Shipping Container Uses

Ready to get creative with containers? Discover how shipping containers are being used around the world. Access helpful resources for your container-based building, storage, or transportation project.

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Shipping container uses including housing, storage, and more

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Top Shipping Container Uses

Shipping Containers for Housing

Whether you're building a cost-effective off-grid cabin or a sprawling luxury home, you can bring your vision to life with shipping containers. Shipping containers have become a popular choice for homebuilding projects in recent years thanks to their pre-fabricated, modular nature, allowing builds to be completed up to 50% faster than traditional construction projects. Learn more about how to use shipping containers for housing, and access the resources you need to get started today.

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Shipping Containers for Housing example

Shipping Containers for Storage

Looking for a flexible alternative to building a barn, garage, or shed? Shipping containers could just be the solution for you. Built to withstand decades on the world's roughest waters, shipping containers (also known as conex boxes) have a tough, weathering-steel shell that's perfect for securing vehicles, furniture, and other household goods. Shipping containers can be used for storage as-is, or can be modified with shelving units, roll-up doors, lockboxes, and much more. Ready to trade in that costly self-storage unit? Learn how to use a shipping container for storage today.

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Shipping Containers for Storage example

Shipping Containers for Shipping

Shipping containers are the perfect candidate for—you guessed it!—shipping. Used by the world's shipping lines for over seven decades, ISO containers are the trusted building blocks of the global supply chain. As shipping containers are purpose-built for transporting high volumes of consumer goods, they are definitively the most efficient way to move cargo domestically or internationally. Need to transport your belongings across states—or even overseas? Get started with our shipping guides and resources today.

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Shipping Containers for Shipping example

Shipping Containers for Moving House

Gearing up to move home? Avoid the stress of a same-day move-in by using a shipping container instead. A vastly more flexible option than relying on traditional moving trucks, shipping containers allow you to pack up—and move in—at your own pace. What's more, your freshly purchased container can double up as a long-term barn or shed alternative on your new property, providing flexible storage space for years to come. Ready to get started with a shipping container-powered move? Discover how to use a shipping container to move house today.

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Shipping Containers for Moving House example

Frequently Asked Questions

Shipping containers are a popular choice for many upcycling projects due to their standardized sizing and strong steel exteriors. They allow homeowners to avoid downtime associated with outbuilding construction—and unlike buildings with a fixed foundation, they can be moved from one place (or property) to the next. Plus, re-using shipping containers helps to offset carbon-intensive "empty repositioning" in the container industry, which is the practice of moving empty boxes from city to city.

The list of things that shipping containers can be used for is practically endless! Beyond affordable housing and storage, shipping containers can be used as pop-up retail stores, micro-factories, farms, garages, car wash facilities... you name it, a shipping container can do it.

New and innovative uses for shipping containers are emerging almost daily. Among our favorites are:



You can explore other innovative uses on our blog.

Shipping container building legislation varies by state, county, and city. You can check which states allow shipping container homes here. However, as with any building project, we recommend consulting your local authority before breaking ground.

If you're looking for a quick storage solution that provides long-term value (and even resale potential), shipping containers are the better option vs. building a storage shed. We break down the pros and cons of both in this guide.

For more ideas on how to use shipping containers on your property, visit our blog.

Close-up of an ISO container handle

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