They love their 500-square-foot cargo container home: Except for this one surprising flaw

In the Belgian town of Zemst, a family has taken an unusual step: living in a 48-square-metre shipping container while their future home undergoes renovation. What many might consider a crazy idea has become, for Glenda and Joris, a unique experience that they say has brought them closer than ever.

As they told Belgian media outlet HLN, the couple began this adventure in November 2024, after selling their previous home and purchasing an old house in need of a full renovation. Since they couldn’t afford two mortgages at once and didn’t want to waste money on temporary rent, they chose a creative alternative: buying a shipping container and converting it into a temporary home.

“They told us we were crazy, but we’re living a dream,” says Glenda, as their children, Féline (8) and Jannes (4), help with the construction. In the small space of their “mini house,” the family has managed to fit a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room, and a bedroom where all four of them sleep.

The container, which they affectionately named Bluey because of its colour, cost less than $11,575 and was refurbished by the couple themselves. “We wanted something practical, without wasting money on rent. We renovated it bit by bit and made it our own,” explains Joris, who works daily on the main house’s renovation.

Despite the advantages, life inside a shipping container has its challenges. The biggest problem, they say, is the electricity bill: “We went from paying around $289 a year to more than $2,430. We use electric heaters in winter and portable air conditioning in summer, because when it’s hot outside, it’s unbearable inside.”

Even the limited space hasn’t been an obstacle. The children take part in the renovation and enjoy the large garden, where they’ve set up a trampoline and a playhouse. “Sometimes we feel guilty because we’re almost always working, but they see it as an adventure,” says Glenda.

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If everything goes to plan, the family hopes to move into their new home by May 2027. In the meantime, their small blue house stands as a testament to their effort, patience, and unity. “It’s not ideal, but it’s temporary. And what we’re building together is worth it,” the couple told HLN.

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