There are many benefits to building a home or office with a shipping container. A shipping container is: wind & water tight, stackable, highly customizable, can be built quickly, and simply cool looking (we know, we are biased). However, limited space inside of a container can be tricky and overwhelming to a lot of people. Below, you will find some simple tips and suggestions on how to get started and how to maximize your space!
The first step is to research and make a floor plan. You want to decide on the size, location, and quantity of some of the major components like bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, windows, doors, etc. You also want to consider the logistics and how they connect.
Take a look at what others have done to get an idea of what you want. Google and Pinterest are great resources for creative ideas and visualization. If you need someone to guide you through the process, you can consult with one of our experts; we have designed many many floor plans.
Organize and Prioritize
To dig a little deeper into a floor plan, prioritize your needs and wants — things that are absolutely essential and necessary, things that are desired, and things that would be a plus. With limited space, this organization process will help you prioritize what goes into your container.
Pegboards
Whether it’s for your office or workstation involving carpentry or tools, pegboards are a handy way to keep small items organized neatly. They are easy to install and can be versatile — you can even use them for kitchen items or books and files.
Space Under Bed/mezzanine Floor
Beds take up a lot of floor space, and when you live in a container home, every inch matters. One of the solutions is utilizing the space below and above your bed. If you want a normal bed height, you could build or buy a bed frame with drawers below, taking advantage of storage space.
You could even “up” it more by having a mezzanine floor system like you see in a lot of college dorms or lofts. The space below your bed could be used as an office space, utilizing the height of your container home or office.
Fold What You Can
Another idea is to have foldable or fold out furniture. A lot of times, we don’t need more than one piece of furniture at a given time. Fold out (or pull out) beds, couches, dining table, seats, and even foldable cutting boards are all good examples of saving and maximizing space.
Think Outside the Box
Maximizing space doesn’t have to be limited to just the inside. You can easily add more space outside by having an outdoor deck or connecting spaced out containers with a roof over them.
There you have it! Hopefully you now have a better understanding of how to get started and feel at ease. If you have more ideas or have completed projects of your own, we would love to hear your story and check out your photos. Be creative and have fun!