Next on the Tiny Trailer Rehab agenda, we had to seal up the cracks to keep the wind and rain out and figure out what we were going to sleep on. All the weather-stripping around the windows and in the seams of the siding had to be replaced. This meant taking off all the windows and gutters, scraping the old putty from the trailer and the window frames and gutters, sticking on new putty and putting everything back. Luckily, the scraping turned out to be a good project for a young man armed with a heat gun (and parental supervision). That project was involved, but easy.
The next project was a bit more difficult. What to sleep on? The thought of moving the bunk beds or futon/bunk from the house to the trailer was very tempting. A comfortable bed is critical for everyday living. The measurements said either option would take up too much space. Not to mention the weight. Next, I looked at a small futon at a local Alco store. It would take up a lot less space and still be fairly comfortable. As I was in the midst of this quandary, the man of the place came up with the perfect solution: put the bunk from our old RV into the trailer. Discussion ensued. The bunk, a full-size frame, could be cut to fit the space I had available. It would be positioned 18 inches off the floor to accommodate storage. It would fold up against the wall if and when I wanted it out of the way.
The man was given his project, under the critical supervision of Mrs. Susie, and a comfortable bed was installed. The wall was built out a bit, to enable folding the bed up straight, as the ceiling slopes in just that location. A support was put on the wall underneath the bed, and hinged legs fold up with the bed and fold out for support when it is being used.
Having addressed these priorities, we were ready to get on the road. After a very cold winter in Colorado and two summer weddings – one in California, one in Wyoming – we installed another bed for the boy and some shelves. We also did some decorating. Next time, I’ll tell you about how that went, and show you how our tiny trailer looks now.
Until then, thanks for stopping by and come see us at Mrs. D’s Homestead. Don’t forget to check out my new book, “The Working Parent’s Guide To Homeschooling.”
