Your locker, whether it be a school locker, gym locker, at the golf club, or a staff locker in the workplace, whatever its dimensions, it is your personal space. It’s your “home from home” in a location where you spend a great deal of your waking hours.

The primary purpose of your locker is for storage of course, and you need to be confident that the management of the facility which provides it has chosen the type of locker suite best suited for the purpose: metal, mesh, laminate or plastic. Whether you have been allocated a locker on a temporary, monthly or annual basis, you have a responsibility to ensure it is handed over to the next “locker lodger” in good condition, therefore be careful about how you treat it while you are in residence.

You may be tempted to use super-glue to attach family photos, mirrors, and calendars to the door, or stuff it with leftover mouldy sandwiches, but consider the next renter and your neighbours!

When it comes to personalising and maintaining your locker, there are some tips to bear in mind:

• It’s essential to have a mirror for titivating and probably a white board on which to scribble reminders. Photos of family, friends, magazine pics of your icons and pets are also popular additions to the inside of locker doors. However, make sure these are stuck firmly with removable adhesive picture hangers or hot glue that won’t leave any residue behind.

• Be tidy and well organised! Use boxes and containers inside your locker to neatly store the essentials like files, cosmetics, pens, and a hairbrush. Don’t leave any extraneous objects behind to clutter the space.

• Making your locker smell good is another must. Don’t leave mouldering food or damp clothing inside to make you a locker pariah. Keep it clear of crumbs and mouldy gear with a regular clean out, and if in doubt, add an air freshener.

Enjoy your locker, and make it your own, but remember it is a functional space loaned to you for a temporary period.