Office Trailer Makeover
/A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to do a bit of a makeover on my sister’s office/homeschool trailer. They sell seed, fertilizer, etc. and she needs to be close to the warehouse during the busy season but also homeschools her children. They purchased a job trailer for this purpose, but it was not set up well for their specific needs. Next year they plan to build a bigger office, so this is only temporary. We were trying to get this done ASAP so I didn’t have time to paint the walls or do anything major.
The biggest improvement in the trailer was the new flooring. My dad had a roll of carpet that we installed. I can’t say that I did a great job, but I can say that I learned a lot! Since a farm related business will naturally bring a lot of dirty shoes, my mom and I put adhesive vinyl tile near the door. We actually went all the way to the opposing window so that there is a space for the kids to eat. Carpet in a dining area is always a terrible idea with kids. I know this too well. For more dirt-resistance, I got an outdoor mat and an indoor mat, which I custom painted to match…
…the vintage sheet curtains that I sewed for the office area! These were the last usable pieces from the sheets mom gave me a long time ago. I used some of them to create Easter pajamas back in 2020. To make the material stretch, I added solid blue accents from a flat microfiber sheet.
Then I painted a canvas for my sister that also matched the sheets. These flowers were not my usual style but I like how they turned out!
They definitely needed more desk space and organizational options in the office. We moved some filing cabinets around and added a desk along the back wall. I got a bunch of bins from Target for on the shelves. Smaller items that can be grouped together can be put into bins or baskets to make an area look less cluttered. We also ordered a lot of metal file holders and desk organizers from Amazon which my 10yo assembled for them.
My sister got her own custom-built desk. She wanted a full front and side for more privacy and it also blocks off the office area from the kids’ area. It had to be facing the children to keep a good eye on them. It also needed a bit of an edge all of the way around to keep things from falling off or children from pulling things down. Thankfully, I found an old door in my pile behind the garage private antique collection.
Moving back to the dirt-fighting, I insisted that they needed boot trays. We extended the linoleum from the door to the closet, which made a perfect spot for three boot trays side by side. I wanted a coat rack above that. I HOPE that it will make it easier for the kids to find their shoes and coats when it is time to leave since they have a specific place to put them. It is probably wishful thinking because I have kids myself and understand the challenges, but at least I did my part! We also decided to get a new TV with a wall mount and thought it would be best to have a sturdier backing for it. So, we scraped down another old door. I added a shelf to hold the DVD player and hooks for the coats and bags.
I moved a cart into the closet for shelving and got some bins to hold pantry items (which is also why I hung the broom on the wall instead of inside the closet.
Overall, I think the space is a lot more functional and I hope it works out well for them this year until the new office can be built. Tomorrow I will share the kids’ areas!
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