The one thing that most of us look forward to after a long and tiring day of work is to reach home and go flat on the bed! The comfort of a good mattress is all you need to wear off your tiredness of the entire day. Be it your new dorm room or a new house, your mattress is one of those things you’d wish to carry along with you everywhere. If it has been with you for a number of years by now, it practically is an important part of your life.
Since it has taken care of your sleep quality every night, it is only fair that you show the same amount of care and safety while moving it to your new location. You need to pay extra attention when packing and moving a mattress mainly because of how delicately it’s formed. If you’re trying to figure out the right way to move a mattress, here’s everything you need to know.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Moving A Mattress
Before you get started with collecting all the materials required to move your mattress and with the heavy lifting, you must consider a few things first.
Is It Worth Moving?
A good mattress has an average life span of about 10 years. If you own a mattress that is in the evening of its life, it’s time to pay your respects to it and purchase a new one. If your mattress seems uncomfortable to have a sound sleep on, has tears, or is sagging, it is best to replace it with a new one.
Size Of The Mattress
Mattresses come in different sizes. The King Size mattresses are approximately 7 feet in size. Make sure to measure the size of the mattress using a measuring tape as it gives you an idea of how much space and what kind of vehicle it will require to transport it safely and without any damage.
Choice Of Vehicle
Once you’ve measured the size of the mattress you plan to move, choosing the right vehicle to safely transport it should be your next agenda. It is always a good choice to have a large moving truck that allows almost all sizes of mattresses to be loaded in without any damage. If you don’t have much luck in securing a moving truck by any chance, you can always resort to tying the mattress on top of your car and pray that it doesn’t fall off and harm anyone while in transit.
Reach Out For Help
It’s time to take advantage of that long-overdue favor from your friend. Mattresses are heavy, and every step of the process, from removing it off the bed frame to loading and unloading it from the moving truck/vehicle, will demand an extra pair of hands. Mattresses are wobbly and if not handled properly, will topple everything in their path. Carrying it properly from both ends will ensure that the mattress isn’t damaged on its way to the vehicle.
Materials Required To Pack And Move A Mattress
1.Packing Tape
Don’t forget your best friend, packing tape, when it comes to moving. Look for the ones that are waterproof to protect your mattress from water seeping into it.
2. Cardboard
A large flat cardboard piece can come in handy if you have to carry the mattress down the stairs. Place it beneath the mattress and descend the stairs while enjoying the slope sensation.
Also read: How To Recycle Cardboard Moving Boxes?
3. Mattress Bag
Mattress bags come in many sizes depending on the size of your mattress. It acts as a protective layer for your mattress and shields it from any kind of dirt, filth, stains that could cause harm. You can buy a mattress bag from any local general store or order one online. The price will vary depending on the size you choose to buy.
4. Measuring Tape
You’ll need a measuring tape to measure the size of the mattress, the area available to maneuver it, and the size of the moving vehicle you plan to load it on.
5. Hand Truck
This is an optional requirement but if you can get your hands on a hand truck, your job is going to get a lot easier. Instead of purchasing a hand truck, you can contact the rental companies that provide the facility of renting one.
6. Ratchet Tie Down Strap
Once you’ve loaded the mattress on the vehicle, you’ll need to take extra care to make sure that it remains still during the whole journey. A tie-down strap will help you maintain the mattress in a still position so that it doesn’t get damaged.
7. Nylon Rope
Nylon ropes will make sure your mattress stays in place, especially if you’re making the bold move to transport it on the top of your vehicle.
8. Knife/Scissors
You’ll require a sharp handy knife or scissors to cut open the mattress and attach it to the bed frame of your new home. Just make sure to keep it out of children’s reach.
9. Tool Kit
Moving a mattress isn’t a child’s play and so isn’t disassembling and re-assembling the bed frame that holds it. A tool kit containing wrenches and screwdrivers shall help you ease the process.
10. Zip-Lock Bags
The tiny but essential parts like the nut-bolts and hinges need to be kept safe in zip-lock bags so that you don’t have to search for them frantically while re-assembling the bed.
Also See: Finding Free Packing Supplies? | Best Packing Materials And How To Use Them
Moving Time: Steps To Move A Mattress
Now that you have all the materials you need to get started with the moving, let us dive into the steps to ensure a safe and secured transport.
Step 1: Place It In A Mattress Bag
Once you have a mattress bag that could contain your mattress easily, lay the mattress flat on the ground and slowly slide it into the mattress bag. Once it is well settled inside the bag, push all the air out of the bag to ensure there is no scope of dust or any sort of dirt to settle in. Fold-down the flaps and secure the entire bag with packing tape from all ends. Seal all leaks or tears on the bag, if any. To ensure extra safety, double pack the mattress with another bag. This will prevent the chances of your mattress being damaged while dragging it across the floor or loading it on the truck.
Step 2: Clear The Route
The vertical height of the mattress should be less than the door height of your bedroom or the main door. This is to ensure that your mattress doesn’t get damaged while moving it from your bed to the loading truck/vehicle. Move all the boxes and furniture away from the path from the bedroom to the vehicle. Also, to avoid an unneeded doctor’s appointment, make sure to get any lego toys that may hurt your foot, out of the path!
