I gave up everything to live off-grid inside a shipping container – it costs nothing but there are some HUGE downsides
A WOMAN has sold all of her belongings to fulfil her dream of living off-grid in a shipping container.
Robyn Swan, 32, has always hoped to live off the land and be fully self-sufficient, but only began researching off-grid living seven years ago.
The dog-walking business owner took the leap by selling all of her belongings including her furniture, TV and her car.
She also made the decision to remortgage her home in Stirling, renting it out to cover her mortage and bills.
After spending years saving, Robyn made the jump in December last year and bought just under seven acres of land for £185,000.
Robyn said: “I discovered pretty early on that it’s near on impossible to buy a farm without a big bundle of cash.
“After I remortgaged my house, I then had the bundle of cash sitting there, making me a cash buyer.
“I sold basically everything else including my car, TV and furniture and currently rent out the house so I can live on the land without any bills.
“It just felt like the right decision at the right time in my life.
“Everything just fell into place.”
Robyn was able to achieve her life-long dream after buying a piece of land, which had been on the market for six years.
She ultimately snatched it up as the only buyer dedicated to the off-grid life.
She said: “The land had been under offer a few times but people wouldn’t be prepared to live off-grid so the sales would all eventually fall through.
“Most people want a dishwasher or a tumble dryer but I never really worried about that.”
It took two months to build the container and Robyn had to sleep on a mattress on the floor during the process.
Robyn said: “I slept on the floor the entire time it was being built.
“I had a campervan to stay in while the construction was happening but it ended up breaking down and being stuck in a garage for a month and a half.
“In the end, I had to take the mattress out of the van and put it on the floor of the container.
“The container shelter took two months to build using material from the local builder’s merchants.”
Robyn bought a a second-hand kitchen from Facebook marketplace for £5,000 and set up a bed.
Robyn said: “I was lucky to have loads of friends chipping in with items or a helping hand.
“It’s not quite finished yet but I have a bed and kitchen sorted.
“Well, I say that, but I don’t have a fridge yet so whatever I eat I have to buy that day.”
Robyn’s aim is to become fully self-sufficient and live off the land but there’s still a long way to go.
She said: “I grow some of my own food including potatoes and certain fruits but I am not nearly where I want to be in terms of self-sufficiency.
“I also plan to set up a solar system for the living spaces but the process is quite expensive.
“I would love the site to be 60-70% self-sufficient but I am currently at 10-15%.”
Living without being connected to the mains has been easier than expected.
I live off-grid & rent free in a cabin I built myself in the woods
A Canadian filmmaker and farmer admits he had no skills when he decided to live in a cabin far from society.
He originally looked into becoming fully self-sufficient whilst researching cheaper-living options when he was short on cash.
He has since realised the costs of building a cabin have been quick to add up, buying the land for $10,000 with framing costs totalling $40,000.
Overall, he believes he must have spent around $175,000 on the 556 square foot cabin which he shares with his girlfriend and cat.
Despite some of the starting financial drawbacks, he claims he appreciates the space: “It’s small but like everything is working well and it’s comfortable here.”
Robyn harvests rain water, bathes in a cast-iron tub she got for free from Facebook marketplace and re-uses her bath water for the plants.
She said: “I harvest rain water to use though I have to be careful about how much water we pour to boil for tea.
“I use a pink cast-iron tub for my baths which a local interior designer was giving away.
“To heat it, I have to light a fire underneath and sit on a plank of wood so I don’t burn out my bum.”
“In terms of electricity, I have a power bank in the van which charges as I drive it.
“That’s where I usually charge my phone and laptop.
“I use a gas cooker to make food, which right now I still buy primarily from local shops.”
Over the last seven months, Robyn has set up a fence around the entire perimeter and built shelters for the animals living on the site.
Robyn said: “I had to out some barn owl boxes up before commencing any work.
“Once that was done, I sorted the fence and then built shelters for the animals.
“I have eight sheep, six pigs and over 20 chickens on the site so I built a chicken coop and pig shelter.
“I also have four dogs but they live towards the main container shelter with me.”
Looking forward, Robyn has big plans for this plot of land and hopes to turn it into a functioning farm.
She said: “I want to start a market garden in the area the pigs are currently in now.
“I will grow all the fruit and vegetables. I’m hoping to plant some fruit trees soon.
“I am also planning to start the self-build on the house as well, using the derelict barn already existing on the property.
“The planning permission has already been granted but I want to make some changes to make sure it’s properly insulated.”