I remortgaged my house to move into a shipping container

Robyn Swan, a 32-year-old woman, has made a significant change in her life by moving into a shipping container. She decided to remortgage her house and sell most of her belongings to embrace an off-grid lifestyle. This means she is living without the usual services that most people rely on, such as electricity and running water. Robyn purchased nearly seven acres of land in Stirlingshire and bought a shipping container that she has been renovating. After spending several years researching how to live off-grid, she finally made the move in December 2023, and she now shares this container home with her boyfriend. Robyn expressed her joy by saying, 'My happiness is high and my bills are low, what’s not to love? ' This statement reflects her satisfaction with her new way of living. The total cost for Robyn to buy the land and the shipping container was £185,000. To support her new lifestyle, she rents out her old house. Robyn worked diligently to convert the 40-foot container into a comfortable living space. It took her two months to complete the renovations, using materials sourced from a local builder. She also found a second-hand kitchen and a bath on an online marketplace, which helped make the container feel more like a home. In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland, she mentioned, 'We fully renovated the container. It is not completely finished but it is liveable now. We’ve got a bed and everything like that. ' Although they do not have sofas yet, they make do with a couple of deck chairs for seating. Robyn is optimistic about the progress of her container home and is excited for the future. Living in a shipping container comes with its own set of challenges. For instance, Robyn does not have electricity or hot water, which complicates everyday tasks. Taking a bath, for example, requires a lot of effort. She heats water in a cast-iron bath over an outdoor fire, which can take about two hours to prepare. Additionally, she has set up a rainwater harvesting system on the roof of the container to collect water. One of the biggest adjustments for Robyn has been the lack of a flushing toilet. She candidly shared, 'Everyone wants to live off grid until they realize that they have to deal with their own human waste. ' Instead of a traditional toilet, she uses a bucket and compost, which can be quite a task. Despite these challenges, Robyn is committed to making her off-grid lifestyle work. In her quest for self-sufficiency, Robyn has taken on the responsibility of growing her own vegetables and caring for animals. She currently has eight sheep, six pigs, and around twenty chickens. Recently, she invested in a wood-burning stove, which she hopes will provide enough warmth during the cold Scottish winters. Initially, Robyn had dreams of purchasing a farm, but she found them to be too expensive. When the land she bought became available, she quickly seized the opportunity, especially since other potential buyers were deterred by its remote location. Looking ahead, Robyn has ambitious plans to convert an old barn on her property into a fully eco-friendly home. She is enthusiastic about her new lifestyle and is dedicated to turning her dreams into reality.