It seems as soon as people learned to put a roof over their heads, they started creating places to fill with work, life and play. Archaeologists have evidence that humans living in caves used smaller caves or alcoves. In early Europe people built them from mammoth tusks and skins. Even Eskimos built shed-like structures from blocks of snow and ice. Yes, the humble shed has been part of everyday life ever since we started living in houses.
So what makes the shed such an ingrained part of the human experience? Let’s take a look psychology behind shed ownership and explore what makes this building unlike any other.
A family tradition
For some, owning a shed is a rite of passage. As kids we grow up watching dad tinker away and we automatically know that one day, we too will build our own. It’s an unspoken tradition and – like marriage and the first child – the building of a shed is a signal that the family tree has a solid new branch.
A place of your own:
These days there are very few places that are truly yours alone. We work in shared offices, drive in shared lanes and share our living space. The so called Man Cave (and its close relative the She Shed) gives you a little corner to be your own boss. Studies have shown that your own space helps regulate your emotions and positively affects your emotional well being. Whether we’re building something, playing computer games, reading or listening to our own music on full it’s a place free of judgement, where you make the rules.
A place of refuge
The world is a noisy busy place. With phones, traffic, pets and crying kids everywhere there are few places you can go to escape the din. A shed is a place to escape, to recharge and to find some space to think. It’s a retreat from daily life. There is many a couple who can attribute their happy marriage to the space, peace and quiet afforded by a little alone time. And there’s a reason many famous writers did their best work in a shed.
An outlet
Everyone needs an outlet and some feel the itch to create very strongly. For people like gardeners, metalworkers, woodworkers, artists and mechanics the shed is a realm where magic happens. Where things transform and appear from thin air. Where rusty objects are resurrected and given second life, and imagination gives birth to new creations. With the right tools, you’ll never be bored in a shed.
For many reasons, there’s little doubt that the shed is part of the human story. Whether it’s a tradition passed down from generation to generation, or somewhere you can just be yourself, at ShedBoss we’re proud to build places for the story to go on. We can do that for you.
