22 things you should have in your woman cave
Try these "me time" supplies ranging from snacks to joggers to wine glass holders
Homegrown Tales subscribers,
I made my vote very clear on One Black Woman’s Vote, and the amount of stunts that have happened since the results were called are about as disturbing and stupid as I suspected. It is extremely important to me to support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) products, black-owned products, woman-owned products, veteran-owned products and other marginalized groups that are being dismissed for simply existing. Although I have had an ongoing battle and now boycott against Target since 2019 (and did not shop in Walmart for about a decade until 2022), I do agree that boycotting a store may also mean boycotting black-owned products and other small businesses.
With that said, as an Amazon affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases with my referral links. I know some consumers are choosing to boycott Amazon for its DEI removal. However, after thinking about this thoroughly, I choose to continue promoting intriguing products from small businesses, women-owned businesses and (specifically) Black-owned businesses who still feature their items on Amazon. All five of my Substack publications now include a MINIMUM of one product sold by a Black-owned business. (I have visited the seller’s official site, not just the Amazon Black-owned logo, to verify this.) If you still choose to boycott, I 100% respect that decision.
This post will be continuously updated.
LAST UPDATED: April 20, 2025
WHAT’S NEW? Addition to “Fragrances,” “Lamp or LED Lights,” “Shoe and Coat Rack”
First published on September 14, 2024
It’s not that you don’t love your kids, your significant other or your dog. But sometimes you just need a moment to breathe and do the kind of things you did when it was just you. You need a room where you can have absolute “me time” without everybody bugging you. Men have man caves, but sometimes women need a woman cave too.
You’ve already seen what a joint office is like, and you don’t want the same problems that Bernie and Wanda had on “The Bernie Mac Show.” Pen clickers are the worst anyway.
You’d rather actually visit a gym or jog around the neighborhood with your dog than to clutter up a room with weights, a treadmill and a row machine. You’re looking for more personalized items, stuff your girlfriends can help you enjoy during a Girls Night and feel like you’re back in college again — not the dorms though, the off-campus apartment. Let’s figure out how to get you back to that place with these 22 suggestions.
Recommended Read: “10 things I wish I bought before my first day in the dorms ~ The everyday things college freshmen, including car owners, will need to make campus living easier”
1. All-Purpose Wipes
While furniture wipes are necessary to keep dust and debris away, especially for spring allergies, skin-friendly wipes that don’t require you to need gloves are even more important.
2. Breakfast Nook Chair
Even if you don’t have an official breakfast nook with the large window to stare aimlessly out of, you need a comfortable chair to sit in. Use it to read. Use it to nap. Use it to journal. Use it to daydream. Just make sure you can snuggle in it.
3. and 4. Books and Bookshelf
5. Hairstyling Accessories
Are you in the mood to try something new with your hair? Play around, and test some styles. Don’t forget to bring a mirror so you can check yourself out when you’re done.
6. Mirror
7. Lamp or LED Lights
Use it as a night light, reading light or enjoy the lofty ambiance.
Recommended Read: “9 of the best travel alarm clocks ~ Window Shopping listicles: The shopping trip you didn't know you needed to take”
8. Plant Stands
If you want to flex your green thumb in the prettiest way possible, these shelves do just that. You can use them indoors and outdoors.
9. Fragrances (Three-Wick Candles and Incense)
When you walk into the room, it should smell inviting. Even the best cleaning spray goes away. Try three-wick candles or plug-in air fresheners. While there are plenty of brands, Bath & Body Works is by far one of the longest lasting and slow burning. Diffusers are also a therapeutic option to make the room smell amazing.
10. Coffee Table
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a comfortable couch and ottoman either. Shop around for what suits you best if your BFFs are stopping by. Vegan leather couches are a strong pick!
And coffee tables come in handy too. Just try not to get so much furniture in this woman cave to the point where you can’t move around freely. Your woman cave doesn’t need to look like a replica of your living room but have enough for it to at least compete with a den.
11. and 12. Blender and Drinking Container
You can still go downstairs to your basement bar on occasion, but this is your time to try all those strange drinks you’ve been seeing in YouTube videos. If you want to take up Michael B. Jordan’s suggestion to make a mosstail, get a blender and try that too. Sip in peace.
Recommended Read: “Michael B. Jordan said sea moss drinks were his 'obsession,' so I tried it ~ For people with high blood pressure, Moss beverages may be a good option”
13. Wall Art
Your wall decor should be something that is very personal to you. This is your dopamenu, your time to find something that makes you happy to look at as soon as you walk in the room. Maybe it’s your old architecture drawings from when you were in vocational school or that one canvas painting you started working on after ceramics painting wasn’t your bag. If you want to go as far as creating your own wallpaper accent wall, go for it.
Whatever it is, just be proud of it — and don’t choose a portrait, photo collage or painting that someone guilted you into putting up. It’s got to be something you would’ve grabbed the hammer and nails for on your own.
14. Lounge Wear
15. Smartphone Mount
You don’t want to be fumbling around, trying to find your phone. Use a good smartphone mount for charging on a flat surface.
16. Healthy Snacks (Dried Fruit)
You can’t eat candy and salty snacks the whole time you’re in your woman cave. Add some oranges, apples and maybe even an avocado for guacamole. If you want to be healthy and go for snacks like hazelnuts, almonds and honey roasted peanuts, go nuts (pun intended) in the candy dish above. Fresh fruit in a basket is always a winner. Or, add this dried fruit to your water, let it soften and eat the slice when you’re done. It’ll have an amazing citrus-water taste.
17. Sweet Treats
Let’s be honest. Every single day isn’t going to be a fruit smoothie and tea day in the woman cave. Here are a couple guilty pleasures.
18. Spa Care Accessories (Lip and Skin Moisturizer, Pedicures)
Whether it’s a pedicure, a manicure or a makeover, this is your time to have self-care and some pretty “me time.”
19. Pillow and Pillow Case
You’re walking a fine line with having a couch and bed supplies in your woman cave. If you’re single and just want a quiet place away from your screaming kids, go for it. (Make sure the babysitter or older siblings watch them so they don’t tear up your house.) But if you have a significant other, try not to get into the habit of sleeping in your woman cave. The goal is to have a temporary place to hang out and have peace. You still want to make yourself available for quality time with your significant other. But while you’re in your woman cave reading, napping and snacking, have a comfy blast!
20. Meditation Audio Devices
And while you’re taking that much-needed nap or meditating for mindfulness, you may need a little help focusing. Crank up your phone to a meditation YouTube channel and enjoy.
21. and 22. Shoe Rack and Coat Rack
While you may have a shoe rack in your bedroom and your mudroom, you may also find yourself with a shoe collection in here too. If your dog is a shoe chewer, a woman cave is the perfect hideaway for everything from pumps to gym shoes.
And the rest of what goes in your woman cave is up to you. If you want to bring your laptop, fine. If you want to bring in a large radio instead of smartphone speakers, go for it. Dance the day away. Or, if you just want to have a moment of peace where you can meditate with your favorite yoga mat and do absolutely nothing, that’s OK too.
Make sure to lock the door when you leave your woman cave though. The last thing you need is for your “me time” hangout to become a family room.
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the now-weekly paid posts each Friday (as of March 16, 2025). Thanks for reading!