Bed Makeover, Part II

Two days of Story Telling during the same camping trip . . . unheard of, but oh so exciting for me!!

Momma Sharon's camper-friend named Sandy has been waiting (not very patiently) for part two of my bed mod Story.  I told Mom that she shouldn't make Sandy wait any longer and I was going to tell her today.  So Miss Sandy, this Story is especially for you.

Now if y'all remember, on the 19th, I told you about a change in sleeping arrangements that we were thinking about when Aunt Becky isn't around.  It involved building something to support the cushion from underneath on one side only.  I'm here to report that it is an EXCELLENT mod and is working PERFECTLY for Momma Sharon and the snoozing pups this week.

When the two legs are extended, it butts right up against the seat box underneath the cushion.  Mom actually sleeps on the door-side, but she found it easier to photograph over on the Cool Cat side.

This is the view from the floor and lets you peek up underneath it.  It could just as easily be used on this side for real since it doesn't block the converter.

The side cushion is pulled out and extended over the platform.  The support really needs to be 14.5 inches wide, but since boards at Lowes come in only 12" wide pieces, the cushion overhangs it by a couple of inches.  We've found that's no biggie!  The twin memory foam mattress simply rolls out from under the back cabinets and rests perfectly on the cushion.

If you look carefully, you can see that tiny bit of overhang.  The neat thing is that Momma Sharon can swing her legs out of bed and have room to stand up!

And lookie here . . . it can also be used as a coffee table when the bed's been put away for the day!! I always make up the bed each morning, so I fold up the support and it fits perfectly under the back seat storage area.

  

So Sandy, that's Part II of the Bed Makeover Story just for you!!  I doubt very seriously that I will be able to wrestle the computer back from my Camper Mom, so I'll just wait until I get back home Sunday to start composing a few more camping Stories for you.  Until then, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love, & Bed Mods That Work"

Bed Makeover, Part I

Whew, it's a steamy day here in the Foothills.  I'm hanging out under my T@Bport in the shade, but crazy Momma Sharon is working outside on the deck. She's had an idea for a bed modification for me rattlin' around in her head for some time now.  Once it was decided that Murphy the Camper Dog and Baby Gracie would be traveling with us to The Holler next week, it was time to put her idea into action!

Basically we have only two sleeping arrangements . . . with Aunt Becky and without Aunt Becky.  When Mom is solo camping, she makes the bed from side to side rather than pulling out the bed slats and using both twin mattresses.  It's much easier to leave the single bed out throughout the trip.  Here's what that looks like . . . 

Sleeping single when camping solo

It looks nice and neat and is definitely a low-maintenance way of keeping the bed ready for each night. The big hiccup here is that the Camper Mom likes to hang her feet off the end of the bed and that won't work when there's a wall over there where her feet go.  She ends up angling herself in bed at night and usually doesn't sleep very well.

The last time we camped by ourselves, we tried unrolling the twin mattress back to front, but it hung over the cushion by about a foot and flopped about at night.  Heavy sigh . . . there just had to be a solution!  That's when Momma Sharon had an epiphany.  If she built a support that would rest on the bed slat rail and extended outward from the side cushion, then the mattress would be supported!!  Here's our sketch and measurements . . .

A simple little drawing would lead us through the project

Off to Lowes she went last month for wood and hardware.  With a 12" x 6' pine board cut to her dimensions and hardware purchased, she was ready for a bed makeover.

3 pieces of wood, 3 packages of hinges, and a slip of sandpaper

All the edges were sanded smooth, out came her cordless drill and bits, and today was construction day.

Out comes our favorite cordless drill and container of drill bits

Our CDO table makes the perfect workbench

Brass hinges will hold the legs in place

All holes are pre-drilled

Coat the screws with soap and the wood won't split . . . Mom's magic trick

Despite the heat on the deck, this project took no time whatsoever and we both know it's going to be a brilliant bed modification!  The cool thing is, the hinges allow the side legs to fold up, and the extension can be stored away under the side storage area.  The mattress gets rolled back up and we are ready for the day.

Ready for camping next week

Folded for easy storage

We are considering putting a 3rd piece of wood under the middle as an extra bit of support.  We've got a piece leftover that we can use. There's also the possibility of an added L-brace on the end so it won't collapse.  We'll give that some extra thought between now and Sunday.

I'll be telling you Part 2 of this Story after we put this nifty modification to use next week.  Until then, always remember . . . 

"Peace, Love, & Bed Makeovers"