Buying a new bed, or a new mattress for your old bed frame can be an exciting adventure. It can also be a frustrating one if you plunge headlong into it without knowing ahead of time what you’re looking for or what your budget is. If you get either of those two things wrong you could have a major disaster on your hands.
If you get both of them correct though, then it is like getting the perfect deal on a new home and it just makes you feel warm and fuzzy all over. By the way, that should be the emotional goal whenever you’re buying a new non toxic mattress. If you get the physical goal right – getting the right mattress – then the emotional goal will take care of itself.
The Right Size
The right mattress has to be the right size for the house, condo, or apartment you’re living in or moving to. Too small, and it will look minimalist and Japanese. That’s a nice design in the right circumstances, but is it the one you’re after? If not, you’ve made a huge mistake.
If the mattress, or bed, is too big it will make your bedroom look small and cramped. Pretty soon that feeling will inevitably spread to the entire house, leaving you feeling boxed in or trapped. Again, if this has happened to you it means you’ve made a major error.
Whether too big or too small, you’ll start to feel like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, looking for a mattress that is just right for you.
The Right Mattress
So, you’ve found a mattress that is the right size, but it doesn’t have the right feel to it. It’s too soft and you sink out of sight in it. Maybe it’s too hard and you feel like you’re sleeping on a hardwood floor all night. What do you do? Well, it’s time to get creative and start looking harder.
Let’s use the example of looking for extra large sized mattresses to fit in the master suite and guest room. You’ve found the right size, now you need to find the one that is just right when you lay down on it.
Mattress Materials
Most mattresses are a combination of materials and designs so there will be some overlap between the different types. Don’t let it bother you.
Memory Foam
Memory foam is popular for its ability to mold itself to your body, keep you from tossing and turning all night, and springing back to its original shape after you get up. It will be encased in a variety of different materials that will help you stay cool while you’re sleeping, in spite of the cocoon-like nature of it. While it does offer some support, it may not be enough for people with back problems.
Hybrid Mattresses
Micro coil springs encased in memory foam offer the best of both worlds. The individually wrapped coils move independently of each other, providing you with support where you need it the most. The memory foam layer on top of that gives you a cushion to soften the hardness of the coils.
Multi-Layer Foam Mattresses
There are different types of memory foam, some softer than others, and some firmer than others. Multi-layer foam mattresses do exactly what the name would suggest, they provide both support and softness by combining different layers on top of each other. In effect, it becomes a hybrid mattress but made entirely of memory foam.
Thickness
Like a soft, cushy comforter, mattresses use their thickness as a selling point. They range from nine inches thick to over 12 inches high, plus another two or three inches if there is a mattress topper added to the top side of the mattress.
Weight
Lest anyone forget, large thick mattresses are heavy. They don’t always have handles so they can be difficult to move and maneuver from one place to another. Moving them up or down the stairs is a challenge that isn’t for the faint of heart. Keeping them clean during a move is an effort as well. It is hard to keep heavy items like mattresses from dragging on the ground. You’ll need dollies or sliding pads to put the mattress on.
Buying a mattress is a major purchase, just like buying a refrigerator or a car. Treat it with the same seriousness as you would when buying one of those items. Giving it your full time and attention will ensure that you get the right mattress for the right house for you.