How to Move and Store Your Mattress Like a Pro in 9 Easy Steps

Moving a mattress is a tiring job. You can easily damage it or stain it. Not to mention it is bulky, hard to manoeuvre, and weighs so much that if you are not careful can end up hurting your back. Sometimes, it is better to just throw it away, or gift it to a relative or friend instead of going through the lengthy process of moving. But what if you really love it? What if it’s the mattress of your dreams that makes you feel like you are sleeping on a cloud? You can’t toss it out of your life that easily. Here is where our packing and moving experts come to help you figure out how to successfully wrap and relocate your mattress.

9 Easy Steps to Wrap and Move Your Mattress

We have developed a mattress-moving method that will help you relocate the item on your own. Altho we recommend using a professional removal company, we know that this is not always possible. So without further ado, let’s start.

Step 1: Measure the Mattress

Remove the bedsheets and pull out the measuring tape. Make sure to write down the correct size of your mattress. This will be crucial when deciding your means of transportation, the type of mattress bag, how you will manoeuvre it out of the bedroom, and whether or not you will need additional help.

Step 2: Find a Helper

If your mattress is small, you can do the job on your own, but for the larger ones, you will need a helping hand. Make sure to find yourself a lifting buddy in advance. When manoeuvring large pieces of furniture, you need to have a second set of hands and eyes on board.

Step 3: Make Some Preparations

You need to gather your supplies before attempting to pack and relocate the mattress. Here is a list of all the things you may need:

• Mattress bag – This is pretty much a large plastic bag that you use to store and move your mattress. It needs to fit perfectly, so use the measurements you took in step 1 to buy the ideal size bag. Since plastic can rip easily, you may want to double-bag your mattress.
• Moving tape – You will need to secure the edges of the bags and reinforce them if needed.
• Scissors – You need to cut your tape with something. It’s better to prepare them beforehand, so you want to lose time searching for your tools once you start the packing procedure.
• A large piece of cardboard or an old sheet – You will use it to move the mattress around your home without the need of actually lifting it. You can also use a furniture dolly, but since this is a professional tool not many people have it laying around.
• Rope and tie-down straps – You need those to secure your mattress in the moving vehicle. If you’ve hired a man and van service, you don’t need those, as the movers have the necessary equipment in their truck.

You can get packing materials from your house movers or order them online.

Step 4: Clean the Way

Once you know how big is your mattress, you need to figure out the exit way from your home. Remove all the furniture that may obstruct your manoeuvring. Small items like figurines and picture frames should be stored away. Move the tables, chairs, lamps, etc. You will need enough room to pack your mattress so clear out a good portion of the room before continuing with the next step.

Step 5: Clean Your Mattress

Before packing the mattress, you should thoroughly clean it. Vacuum it from all sides and inspect it for stains. Do not wash it before putting it in the bag. Even the slightest bit of moisture can damage it, and on top of that, if the mattress stays too long in the plastic wrapping, it can develop mould. Leave the deep cleaning for after the relocation is over. Take pictures of the item, so you know in what state it was before the move. This way, you can easily spot if there is newly acquired staining or fabric damage.

Step 6: Pack Your Mattress

Place your mattress on the ground and put it in the bag. You can reinforce the edges with moving tape. Then put the second bag on. If you can’t find a mattress bag to fit your item, wrap it with stretch and then with bubble wrap. Secure everything with tape. Again, take pictures of your packing job.

Step 7: Carry Your Mattress to the Moving Truck

Flip the mattress vertically, on its side and slide it onto the cardboard or sheet. You can tie a rope around the mattress, and use it to pull it out of the house. One person pushes, the other one – pulls. The cardboard on the ground makes it easier for the heavy load to move. Be careful when you go through doorways, as you most likely need to lift or tilt the mattress to make it pass.

Step 8: Load and Secure Your Mattress

Once at your front door, you will have to lift the mattress and carry it out to the moving truck. Depending on the type of filling your mattress has, there are different transportation requirements:

• Innerspring or encased coil mattress – You can transport it on its side length-wise or flat. Do not put anything on top of it.
• Memory foam or hybrid mattress – Put it flat on a flat surface with nothing on top.
• Box springs mattress – Place it on its side length-wise or flat. Do not put anything on top of it.

Step 9:  Unload and Unpack

Unload the mattress with the first load and carry it in the home. This way, you won’t have any furniture in the home, that will obstruct your path. Place the mattress flat on the floor and use scissors to remove its wrapping. Avoid box cutters as you can’t always control how deep the blade goes, and you can unintentionally damage the fabric of your mattress. Once out of the bag, inspect it for newly acquired stains, then put it in your bed frame.

Optional Step

Book a professional cleaning company to come and deep clean your mattress. It has accumulated a lot of dust and small particles during the relocation, and you need to sanitise it properly before laying on it.

How to Store Your Mattress at a Storage Unit

If you are going to place your mattress in a storage unit for a while, there are some important things you need to know:

• Don’t unwrap your mattress in the unit. Leave it fully packed. This will protect it from the elements and make moving it around easier.
• Avoid leaving your mattress on its side. Place it flat with nothing on top of it. It’s safe to transport it on its side, but it’s detrimental to store it that way. Mattresses are made to lay flat, and failing to do so can irreversibly damage their filling.
• Do not put anything on top of your mattress. The weight will harm it and will deem it unusable.
• Avoid storing your mattress alongside flammable liquids or chemicals with a strong odour. The fabric can absorb both the smell and the solvents even through its wrapping, especially if it’s left in the unit for a long period of time.
• Make sure your storage unit has the right temperature and humidity conditions, or else you risk inviting a fungi colony inside your mattress.

And that is it. Now you know how to pack, move and store your mattress like a pro. And if you have any additional questions, feel free to ask them in the comment section below. Our London movers will gladly answer them and help you overcome your difficulties.

Stephanie Cooper

Stephanie is a content marketing specialist for Top Removals for the past several years. She has extensive experience working with moving companies and knows her audience. Stephanie creates engaging and useful content helping the customers of Top Removals with their struggles and providing them with the most accurate insight.