How To Move A Mattress?

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Getting A Mattress Moved

A mattress is better carried in groups or couples rather than by a single individual.

There are times when no one is available, unfortunately.

There’s always the option of hiring professional movers, but this may be costly, particularly if your mattress is the only item of furniture that has to be relocated.

With that stated, if you’re on your own and need assistance moving a mattress, here are some pointers on how to move a mattress on your own.

Whether you’re transferring an innerspring mattress or a bed-in-a-box mattress, these pointers should assist you.

Related: Best RV King Mattresses of 2024

Should You Even Move Your Mattress?

If you’re faced with the idea of moving a mattress by yourself, consider whether you truly need to do so.

The average mattress lasts roughly ten years.

If you detect any drooping, indentations, rips, or just aren’t getting a good night’s sleep on your current mattress, it could be worth it to have a new mattress delivered to your new home.

It may cost more, but it will be less of a problem, and you may need a new mattress anyhow.

Online bed-in-a-box mattresses eliminate the need for a middleman shop, keeping prices low.

Online beds are becoming more popular in the mattress industry, partially due to the ease of having them delivered to your door (in a cardboard box, thus the moniker), as well as the fact that they are less expensive than mattresses found in shops and offer longer trial periods.

It’s a lot less trouble than transporting your mattress to yourself.

What happens if you decide not to carry your old mattress with you? Check out our guidelines to help you figure out what to do with your old mattress, including ideas on how to donate it.

Moving Mattresses in General

While you may surely be more creative with your mattress shifting techniques, here are some of our recommendations for quick and easy mattress moves.

Moving A Mattress With Helpful Equipment

When learning how to transfer a mattress, there are a few elements that might help make the procedure go more smoothly. The following tools may assist:

Rope or straps
Tape
Scissors
Using bubble wrap
Mattress cover or bag
Dolly or wagon?
Blankets that move

1. Cover It With A Sheet.

Even if you cover your mattress with sheets, you need still keep it clean.

You don’t want your mattress to become discolored or damaged throughout the relocation procedure.

The tops and sides of your mattress will very certainly come into touch with stairwells, floors, the outside ground, or the interior of your moving van or truck when you’re moving.

Remove all of your sheets, pillows, topper, and other items from your bed before covering your mattress with plastic wrap or a mattress bag.

This will safeguard your mattress throughout the relocation.

Here’s a brief rundown on how to wrap a mattress if you’ve never done it before:

Remove all of your mattress’s linens, toppers, and pads.
Lean your mattress against the wall with the long side facing up if you’re using a mattress bag. Place the sack on top of the mattress (starting at the top). Pull the mattress to the ground and close the entrance with duct tape.
If you’re using plastic wrap, bubble wrap, or moving blankets, place your mattress in such a manner that covering it is simple (standing straight up). Wrap the material firmly around your mattress, allowing as little air as possible between the two.
Wrap the whole bundle with tape after you’re finished to prevent the bag or material from falling off.

2. Fold Your Mattress In Half.

Folding your mattress makes it simpler to transport with just one person, particularly if you’re moving a queen, king, or California king mattress.

In fact, folding is perhaps one of the greatest king-size mattress moving ideas we can provide you.

It may be folded to lower its height and breadth, making it less frail.

If you have an all-foam mattress that is medium to thin in thickness (8-11″), folding it will probably work.

We don’t advocate attempting to fold a thicker or coil-filled mattress.

You risk damaging your mattress and invalidating the guarantee.

Following that, here’s how to fold a mattress:

It should be bent width-wise, not height-wise.
Make sure the side of the mattress you sleep on is facing inside to avoid becoming soiled.
Make sure the mattress base’s top and bottom are touching.
Once folded, secure it with straps or ratchet tie-downs to prevent it from opening.

3. Use Cardboard To Reinforce Floppy Mattresses.

If folding your mattress isn’t a possibility, consider using a piece of cardboard to reinforce it.

Use straps or ratchet tie-downs to secure the mattress to the cardboard, which should prevent it from flopping about as you walk.

4. Raise Yourself From Your Knees.

Don’t use your back to raise anything heavy, including your mattress, to protect yourself and your back. Don’t lift by leaning forward to ensure proper technique.

Instead, kneel down with your hips and knees bent, pick up the mattress as close to your body as possible, and then straighten your legs to hoist.

Also, never carry anything heavy over your shoulders, and avoid twisting or moving your body when lifting or holding anything heavy.

From the US National Library of Medicine, here are some simple instructions on how to raise from the knees:

To have a broad foundation of support, spread your feet shoulder-width apart.
Get as near to the thing you’re lifting as possible.
Do not bend at the waist or utilize your back; instead, bend at the knees.
As you raise, tighten your abdominal muscles or core.
Slowly lift the thing using your hips and knees muscles.
As you rise up with the thing, do not lean forward.
While carrying the thing, keep it as near to your body as feasible.
When lifting or carrying an item, avoid twisting your back.
Squat down to place the item, using the muscles in your knees and hips while maintaining a straight back.

