Last updated: October 22, 2022
The man cave is a sacred space. A region of the home for self expression, creativity, and celebration of all things manly with your closest bros.
As a modern man, you probably have many different interests. You’re constantly looking to improve yourself, and you’re generous enough in spirit that you are willing to open that space up to others in your closest circle.
If you’ve been on the fence about getting a man cave, I’ve put together a list of top 9 reasons to have a man cave in your house.
9 Reasons to Build a Man Cave
Hopefully this list of reasons will convince you to create that special man cave you’ve always wanted!
1. A Space for “Me” Time
When you move in with someone, sometimes the culture shock is sudden and obvious, and other times it sneaks up on you.
Your things are not where they should be, or they are in a “better” spot, and you start to feel like you’re always breaking the rules in your own home.
You need a space where you can do what you want, and everything is where you want it to be. There is no better feeling than walking in from work, jumping straight on the couch in your work clothes and decompressing for a few hours with your latest game to melt the stress from the day.
2. To Keep All Your Amazing Stuff
A man cave represents your soul and all the awesome things that make you you, and you shouldn’t be ashamed to show that off in a tasteful way.
You should be proud of your achievements, whether that’s your team bowling trophy from last season or that “giant” marlin that you caught on your vacation.
Memorabilia may not mean much to other people, but your memories are precious and they should be kept in a space where they are celebrated, not locked away in a dark garage.
3. To Keep a Historical Record for Future Civilizations
Imagine one day, long after you’re gone, how will civilization know what it was like to live like a man of today? You have a responsibility to your future humans to pass on your legacy so that they can appreciate their past.
This means you need to keep all your stuff in mint condition, with great lighting and air conditioning. Ok so maybe it’s a bit of a stretch to imagine people wanting to go through your Netflix collection in 100 years, but your kids at least may appreciate you looking after items that will remind them of you long after you are gone.
Items like photos, medals, and sports memorabilia, these are definitely treasures that are worth looking after and will stand the test of time.
4. To Focus on Developing Your Manly Skills
Being a man means that you are expected to have developed certain skills, and this is a lifelong process.
If you’re a gamer, you understand the need for focus, you need a space to hone your skills for hours on end without the distraction of a bored partner or the chaos of your kids.
There is no one template for creating the ultimate man cave. You may want it to be a workshop, space where you can build and experiment.
Or a games room where you can compete against yourself and your mates, or simply a place where you can indulge in your great taste in movies or books.
5. Your Man Cave Isn’t Just for You – It’s for Your Tribe
A man cave isn’t just for solo activities, it’s a retreat for you and your crew to hang out as well. If you’ve ever read a real-estate ad, you may be familiar with the term “teenager’s retreat” – a man cave is a little like a grown-up version of that.
As kids you would likely have spent hours over at each other’s houses, building things, playing games, reading things that you would never tell your parents about, and definitely, it would have been a girl-free zone.
Now you’re a little more worldly, but you still need time to bond with your buddies over a game of pool, share an awesome whiskey or beer, or play FIFA until your eyes fall out of your head.
6. You Need a Space to Celebrate Important Events
There are certain times in a man’s life where you need to take a pause, and celebrate the moment, and the man cave can be a temple for those sacred times.
Do you need a place to warm up before your best friend’s buck’s night? Has your soccer team finally won their first season finale? Or is it one of the holiest weekends of the year, Superbowl Sunday?
Your man cave can become the next hot place to be, for a warm-up drink or to host the main event. Your family might not necessarily appreciate having huge groups of people in the house every weekend, but with a man cave, you can have your own separate space from the rest of the house.
At the end of the night, you can just stumble back upstairs to the comfort of your own bed, whilst the rest of the party can sleepover in your cave – no more expensive Uber bills or one night stays in a local hotel.
7. To Express Yourself Artistically
You might think you’re not the creative type, but in reality, all human beings have a creative style, and you instinctively know when you’re in a space that you don’t like and you don’t feel comfortable.
In other words, if your partner is a big fan of florals, or “coastal living”, this may be great if it means that the house is also neat and clean most of the time, but if you had the chance to decorate the house yourself, this may not have been your first choice.
For example, if cars are your thing, you may find that the smell of oil in the air or the look of upholstered leather is super satisfying. Or if you’re more into that James Bond ultra-modern look, you may prefer to deck out your cave in concrete and glass, with everything hidden behind panels and doors that only you know how to access.
8. To Keep Your Family Sane
All the reasons I have included above are great reasons why you should have a man cave, but there are benefits for the people who live with you as well.
It’s all well and good to say that you need a space to hide from the chaos of your family, but sometimes they might appreciate that you are taking a bit of time out as well.
A good example of this is if you have a hobby that you love, but it tends to take up a bit of space. My dad is a super keen fisherman, and whilst we always appreciated the fish, we didn’t always appreciate confusing his bag of bait with our frozen peas when they were sitting side by side in the same freezer.
Whilst I’m sure your family loves you and all you do for them, sometimes they might wish that you indulge your passion somewhere a little separate from the rest of the family home.
9. All Humans Need Their Own Space
At the end of the day, all humans need a space to call their own and shape to their own needs. In this crazy, 24/7 interconnected world, you can feel like you’re constantly switched on, and to balance that you need a place where you can retreat and reboot.
Sharing is caring, but a modern man also needs to be sensitive to his own needs, and that just might include converting your damp little basement into a dragon’s lair, a hustler’s pool hall, or the backup court for the next national table tennis competition.
