Cabin Fever: How to create your own container office

Many of us are now working from home and may be doing so for quite some time. With lockdown conditions still in force and any future easing likely to be gradual and graded, working from outside of the office is becoming the new normal. Whilst you’re probably aware of all the upsides of this new arrangement (no dreaded commute, meal deals, or frantic Sunday-night ironing, to name but a few), some aspects of home-working might be starting to grind on you. If your Zoom-calls are continually interrupted by your kids, pets, or partner, and you can’t seem to hold your concentration for longer than five minutes, it’s time to look at ways to improve your home-office set up. With a bit of space outside and some imagination, your very own shipping container office might just be the key. In this post, we’ll look at how to create a container office, and what benefits it has over your spare-bedroom workstation. n

What is a container office? 

n nnShipping containers are wonderfully versatile structures. Designed to withstand the bracing winds, waves, and rain of the seven seas, these reinforced steel boxes have been used for everything from the most imaginative architectural designs to storage on construction sites and classrooms. There’s absolutely no reason, then, why they can’t also be used for office space. nn nnWhen modified, shipping containers offer comfortable, professional, and secure places to work. With the addition of windows, doors, insulation, flooring, and electrics, they transform into surprisingly spacious cocoons of productivity – a far cry from the laundry-filled spare room hybrids many are currently working from. nn n

How to build a container office

n nnFirst of all, you need some space. Specifically, an area more than 8ft x 20ft – the standard size of shipping containers as stated by the ISO. The good news is that if you’re lucky enough to have the space, whether it be in your garden or your own private field, you don’t need planning permission to set up your own container office.nn nnWhat you do need, however, is a solid foundation to put it on. Without a properly-laid foundation, a container office risks sinking into the ground or sliding downhill – not ideal when you’re hosting a 20-person video conference. nn n

Shipping office container ideas 

n nnWe wouldn’t advise buying any old container and trying to kit it out yourself – it takes quite a bit of work to get it up to a standard comparable to a functioning office. Rather, you should buy or rent one directly from a container company; our own ‘off-the-peg’ container office comes primed with all the essentials to hit the ground running. To make it truly your own, however, consider the following: nn n

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• Office plants – A smattering of fresh foliage in your container office won’t only help to see your productivity boosted, but it’ll also give a hand to British garden centres and nurseries struggling at this time. 

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• Office art – Free from the eyesore of primary-coloured corporate slogans, you can surround your desk space with art you actually like. It might even help spur your creativity. 

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• Wi-Fi – Depending on how far your container office is from your house, you may need to consider buying some extra tech to make sure your internet signal is reliable. A wireless extender, for instance, can help to boost the signal from your main router, meaning you won’t suddenly drop out of video-calls. 

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A temporary solution 

nFollowing COVID19, many businesses are rethinking how they work and whether or not they need office space. For companies looking for a safe, flexible, and cost-effective office solution, shipping containers are an ideal fit for ‘the new normal’. Designed with comfort and privacy in mind, you might find it hard to return to your normal office. nn nnThinking about getting your own container office? Get in touch with UnitHire – we can talk you through the options and practicalities of installing one on your property.nn