Step 3: Prepare The Vehicle
Before you plan to load your beloved sleeping mattress on the vehicle, make sure its deck is lowered down. If you use the vehicle on a regular basis, consider giving it a nice clean. Make sure the vehicle is spacious enough to accommodate the entire mattress without having to fold or bend it in any way. If you are running on tight storage, push the seats down to create extra space. If you’ve rented a moving truck with an elevated flatbed, attach a ramp to the back of the truck for ease of access.
Step 4: Lifting The Mattress
Teamwork makes the dream work! Place the mattress in a vertical position and lift one end of it. Tell your friend to lift the opposite end of the mattress and set sail to your journey from the bedroom to the vehicle. Avoid slouching your back while lifting. Instead, bend your knees and hips and use your core to lift the mattress.
Step 5: Place It On A Hand Truck
Having a hand truck will save you the hassle of lifting it from the bedroom and taking it all the way to your transport vehicle. Place the mattress on the base of the hand truck and make it stand upright. If you come to a staircase, things could get complicated. With the assistance of a friend, carefully lift the hand truck and take it down the steps.
Step 6: Load It On The Vehicle
Once you’ve carried your prized possession from the bedroom to the vehicle unscathed, your next task is to load it on the vehicle. Depending on the type of vehicle you’re using to transport the mattress in, the methods to load it may differ.
If you have a moving truck, lay the mattress flat in the available space. Avoid standing your mattress up. Do not keep other items on top of your mattress as they may cause damage. Use ratchet straps to tie it down to ensure it doesn’t move over long distances.
You’ll need to be particularly cautious if you plan to transport the mattress in your car or SUV. Roll down the windows and place the mattress on the car’s roof. To keep the mattress in the middle throughout the transport, you’ll need two long, durable nylon ropes. Except for the driver’s window, run the ropes through the open windows. Tie both ends of the rope together and drape one side of the rope over the mattress’s breadth.
Step 7: Drive Safely
It’s not a good idea to channel your inner racing car driver on moving day. Take your time on this ride. Mattresses are large and heavy, and if they fall off, they can injure anyone around. From time to time, check to see if the mattress is securely fastened. Ask your friends to accompany you on the trip to help stabilize the mattress by holding it from the passenger seat. You can also reach out to professional services that can take the load off your shoulders.
Unloading And Unpacking
To decrease the distance you’ll have to carry the mattress, park your vehicle as close to the building’s or house’s entrance as possible. Untangle the straps or ropes that were used to secure the mattress to the truck. After that, you can request your friend to hold one end of the mattress from the vehicle’s back end while you grab the other end from the vehicle’s top. Carefully carry the mattress to your new home.
Now that you’ve welcomed your mattress to your new abode, the last step is to unpack and set it in its new place. Use a handy knife or scissors to carefully cut the packing tape. Make sure you don’t tear the mattress by applying too much pressure. Inspect the mattress for any dirt or pests that might have settled on it. You should ideally wipe down the mattress after applying a mild disinfectant to it. Once it is completely dry, position the mattress on your bed frame and enjoy a good night’s sleep after a long day of moving.
How To Move A Memory Foam Mattress?
Memory foam mattresses are different from regular ones. These mattresses easily take different forms and might cause problems if you don’t take proper measures to stabilize them when moving. Apart from following the above-mentioned steps to pack and seal the mattress, wrap the mattress in a huge bubble wrap cover that covers the entire size of the mattress.
The next step is to slide it carefully into a special cardboard box that you will use to transport in the vehicle. Again, make sure you lay the mattress flat without stacking anything on top of it. Tie it down well with nylon rope and sturdy straps to ensure it stays in place. You have the follow the same measures when unloading and your memory foam mattress.
See Also: How To Use Plastic Wrap For Moving?
Conclusion
Mattresses are one of those valuable items in your home, which actually grow old with you if looked after well enough. A long hard day at work can only be balanced by a warm and comfortable mattress ready to accept you with open arms. So, to ensure your dreams aren’t interrupted and your body gets the rest it needs, you must take all the efforts to move your mattress safe and securely without damaging it. If you do not intend to move it yourself, you always have the option to hire professionals or consider shipping it to get the job done without any hassle.
FAQs On How To Move A Mattress
Can You Bend A Mattress To Move It?
The extent of a mattress bending depends on its make and size. We advise against bending or folding the mattress in any way as it may damage the original shape and may cause discomfort when you sleep on it.
How Do You Move A Mattress Without Damaging It?
To ensure that your mattress arrives at your new home without any damage, make sure you have covered it well with a mattress bag and sealed it with packing tape from all ends. Always lay it flat on the moving vehicle and avoid stacking other items on it. Use ropes and straps to keep it in a still position while in transit.
Can I Fold A Mattress In Half?
If your mattress is not that thick and has less foam, it can be easily folded in half and ready to be transported. If you own a heavy-duty mattress like the King size or Queen size, it will be very difficult to fold and will probably result in distorting its shape. Even if you do fold your mattress, make sure you straighten it up in no more than 2 weeks.