5. Get Your Mattress Into Your Car.

You may transport your mattress to your car after it has been folded, reinforced, and covered.

The simplest method is to enlist the assistance of another individual.

If you can’t find someone to assist you, consider renting a dolly.

Dolly rentals are available from several moving firms, such as UHaul, and home goods retailers.

Make a route for your mattress and carefully move it to your vehicle.

To transfer your mattress, you may need to hire a bigger car.

Again, moving firms or home improvement shops often hire out huge trucks.

A Memory Foam Mattress Can Be Moved

There are some extra considerations to make while moving a memory foam mattress.

It’s difficult to gain a strong grasp on memory foam mattresses since they’re hefty and shapeshift when you grab them.

If you need to know how to transfer a foam mattress, keep these pointers in mind:

Wrap your memory foam mattress in the manner suggested above.
After that, place it in a mattress-specific cardboard box.
When carrying it, keep it level and avoid piling it on top of it. If feasible, secure it with straps to a stable surface to prevent it from sliding.

Important Points to Consider When Moving A Mattress On Your Own

Choose The Appropriate Vehicle.

Either a truck or a moving van will be required.

Experts advise against strapping your mattress to the roof of a typical automobile.

It may easily harm the mattress in the process and has a significant chance of falling off your automobile, causing accidents.

The majority of mattresses should be loaded and carried on their sides, ideally against a wall.

If not, double-check that straps are correctly attached.

You may hire a UHaul or other moving van or truck for a reasonable fee if you or a loved one don’t have a vehicle you can borrow.

Mattress Delivery

If you need to transport your mattress over a long distance but don’t have a vehicle or the funds to hire a moving van for hundreds of miles, you can always mail it.

Cover it as described above, then look for a provider that will send your mattress for you online.

We recommend uShip.com, where you just input the measurements of your mattress and the distance you want it to go.

They’ll offer you many rates from which to chose, but if they’re too pricey, you can tell them your budget and see if any of the shipping firms would do it for less.

Make Use Of A Dolly Or Cart.

When carrying your mattress from your room to the vehicle, use some wheels to assist you, particularly if you’re moving it alone.

This advice will come in handy if you need to carry a mattress up a flight of stairs by yourself.

Make Your Way Clear.

Before you move your mattress, make sure you have a clear route marked out.

You don’t want to trip over anything or run into something with your hands full.

If you come into an obstruction when attempting to get your mattress through the front entrance, you’ll need to slant it correctly.

To make your mattress fit, try bringing it in sideways or at an angle.

Make Your Mattress Move

Find two huge blankets to fit over and under your mattress.

Place your mattress in the center and join the top and bottom blankets.

After that, try moving your mattress to its new location (after transporting it in a car, of course).

If you’re attempting to move your mattress over a hard surface, you’ll want to use blankets that you can discard if they become destroyed.

If at all feasible, this should be a last resort option.

If everything else fails and you are physically unable to transfer your mattress, you might try your luck with a stranger, such as a neighbor.

If it doesn’t work, simply wait till a friend or family can assist you.

Continue to bribe them with beer or food; they won’t be able to say no to you indefinitely.

Related: How to Patch an Air Mattress?

Setting Up And Unpacking Your Mattress

Here’s how we’d finish the set-up procedure after your mattress arrives at your new home.

Remove it from the package as soon as feasible. Otherwise, moisture might become trapped between the wrapper and your mattress.
After that, put it up against the wall on its side to allow it to breathe. You may temporarily keep it in another room if you have the space while you put up your bed frame and other bedroom furnishings.
It’s a good idea to properly clean your mattress at this time since it’s likely accumulated dirt from the relocation process and years of usage. Check out our cleaning guide for specific cleaning procedures depending on the kind of mattress you have.
You can set up your bed frame or foundation and place your mattress on it after you’ve cleaned it (or at least vacuumed it).

We suggest keeping the sheets off for as long as possible to allow your mattress time to air out.

FAQs About Move A Mattress

Can you bend a mattress to move it?

Folding or bending your mattress is never a good idea. It might cause greater harm the more you fold it. The coils, border rods, and foam encasement may all be damaged by folding or twisting the mattress.

How do you move a mattress without damaging it?

To keep the mattress in place, use rope or ratchet straps. The built-in tie-down handles on PODS containers, most moving vehicles, and cargo vans make this a breeze. For further support, you may place furniture or large boxes on the exposed side. Nothing should be placed on top of the mattress.

Can you fold a mattress in half to move it?

A foam mattress that is 5-inches thick or more may be folded in half, but a mattress that is thicker than six inches should not be folded to prevent considerable deformation of the foam. It is not recommended that the mattress be kept in that position for longer than two to three weeks.

Is it OK to bend a spring mattress?

Because bending might permanently harm the metal coils and border rods, you should never fold a spring mattress. In addition, twisted coils might rip through the mattress fabric, causing damage to the outside. Although foam mattresses may be bent briefly, they should not be folded for an extended period of time to avoid damage.