (with supervision) insert screws with either a screwdriver or drill. Use your discretion as to how much kids should help when using any tools.

DIY Sports Equipment Storage – Materials

How to Build DIY Sports Equipment Storage

1. Design the DIY Sports Equipment Storage Unit

Determine where the storage unit will live to calculate dimensions and wood type. Ours was 36″ long by 20″ wide by 21″ tall. We used repurposed cedar fencing.

If the unit will live outside, consider placing leftover pavers under the unit to keep the wood off of the dirt.

2. Prepare Repurposed Wood

Skip this step if using newly purchased wood.

For our old cedar fencing, we prepared the boards by separating the pickets from the rails and removing any nails using a hammer and pry bar. The bottom of most pickets had some rot from direct contact to the ground, so we cut off the bottoms and any warped or unusable sections with a miter box.

We used the rails for the frame, but they felt too wide and heavy. Using a table saw, we cut each rail in half lengthwise and ended up with 1 1/4″ x 1 1/4″ boards.

3. Measure and Cut Frame Boards

Using the storage unit dimensions, mark and cut frame pieces from the rails and facing pieces from the pickets. Cut with a miter box. When cutting multiple pieces the same length, a stop block comes in really handy. Set the stop block to the appropriate measurement and cut all the pieces.

Our cut list from rails for frame:

• 4 36″ pieces for length (“Length Board”)
• 6 21″ pieces for height (“Height Board”)
• 4 20″ pieces for width (“Width Board”)

Sand all cut ends and any rough spots on rails.

4. Build the Frame for the DIY Sports Equipment Storage

Create 2 “U” Frames From Length and Height Boards

Clamp a Length Board and Height Board to the work bench forming a 90° angle, using a speed square (one of our favorite tools) in the inside corner to ensure square.

Drill a pilot hole through the Length Board into the Height Board. Aim for 1/2″ from the end, so the screws will hit the middle of the Height Board. Attach with screws through the pilot hole in the Length Board. Repeat to join second Height Board to the other end of the Length Board.

Repeat to create a second “U” from 1 Length Board and 2 Height Boards.

Connect 2 “U” Frames

We connected the “U” frames to the Width Boards using pocket holes. Pick a spot on the Width Board about 1″ from the end that won’t run into the screw holding the “U” frame together.

Using a drill bit slightly larger than the screw head, drill straight down 1/4″. Then tip the drill to about a 60° angle toward the “U” frame and drill 1/2″. Then switch to a drill bit slightly smaller than the screw shank and drill a pilot hole through the Width Board and into the “U” frame.

Attach with screw through pilot hole. A pocket hole jig would also work.

Repeat to attach a Width Board to the other end of the “U” frame, then repeat to connect both Width Boards to the second “U” frame.

Attach 2 Width Boards to connect the top of the 2 “U” frames with butt joints.

Attach Height Boards to the Length Boards to separate the stick and ball sections. We placed our dividers in the middle of the Length Boards.

Attach 2 Length Boards to the top of the frame with pocket holes on the sides and butt joints on the middle 2 Height Boards.

5. Assemble the Floor and Sides of the DIY Sports Equipment Storage Unit

Measure the frame’s floor, sides, front, and back.

Cut pickets to those measurements on a miter saw. Like with the frame boards, a stop block on the miter saw makes cutting multiple pieces of the same length very easy. Depending on the picket and frame size, some pickets may need to be cut lengthwise on a table saw.

Attach pickets to frame with a pneumatic brad nailer. Cover the floor, sides, front, back, and interior separator between the ball and stick compartments. On the top row, line up the pickets with the frame; these will get covered with trim pieces.

For the floor, cut notches in the pickets that abut the frame’s Height Boards.

Mark the cut lines using an extra Height Board or in place.

Cut notches with either a pull saw or jigsaw. Attach notched pickets with a brad nailer. Leave some space between the floor pickets to allow water drainage.

6. Add Trim

Cut trim boards to cover the top length and width.

Attach with brad nailer.

Sand all surfaces and cut edges to prevent splinters on little fingers.

7. Add Elastic Straps to Ball Storage

Remove hooks from Bungee cord. Cut flat Bungee cord to span opening (with enough length to attach cord on both sides) and melt edges to prevent fraying.

Attach cord to both sides with screws and washer or staples. We attached the cords horizontally, but vertically would work too.

Place cords far enough apart so that balls can be easily removed, but close enough to hold the balls in the sport equipment storage unit. We attached cords 6 1/2″ and 13″ from the bottom.

8. Optional: Add Separators to Bat/Stick Storage

We added polypropylene webbing/strapping to the bat/stick section to provide more support for the equipment to rest on.

Cut webbing to size and melt edges to prevent fraying. Wrap webbing around a picket to secure, and attach with screws and washers or staples.

9. Optional: Add Small Ball Storage Net

We had an old broken soccer goal calling out for repurpose. After cutting out the net, we attached it to the side of the sport equipment storage unit to hold balls too small for the open ball compartment.

Cut the net to size and attach with a staple gun. Attach the back of the net tight to the unit and leave a little slack in the front to hold the balls.

10. Optional: Finish DIY Sports Equipment Storage

Repurposing our old cedar fencing provided another benefit – cedar is weather resistant and doesn’t need to be sealed or painted. Depending on the wood used, consider sealing, staining, or priming and painting to protect against the elements, or just to add some color.

If you try out this DIY sport equipment storage unit, let us know how it goes!

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