How to Move a Mattress?

Moving is a multi-step process, and sooner or later you’ll encounter the need to transport your mattress to a new destination.

With a helping hand of a friend, this can be done in less than 30 minutes. But what if you’re home alone, or simply don’t have anyone who might help you?

Don’t worry: you can still move a mattress by yourself, and this article will show you a detailed step-by-step guide on how to do it!

Things You Need to Prepare your Mattress for Moving

Before you begin moving a mattress, make some preparations to ensure that everything goes nice and smoothly.

You will likely need the following kit:

• A mattress bag — to protect your mattress from dirt, moisture, and damage. Mattress bags are sold for $10-25 at any major furniture store, so just pick the one same as your mattress size, and you’re all set.
• Tie-down or ratchet strap — to secure your mattress in the van. You can use a sturdy rope instead.
• Duct tape — to seal your mattress bag after you place the mattress inside.
• A piece of cardboard — to secure your mattress and make it easier to manoeuvre around your home.
• Tool kit — after you remove and pack your mattress, you will have to disassemble the bed frame as well, and the tools make the process much easier.
• Ziplock bags — to store all the hardware. You can mark them with a highlighter to make sure that you’ll find the needed bag after you move.

Additionally, recruit some friends or relatives. Mattresses are pretty bulky pieces of furniture and weigh 30-60 kg on average, so it might be difficult to move them single-handedly.

Before you transport a mattress, make sure to clean the pathway from your bedroom to the vehicle. Remove all debris and obstacles, and prop the door open, so you won’t accidentally bump on them while you’re moving.

How to Move a Memory Foam Mattress?

Modern memory foam mattresses aren’t just comfortable to sleep on. They also have a slight advantage over other types: you can fold a mattress in half to make it easier to move through doorways and staircases!

Here’s how to do that:

• Remove all the bedding and clean the mattress before folding it.
• Encase the mattress in the mattress bag and seal it with duct tape.
• Standing at the foot side of the mattress, take the nearest end and flop it, folding the mattress in half.
• Secure the mattress with ratchet straps or a nylon rope by tying it at the top and bottom edges of the mattress.
• Now you can move the mattress through the staircase and doorways to your vehicle.

Note that after taking the mattress to your new destination, you should remove the strap and unfold it as quickly as possible to prevent foam deformation.

How to Move a Mattress by Yourself?

Now, shipping a memory foam mattress in a box or a latex bed is nice and easy, but what if you need to move a mattress that has coils inside?

These beds can’t be rolled or folded because I will damage the coil layers, therefore rendering the mattress useless. 

So, how can one manage to transport it?

Well, it’s recommended to have an extra pair of hands while transporting a hybrid bed, otherwise, you might need to swap it for one of the top-rated mattresses for bad backs upon arrival, which will cost you a pretty penny.

Preparations are the same as with the memory foam bed: place your mattress into a mattress bag, seal it with duct tape and clear your pathway to the vehicle.

Here are the recommendations that will help you ease the process:

• Add some wheels. Using a cart or a dolly to carry your mattress to the vehicle will save you a lot of time and neural cells, especially if you’re doing it alone. 
• Lift from knees. This rule applies to anything heavy that you need to move: don’t lift with your back curled. Squat, take the end of your mattress and lift with your legs.
• Don’t be afraid to drag your mattress. Moving a mattress down the stairs alone can be a daunting task, but blankets can help. Take two large blankets — ideally those that could be easily thrown away if ruined — and place the mattress between them. Tie the blankets up, so they form a loop, and drag your mattress down the stairs, or anywhere it needs to go.
• Get the right car. For moving a bed, use a truck or a van so that you can place your mattress inside, in a horizontal position or along the wall. Don’t strap your mattress on top of a regular car: it will more likely be damaged in the process.

If you want to make mattress transportation a bit easier, especially while moving long-distance, you can ship it via postal service or any shipping company that will work for you. It’s recommended that you use two mattress bags instead of one for extra protection during shipping. 

The only drawback of shipping a mattress via third-party companies is that it might get expensive, but if you don’t want to move it alone, it’s the best option for you.

How to Unpack a Mattress After Moving?

So, you’ve completed moving a bed to your new destination. What’s next?

Now it needs some preparations before you can put the bedsheets on and use them again:

• Unfold your mattress and remove the mattress bag. This should be done as soon as possible. Chances are that, while travelling in different conditions, your mattress got exposed to moisture, so be sure to air it out, or it will develop mould and odour (1).
• Give your mattress a deep clean. Thoroughly vacuum it on both sides and treat any dirty spots with a mixture of baking soda, dish soap, and water.
• Air out your mattress. If possible, leave the mattress without sheets for as long as you can, so the moisture and odours will evaporate.