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Every bloke needs a shed
And have we got a shed for you!
Too much stuff at home? Being told the tools, the fishing gear and the "I'll fix that one day" pile have to go? Before you start loading the ute for the tip, consider this: maybe you don't have too much stuff. Maybe you just don't have a shed.
Ned's own shipping container. A tool wall, a bench, shelves, and room to move.
Sound familiar?
You might need a shed if:
- You can't park the car in the garage, because the garage is full
- You've got three of the same tool because you couldn't find the first two
- The camping gear, the golf clubs and the Christmas decorations all live in the spare room
- Someone at home has used the words "skip bin" and looked straight at you
- You've been told "it's me or the drum kit"
Here's the good news. You don't have to choose between your stuff and peace at home. Every bloke needs a shed, and a shipping container is the best shed there is.
Why every bloke needs a shed
The backyard shed is as Australian as the meat pie. It turns out there are good reasons for that.
It's where blokes make and fix things
Mark Thomson spent years photographing Australian sheds and the men who built them for his book Blokes & Sheds. The book treats the shed as a symbol of Aussie resourcefulness: the place where a bloke can fix just about anything with a length of fencing wire, a hammer and a piece of four-by-two.
It's good for you
The Men's Shed movement started in Goolwa, South Australia, in 1993. Today there are more than 1,300 Men's Sheds across Australia and more than 60,000 men taking part, according to the Australian Men's Shed Association. A study published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research found sheds have real health and wellbeing benefits, especially for older and retired men.
Blokes talk shoulder to shoulder
The Men's Shed motto says it best: "Men don't talk face to face, they talk shoulder to shoulder." A mate, a workbench and a job to do beats sitting across a table any day. A shed gives you somewhere to do that.
It keeps the peace at home
When your gear has a home of its own, it's not in the hallway, the spare room or the garage. The house gets its space back, you keep your stuff, and everyone is happier. Nobody has to win the argument.
Here's my shed
I practise what I preach. This is my own shipping container, and it's my shed.
The tools hang on a pegboard wall, so I can see everything at a glance. There's a long steel bench down one side, heavy-duty shelves and cabinets down the other, and the spirit levels, spanners and saws all have a spot of their own. On top of the cupboard sit a few things that make me smile: old team photos, a cap and my book.
Everything I own that doesn't belong in the house lives here. It's dry, it's locked, and I know exactly where it all is.
Ned Coten, owner, Sunshine Self Storage
The other side: cupboards, shelving and a few treasures on top.
Why a shipping container makes the best shed
A shed in the backyard means a slab, a kit, a few weekends and a bit less lawn. A container at Sunshine Self Storage is ready the day you move in.
Built tough
Shipping containers are made to cross oceans. Ours are steel, watertight and dust-proof, and nearly all of them are new one-trip containers.
Drive right up
Back the ute, van or trailer right up to the doors and unload. No lifts, no trolleys, no corridors.
Only you hold the key
You bring your own padlock, so nobody else gets in. You also get your own access card and alarm code for the yard, behind our security layers.
Plenty of room
A 20ft container is about the size of a one-car garage. That's room for a bench, a tool wall and shelving, with space left to stand and work.
Your shed, your hours
Access to the yard is available from 5am until 9pm, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Need in earlier or later? Give us a day's notice and we'll arrange it, at no charge.
No backyard needed
No council forms, no slab, no flat-pack instructions. And when you don't need it any more, give us 30 days' notice and you're done.
Setting up your shed: the straight answers
We'd rather tell you now than have you find out later.
- Want to work in it, not just store in it? You can use your container as a workshop, as long as you have our written permission first. More on workshops
- There's no power or lighting as standard. Most people bring battery tools and work in daylight. If you need power, talk to us and we can arrange it. More on power
- Batteries go home with you. Lithium-ion batteries, and anything containing one, can't be stored. Take your cordless tool batteries home when you leave.
- Sparks, fumes or a lot of noise? Talk to us first.
- Nothing is left outside your container. Work inside it, and take your offcuts and rubbish home.
- The basics: a three-month minimum, then month to month. No deposit and no setup fee. See our facility rules for the full list.
Pick your shed
Three sizes, one simple price each.
The 10ft shed
$198 a month
2.9m long, 2.35m wide, 2.39m high. Room for a core tool kit, the camping gear and the overflow from the garage.
The 20ft shed
$299 a month
5.9m long, 2.35m wide, 2.39m high. About a one-car garage: a bench, a tool wall and shelves, like Ned's.
The 40ft shed
$580 a month
12.03m long, 2.35m wide, 2.39m high. The big one: a workshop, the project car, the boat that fits, or all three at once.
Not a bloke?
She Sheds are just as welcome. So are partners who'd simply like the garage back. Whoever you are, if your stuff needs a home of its own, we've got a shed for you.
Got a question first? Call us on 03 9010 6147. You'll speak to someone with over 20 years of experience who really knows what they're talking about. You can also email [email protected] or chat now with Sienna.
Ready for your shed?
Check what's free and book online in under five minutes, or give us a call.