This Couple Transformed a Dated Trailer Into a Dreamy Vacation Home on Wheels

POPSUGAR: What made you decide to get into renovating trailers?

The Walkers: Sean grew up camping, and he always dreamed of camping with his own family one day. Now that we have three little ones, we want to instill in them a spirit of adventure and love for nature. So we decided to buy a trailer and fix it up.

We have owned two trailers in the past two years. Each of them we bought for a deal and did a major overhaul on the inside to make it feel new, fresh, and more like us! Sean is very handy when it comes to construction and laying flooring and designing the layout, and Brianne loves the overall vision and finishing touches. We make a good team and thoroughly enjoy the process.

PS: What was the process was like renovating this one?

The Walkers: We bought the trailer in March, and it was in good condition but very dark and stinky. We knew we wanted to rip out the flooring, paint, move a wall, and build out the "kid" room to make it more conducive for our three kiddos. We started by taking everything out and then had a clean palette to work from.

Sean then started constructing the triple bunk in the back, ripping out the bathroom vanity, ripping out the flooring and kitchen counter, etc. We then started painting, laying flooring, and updating the bathroom and kitchen. Overall, it took a few months to complete due to our busy schedules, but we are in love with it.

PS: What were some of the biggest hurdles during the renovation process?

The Walkers: One of the biggest hurdles was finding the right "white." We had painted three coats of paint since the original cabinets were a dark wood. We started out with a certain white we have used in the past, but it cast a yellow hue in the trailer, so then we knew we needed to change the color to a different white. We ended up using Sherwin-Williams Extra White, and it's the perfect bright white that we were looking for.

Another challenge was painting the tub and shower tile with a special paint that works on plastic. It was not an easy task, but it turned out awesome. The tub and shower were originally cream in color. We sprayed them white to freshen them up, and it was a fraction of the cost to replace them.

PS: Are there any hidden storage or clever space-saving tricks you used in the design?

The Walkers: We first wanted to make sure the three kids had their own beds, so in the back, we created an L-shaped bunk over a twin bed. That way the boys can sleep on top and our baby girl is on the bottom. It enabled a lot of space so that they could play in the back. We tend to camp with family and friends, so because there are always lots of kids in our trailer, we wanted to optimize that space!

We also wanted to move the wall in the front by the master bed. Originally, the middle wall that sectioned off the master extended all the way to the one side of trailer, so it was hard to get in and out of the bed. Sean decided to cut and center the wall so that we still had some privacy but now could enter on either side of the bed.

We kept the TV slash mirror on a swivel so that we could swivel the TV either facing the kitchen or it could swivel into the master if we want to watch a movie in bed. We also have a lot of bins and organizational pieces in the cupboards to make everything feel like it has a "home." In the kids' room, there is a large closet that pops out, so that also helps with storage.

PS: Now that you've completed a few of these renovated trailers, what have you learned along the way?

The Walkers: We have learned that painting a trailer takes a lot of time, so next time, we might hire it out. It's what took the most time out of everything. We also learned with our first trailer not to use the sticky laminate flooring, so with this new trailer, we used the Newport Oak flooring from Costco. It's a really pretty color, very inexpensive, and super easy to work with as well.

PS: Is there any advice you'd give to others looking to renovate a trailer?

The Walkers: When buying a trailer, just make sure all the big-ticket items are in good working condition and that there isn't water damage. More importantly, buy a trailer that is going to fit your family well and have fun with it. We have amazing memories in both our trailers.

Our first trailer was a small 24-footer, but we had smaller kids at the time and it worked out great! Now that our family is growing, we upgraded to a much bigger trailer, and it is awesome to have a little more space.

One thing we love about camping is hosting friends and family and building memories together. Whether it's gorgeous outside and we are out exploring or it's raining and we are stuck in the trailer, we love it all.

We just bought two more campers to renovate and we can't wait to begin the process. We are excited to start a little camper rental business so that other families can experience what we get to experience on a regular basis.

If you're interested in renting the Walker's trailer, you can email them here!