A man needs to have his place of solitude, his Batcave, his fortress of manliness devoid of fluffy unicorn toys, makeup sets, and Justin Bieber paraphernalia. This can be difficult to achieve if you’re not living alone or even more difficult if you have a family. Because no matter how wonderful marital life is, it sure tends to strip away every inch of freedom and masculinity a man has.

That’s why the garage has become a modern man’s sanctuary. It’s not too far from home for your wife to not leave you alone, and it’s close enough to make a quick trip to the bathroom and back without switching the table saw off. It’s just perfect. So, here are the essential items every man’s garage must have to become a place of peace, masculinity, and productivity.

A manly workbench

Men like to build stuff, and while you don’t have to be a fully-fledged contractor to get your kick out of the building, assembling, cutting, welding and hammering, you do need a sturdy workstation where you can reach all of your DIY goals.

Whether you’re fixing the microwave (finally) or working on a crib for the baby, the workbench will serve many a purpose aimed at making your life easier, preserving the health of your back and helping your DIY ventures come to life.

Proper lighting

No great invention in the world ever came to be without adequate lighting, except fire perhaps, and the same will go for your doghouse if you don’t illuminate the place properly. Think about energy efficiency and how it will not only help you bring in more luminosity but also help you decrease your utility bills over time.

The good idea is to introduce LED lighting instead of incandescent lights, as they are energy-efficient and cast a softer, more natural glow that will help you maintain your focus throughout the day.

Tool chest

When outfitting your garage, a toolbox is a must. But a tool chest is even better. Unlike toolboxes that can get quite messy and disorganized quickly, a tool chest adjacent to your workbench will provide you with enough storage space to put a wide array of DIY tools. From every kind of screwdriver for every type of nail and wrench, you name it; the tool chest can accommodate it.

Car essentials

Hopefully, your garage is spacious enough to accommodate your car and all of your necessities as well to make it a real man cave and not just a place where you go to sit alone at the steering wheel and grunt. Having a car, a workbench and a tool chest all in the same room means it’s a shame if you had to tow your car to the mechanic’s every time something goes awry.

Instead, you want to learn how to fix your damn vehicle by using proper tools. So be sure you have a jack, a socket set, pliers and wire cutters, a multimeter and all of the tools from your tool chest at the ready to bring your car back to its former glory without paying a dime.

Safety gear

You’re a man, so you’ll need to read this twice: wear protective gear. Wait, let’s try that one more time: wear protective gear! No, you’re not going to be fine, no, you don’t “have it covered”, you’re going to get yourself hurt at some point.

Whatever you do, do not start a DIY project of any kind without putting on sturdy PPE gear beforehand, because if you don’t, it’s just a matter of time before you wake up in a hospital with your nose stitched back to your face as best as surgically possible.

Some form of entertainment unit

A man’s garage is not complete without introducing some form of an entertainment unit. After all, it’s not all work; it’s about having some fun as well.

While a mini-fridge is an absolute must, you also want to get a pinball machine, a pool table, and a dartboard. If you have a more modern taste, then get an Xbox or a PlayStation so that you can spend quality time with the boys without any female interruptions.

It’s not easy being a loving husband and father while balancing the troubles and challenges of the modern world on your shoulders. You need your space where you can regroup, recuperate, and get back at it again with a grin on your face and a twinkle of victory in your eye. Your garage just might serve this purpose.