An equipment room does more than hold gear.
For a Division I football program, it shapes how quickly the team can find what they need, how clearly inventory is organized, and how well the space supports daily operations. Helmets, uniforms, accessories, parts, work surfaces, and storage zones all need a place. When they do, the room works with the team instead of slowing them down.
For the NMSU Athletic Department, the goal was clear: create a football equipment room that felt top of the line while making the most of the space already included in the project plan.
“We wanted the equipment room space to be top of the line and to be able to utilize the allowed space in the project plan,” the NMSU team shared.
The room needed to hold more, stay clear, and support the pace of daily football operations. Every shelf, table, and storage zone had to serve a purpose.
Interior Solutions partnered with NMSU to design a customized athletic equipment storage solution that fit the space, the equipment, and the way the team works.
“Interior Solutions provided the ability to create our own customized layout to fit our needs in that space.”
The Challenge: Making a Limited Footprint Work Harder
Athletic equipment rooms carry a lot of responsibility. Football programs need space for gear, uniforms, helmets, accessories, parts, and day-to-day work surfaces. Those needs do not always come with unlimited square footage.
For NMSU, the challenge was not simply adding shelves. It was creating a room that could support real operations inside a defined footprint.
The team wanted a space that felt intentional, durable, and customized to their needs. They also needed a layout that used the full room, including the vertical space that is often overlooked.
“The most valuable thing that was learned during this process was that you can do a lot with a limited amount of space,” they said. “Using height of the space to your advantage.”
That insight shaped the solution. Instead of focusing only on floor space, the project looked upward. By using the height of the room, NMSU could create more useful storage without overcrowding the footprint.
The result needed to support the equipment room today and give the team more confidence in how the space could function over time.
The Collaboration: Listening First, Then Designing Around the Details
A strong storage project starts with understanding what needs to be stored. For NMSU, that meant getting specific.
The equipment room was not built around a generic shelf count. It was built around the actual items that needed a home.
“I loved that Selina was willing to come in and get exact measurements of items that were going to go on the shelves,” the NMSU team shared.
That level of detail helped turn a broad vision into a working plan. Every measurement mattered because every item had to fit. Helmets, accessories, equipment, and smaller parts all needed a clear place in the room.
“She also took my vision I had and truly brought it to life, creating the exact shelving that would serve the best purpose.”
For Interior Solutions, this is where specialized storage planning becomes practical. We listen first. We learn what needs to fit. We design around the way the team works.
NMSU came into the project with ideas for what the room needed to become. Interior Solutions helped turn those ideas into a layout that could work every day.
“She probably thought I was nuts when I told her everything I wanted to include in the project, but she made it happen.”
The best outcomes often start with a big vision. Then they become possible through careful planning, product knowledge, and a willingness to solve around the details.
The Solution: Custom Shelving, Vertical Storage, and Moveable Work Tables
The finished football equipment room was designed to make the most of the space available. The shelving layout used the height of the room to create more storage capacity and better organization without requiring more square footage.
“I think that utilizing the height of the room was the best idea because that is really what allowed for us to create the shelving to maximize the space.”
That vertical approach gave the team more room to organize equipment in a way that matched their daily needs. Instead of spreading everything across the floor or relying on one-size-fits-all storage, the room could use its full dimensions.
NMSU also incorporated moveable work bench tables with built-in drawers.
“I also purchased work bench tables that are moveable and have drawers in them, which allow for all of the little helmet parts and accessories to be stored.”
That choice solved a small but constant problem: helmet parts and accessories now had a dedicated place. Small items are easier to manage when they are close at hand, simple to sort, and stored where the work already happens.
Moveable work benches added flexibility. Drawer storage added control. Together, they helped reduce clutter and support a cleaner workflow.
The final layout gave the NMSU team a storage environment built around purpose: larger items on customized shelving, smaller items in organized drawers, and work surfaces that can move as needs shift.
The Results: A World of Difference in Daily Operations
The new equipment room has already changed how the team works.
“I have only been in this new space for almost two months now and it has made a world of a difference in how our Division 1 football equipment room operates.”
That kind of improvement is what thoughtful storage should provide. The room is not just cleaner or newer. It works better for the people who use it.
For the NMSU Athletic Department, the new equipment room supports:
Better use of space
By building upward and using the room’s height, the team maximized storage without expanding the footprint.
More intentional organization
Custom shelving created a place for the equipment that needed to be stored, instead of forcing the equipment to adapt to a generic system.
Easier access to small parts
Moveable work bench tables with drawers created dedicated storage for helmet parts, accessories, and other small items.
A more functional daily workflow
The room now supports the pace and needs of Division I football operations.
The clearest result came directly from the client: the new space has made “a world of a difference.”
What We Learned: Limited Space Can Still Hold Big Possibility
Every storage project has constraints. The room has a footprint. The team has a budget. The equipment has specific dimensions. The workflow has to keep moving.
But constraints do not have to define the outcome.
NMSU’s project showed that a defined space can still become a high-performing environment when the design is intentional.
“The most valuable thing that was learned during this process was that you can do a lot with a limited amount of space.”
That lesson applies far beyond athletics. Equipment rooms, supply rooms, storage rooms, archives, and back-of-house spaces often have more potential than they first appear to have.
The key is to look at the entire room, not just the floor. Height, mobility, drawer storage, custom shelving, and workflow all play a role in how well a space performs.
For NMSU, using vertical space was not an afterthought. It became one of the strongest decisions in the project.
Advice for Other Organizations Planning a Similar Project
When asked what advice they would give another organization beginning a similar project, the NMSU team pointed back to planning and clarity.
“My advice to someone who is starting a similar project would be to go with what you know.”
That starts with understanding your own operation. Before choosing shelving, you need to know what the space must hold, who will use it, and how the room should function day to day.
“Have a plan or vision of what you want the space to look like and function before looking at shelving.”
That advice is simple and important. Shelving should support the vision, not define it too early. When the plan starts with function, the final room is more likely to serve the people who depend on it.
The NMSU team also recommended learning from others.
“I also think that asking others to see their spaces helps in this process as well.”
Seeing similar spaces can help teams notice what works, what does not, and what they want to do differently. It can also make the planning process feel more concrete. Instead of starting from a blank room, you begin with examples, ideas, and a clearer understanding of what is possible.
How Interior Solutions Helped
Interior Solutions helped NMSU move from a vision to a working equipment room by focusing on the details that shape daily use.
That included measuring actual items, planning around the allowed space, customizing the shelving layout, and helping the team take advantage of the room’s height.
This is the kind of partnership that matters in specialized storage work. We listen first. We learn what needs to fit. We design around the way the team works. Then we help create a space that supports the people inside it.
For NMSU, that meant a Division I football equipment room that is organized, functional, and built around their needs.
“She also took my vision I had and truly brought it to life,” the client shared.
That is the outcome we work toward: a space that does more than store equipment. It supports the work, the team, and the goals behind the project.
Ready to Rethink Your Equipment or Storage Space?
Your footprint may be fixed, what your space can do is not.
With the right plan, precise measurements, and a storage system designed around your workflow, your room can work harder, stay clearer, and better support your team.
Start a storage planning conversation with Interior Solutions.
