A Mattress Moves On-Edge, in a Bag
A mattress is floppy, heavy, and the most likely item to arrive stained. Here's how to move it.
Bag It
A plastic mattress bag ($10) protects it from the van's walls and from dirt. Bag it before it leaves the bedroom.
On-Edge
A mattress moves on its long edge, never flat. On-edge it fits a van and stays rigid; flat it sags and the springs damage. Two people carry it on the side.
The Box Spring
A box spring moves flat or on-end. Check the corners — a torn corner snags. A box spring from a smoker holds smell; consider replacing.
Don't Bend It
A mattress that bends (around a stairwell corner, into a too-small door) damages the springs. If it won't fit on-edge, the mattress doesn't fit — consider a mattress that disassembles or a different route.
Keep It Dry
A wet mattress is a moldy mattress. Don't move it in the rain without a bag, and don't set it on a wet sidewalk. The bag is the protection.
Load It Last
The mattress goes on last, near the truck's tail, so it comes off first. The bed is reassembled on day one — the mattress is the priority.
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