Minimalist Living With Shipping Containers

Minimalist living has never been out of fashion. For some, it's a lifestyle choice, like Treehugger.com founder Graham Hill who came up with a way to fit eight rooms into a 420 square feet apartment. 

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For others, it's necessary for them to start small and make use of every inch of livable space. But who would've thought one would make a home out of a shipping container? Today I would like to welcome a contribution from Cherry, a writer from Media Buzzer, on this subject.

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There is a common trend at present to recycle the versatile shipping container, and build structures out of them. These can be surprisingly nice homes to live in and are a lot more spacious and comfortable than you would think. But shipping containers have been used for habitats for almost as long as shipping containers have been around. Their versatility and ease of transportation makes them suitable for many different people, living in lots of different types of environments. They do not have to be just used for accommodation as there are many other uses for a modified shipping container.

• Site Office
• Storage Locker
• Canteen
• Workshop
• Training Facilities

Shipping Containers on Building Sites

If you go to any construction site across the country, it is common to see a Portakabin which can be used as a site office, as well as employee facilities. It is starting to become more common for these to be replaced by modified shipping containers, due to the ease of transporting them anywhere that they are needed.

An Intermodal Shipping Container can be transported by road, sea or rail, which means that it can be transported where ever it is required with the minimum amount of fuss. Shipping containers are also easy to convert, and if you purchase a second-hand shipping container they are also cost effective and much cheaper than a Portakabin. They are also easy to source as you can buy shipping containers in Newcastle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, or anywhere else that you may be located in Australia.

Whether you are looking for an office, changing room, canteen or even just storage facilities, shipping containers are being used in building sites all over the country.

A Cabin in the Woods

Lots of people enjoy going to the woods and spending time feeling that they are closer to nature. The cost of building a structure can increase dramatically when you are looking to build this in a remote area. The cost of transporting the materials, as well as the labour, can increase the price of your cabin immensely. An excellent way to get around this is to buy a second-hand shipping container and have this modified to your specifications and add everything that you need.

• Windows
• Doors
• Flooring
• Ceiling
• Walls
• Built in Furniture

You will find there are many companies that can offer you a modified shipping container which is made to your exact requirements. You can add floors, walls and a ceiling which will make the inside a lot more like a standard structure. Adding a door and windows will also give it a more homely feel and also allow plenty of light in your cabin.

When the shipping container has been modified, you can easily transport this to where it is needed and save yourself a lot of money than if you built a permanent structure. A shipping container structure is classed as temporary just like a garden shed, so planning permission is usually easily obtained. Unlike a traditional structure, you will not need to build big foundations before you place your container down in its desired location. Some shallow footings with some poured concrete will suffice to keep your new cabin exactly where it should be.

A Place by the Sea

If chilling by the sea is more of your thing, then you can also convert a shipping container into your own beach hut, complete with all of the comforts of home. Just as with building a cabin in the woods, the foundations that are required to secure your new beach hut are easy and quick enough to do.

One thing you will need to do though, if your beach hut is going to be getting plenty of sunlight, is to make sure that you have some sort of shade for the roof. This does not need to be very complicated or fancy, but shading the roof of your shipping container will help to keep the temperature down inside of your beach hut. Make sure you place a window strategically for when you wake up, what better view to wake up to than that of the ocean!

A Shipping Container for all Destinations

You will find that shipping containers are used all over the world, and not just for transporting cargo. You will even find them at the North and the South Pole where they have been modified for a variety of different reasons. There are also many countries where you can find people using ordinary shipping containers for places to both live and work, with very little changes being done.

When you are using shipping containers to make a structure, the design can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. You could just decide to drop your shipping container in your desired location, put a few shelves and a bed in there and leave your modifications at that. You may wish to go to the other end and create yourself a luxurious space to live; it all depends on your needs and desires, as well as your budget. The great thing about a simple shipping container structure, when you get bored with the location, it is very easy just to move and start afresh somewhere new!