We call her the 'can'.

Yep, we had a shipping container dropped in our back yard almost three years ago and have loved every single second of having it there. We are a family of 5 and even though our semi-detached home is on the larger side, we still lacked a good home office space. (And with three kids there was really nowhere quiet to work EVER!) Since we live in The Junction a shipping container is a nice nod to the areas history and I feel like she fits right in.

I love how she's tucked away at the back of the yard. Yes, I said she. We originally envisioned her facing the house along the back fence. However, the tree roots would have made it difficult to properly place footings so sideways she went. I actually prefer this look now, it gave us a larger rear deck space and extra privacy when you are actually in the shipping container. We are fortunate that we have a rear laneway so that's how the shipping container was delivered. It was a tight squeeze but she slid right on to the poured concrete fittings.

We have a large workspace, tv and couch. That's basically it! You can see from the floor plan that the square footage is not a lot to work with but it's a great use of space for us. Thanks to Toronto company Giant Containers, the container was insulated with spray foam, wired, drywalled and has an electric heater that we have set up on a smart thermostat. I think since one long wall is all windows, it actually feels much wider than 8 feet. To work around city by-laws and not need a permit, a 20 foot long container was cut down to 13 feet in length. A storage shed was added to the back end of the container and covered in black steel so it blends right in.

How lovely is our neighbours pergola? The vine has small white flowers most of the summer and with the twinkly lights it's perfection. Also, even though these are crummy iphone photos, how nice is it to see green? This is NOT what our backyard looks like in February, sigh.

Having the extra office space has been wonderful. What surprised us is how much we use the space as a family. Movie nights in the backyard, a quiet place for homework or a not so quiet space for playing the guitar!

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We are SOLD on re-using old shipping containers for studios, storage, cottages and whatever else you can dream up. Speaking of dreaming, this is what I'm dreaming of right now. Not sure we have the room for it, but if we did.....

We asked, you answered! Favourite green products for everyday living.

What is everyone up to this weekend? Thanks for joining in on our Instagram giveaway! We loved hearing about how you are working towards living lighter this year. Since we have been asking you to share your favourite eco-products, we thought we'd pass along a few more. Here are some easy and efficient green products for everyday living.

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People are raving about the Stasher bag. Stasher is the only self sealing, airtight, non-plastic bag in the world! Bags have a pinch press™ seal making them airtight and leakproof. Ideal for food, travel, school and more. Made of 100% food-grade silicone, Stasher bags offer the convenience of plastic storage bags, but without petroleum, PVC and latex, so it's good for us and our planet. They are freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe. They can even be used for sous vide cooking!!

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How cool are these? Apparently, you can convert a mason jar in to a ba-jillion things. Eco~tique on Roncesvalles Ave. carries these attachments to turn your mason jar into a re-usable beverage container, a shaker, a soap/lotion pump or a simple spout attachment for pouring! So neat.

Using less plastic is a priority for us. These jute produce bags do the trick. We both bought a two-pack at Organic Garage on Junction Rd. Now, if they'd just stop wrapping cucumbers in plastic. Why do they do that??

My sister made me these beeswax wraps a few years ago and they are still going strong. They are great for wrapping frutis, veggies, cheeses, covering bowls and wash up easily. Feel like a DIY this weekend? Choose a pretty fabric scrap from home and follow a tutorial like this or this.

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My sweet sister also put me on to these years ago. I always have two in my purse. Saying 'no thank-you' to a bag while shopping is easy and since the average North American uses 350 -500 plastic shopping bag a year, every single "no" helps!

So, here's the thing. We can be imperfect at this going green thing. You don't need to be all or nothing. Every little thing does help. By doing a few small things that feel right and work for you and your family, you make a positive change. Here's to living lighter this year. Let us know how you do!