How To Move A Mattress

If you’ve ever moved or purchased a mattress in a store, then you know how difficult transporting a mattress on your own can be. Mattresses are a hassle to move because they are typically heavy, awkward to hold upright, and can flop around when being moved from point A to point B. Check out these 8 tips for moving your new mattress with ease:

1. Find a buddy: Mattresses can weigh anywhere between 50 to 100 pounds, so finding someone to help move your mattress can prevent potential injury.
2. Choose means of transportation: How are you going to transport your new mattress? Are you going to tie it to the roof of your car? This method of transportation has its own problems because it can damage the mattress and in some states, might be illegal. Another risk of transporting a mattress on the roof of a vehicle is that driving at high speeds increases the weight of the mattress because of the air pressure, making this method of transport dangerous for yourself and other drivers around you. The safest option is to secure it inside a van or a truck. Whichever method you choose, ensure the vehicle is clean and prepared for the move.
3. Find or purchase any equipment needed to move a mattress:
   • Mattress bag: protects your mattress from dust and other pollutants.
   • Tape: strong packing tape to seal your mattress bag and protect it against moisture
   • Hand truck/dolly: will help you move the mattress from your bedroom to your vehicle and from your vehicle to its new home.
   • Ratchet strap or rope: the strap locks the mattress in place inside the moving van or in the truck bed. If you do not have a ratchet strap, nylon rope can also help you secure your mattress.
   • Other common tools: make sure you have the necessary screwdrivers, and wrenches to take apart the bedframe and put it back together at your next location.
4. Once you’ve gathered these materials, put your mattress into the mattress bag. To help you do this, make sure your mattress is lying against a flat surface. Lift one end and have your buddy slide the mattress bag over it. Make sure you have pushed all the air out of the bag before folding the flaps down and taping the bag shut.
5. After the mattress is properly secured in the mattress bag decide how you will be lifting the mattress. You will want to do this as safely as possible, not only to ensure you do not damage the mattress or anything surrounding the mattress like furniture or wall hangings, but also to ensure you do not injure yourself. To avoid potential injury, make sure not to lift with your back. Bend your knees, tighten your abdominal muscles, and lift with your legs.
6. Plan the route you would like to take from the bedroom to the vehicle while taking note of any furniture that could be in the way and clearing the path of anything on the ground. Place your mattress on the hand truck or dolly and make your path towards the vehicle. Carefully lift the mattress off the hand truck and load it into the vehicle.
   • Make sure that you are driving the appropriate vehicle to fit your mattress. A twin mattress is smaller and can typically fit in a standard sedan if the back seats are folded down. A middle size mattress such as a full size mattress or a queen size mattress should fit in an SUV or a pickup truck. If you are transporting a large mattress like a King mattress, a larger van or truck might be needed.
7. Secure the mattress to your vehicle. If your truck or van allows it, lay the mattress flat in the cargo area without stacking it on top of anything else. If you cannot lay it down, lean it on its side against the support wall. Use a ratchet strap or rope to secure it against the support rails or D-rings of your truck.
8. As you make your way to the new destination ensuring you are driving carefully is important. Avoid highways, sudden braking, and high speeds. Stop every now and then to make sure the mattress remains secure and hasn’t shifted. It may be helpful to check your state laws to see if transporting a mattress on top of a vehicle is allowed. In some states, laws are being proposed that make it illegal to transport a mattress on top of a small vehicle.

If reading those 8 steps made transporting your mattress sound like a hassle, then we have an easy solution! Instead of transporting your old mattress, get a new one shipped to your door! Moving is stressful enough without having to worry about relocating your mattresses, so it might be worth giving these four steps a try:

1. Visit our website bedinabox.com and browse our selection of mattresses.
2. Talk to one of our Customer Specialists if you have any questions.
3. Choose the best mattress for you.
4. Let us take care of the rest!

Mattress Disposal

There are many options available for disposing of your old mattress. If possible, avoid leaving mattresses out for trash. Disposing of mattresses this way can actually be pretty damaging to the environment. Donating your mattress, recycling your mattress, repurposing your mattress, or reselling your mattress are all great options for disposing of your mattress. Check out our Mattress Disposal Guide for more information on how to properly dispose of your old mattress.

Don’t worry about transporting your old, heavy mattress to a new bedroom. Our mattresses ship in 2 days or less on average, we deliver directly to your doorstep, and we ship our mattresses in easy-to-transport boxes. We even include a 120-night sleep trial with every BedInABox® mattress purchase because our goal is to guarantee top quality products and services, and to deliver better sleep in every box.