| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | that you are given a period of time to try out your |
| Purchasing a mattress is the most important furniture | | | | mattress. For example, some stores and |
| purchase you’ll make because you spend | | | | manufacturers give sleep guarantees of up to 90 |
| more time on a mattress than on any other piece of | | | | days although 30 days is the most common. If during |
| furniture you own, unless you have a tendency to fall | | | | that time you decide the mattress you purchased is |
| asleep every night in a recliner like my husband does. | | | | not right for you, you are able to either exchange it |
| The seven items below are things you should be | | | | or return it for a refund. |
| aware of and to consider before you purchase a | | | | For example, when I purchased my last mattress |
| mattress since that mattress will be a huge factor in | | | | from a sleep specialty store that custom builds each |
| the quality of sleep you receive each evening. | | | | mattress (Verlo), it came with a 60 day sleep |
| 1) Decide on a budget. The prices of mattresses | | | | guarantee or trial period. If we didn’t like the |
| vary a great deal. If price is your number one | | | | mattress the store would come to our house, pick |
| consideration you can find an inexpensive mattress | | | | up the mattress, take it back to their factory and |
| and box spring set for a few hundred dollars. But I | | | | rebuild it for us. I liked that peace of mind. After |
| recommend buying the best mattress and box spring | | | | sleeping on our mattress for a few weeks I decided |
| you can afford. When you buy a mattress you get | | | | my side was a little too firm. We called the store |
| what you pay for. My first two mattress purchases | | | | where we bought it and made an appointment for |
| were based on price and I never really got a good | | | | them to come and pick it up. The store picked up |
| night’s sleep. I saved and bought a high quality | | | | our mattress in the morning, took it to their store |
| mattress a few years ago. It was a great buying | | | | factory, rebuilt it, and returned it late the same day. |
| decision. I now wake up feeling rested and refreshed, | | | | They did this so we wouldn’t be without a |
| not tired and sore like I used to. | | | | mattress to sleep on. |
| 2) Decide what size mattress you are going to buy. | | | | 6) Get familiar with the following terms: innerspring |
| If you are buying a mattress for a child a twin size | | | | and box spring (also called the foundation). |
| mattress is fine, but if you are an adult and there are | | | | Innerspring mattresses are, by far, the most |
| two people sleeping in your bed I don’t | | | | common type of mattress purchased. An innerspring |
| recommend going with anything smaller than a queen | | | | mattress is made with tempered steel coils encased |
| size bed. If you can afford a king-size bed and you | | | | in layers of cushioning and upholstery. The box spring |
| have the room for it, I recommend it. | | | | or foundation is what the mattress sits on. |
| I now own a king size bed and it’s nice having | | | | It’s generally not considered a good idea to |
| enough space in bed to move around a little without | | | | put a new mattress on an old box spring. A |
| disturbing my partner like I used to. In our old bed (a | | | | manufacturer’s box spring and mattress are |
| full size) I once accidentally hit my husband in the | | | | designed to work together to give you the best |
| mouth in the middle of the night when I rolled over | | | | product. In addition, many manufacturers will void |
| and flung my arm out. He was not a happy person! If | | | | their warranty if a mattress is not placed on the box |
| you think a full-size mattress is big enough for two | | | | spring that is designed to go with it. |
| people consider this: a full size mattress gives each | | | | 7) Know what choices you have besides the |
| person the same amount of bed width as in a baby | | | | traditional innerspring and box spring sets. There are |
| crib. Queen size mattresses are the most popular size | | | | other viable options depending on what you are |
| but if two people are sleeping in a queen size bed | | | | looking for. Those options include foam mattresses, |
| each person still has 10 ½ inches less bed width | | | | futons, airbeds, adjustable beds, and waterbeds. |
| than if they were sleeping by themselves in a twin | | | | Foam mattresses — a foam mattress can be |
| bed. | | | | made of solid foam piece or may be composed of |
| The standard sizes of mattresses are: TWIN: 39 | | | | several layers of different types of foam. Some |
| wide, 75 long; TWIN EXTRA LONG: 38 wide; | | | | foam mattresses have a top layer that is composed |
| 80 long; DOUBLE/FULL: 54 wide, 75 long; | | | | of memory foam that remembers the shape of your |
| QUEEN: 60 wide, 80 long; KING: 76 wide, | | | | body and conforms to it. |
| 80 long; CALIFORNIA KING: 72 wide, 84 | | | | Futons — futon beds are basically a frame |
| long. | | | | with a folding mattress on it. A futon can function as |
| 3) Test. Test. Test. Try out mattresses. Go to | | | | both a sofa and a bed. Most futons come with a |
| several stores and lay down on different mattresses. | | | | standard 6 inch foam mattress, which isn’t |
| See what you find comfortable. A firm mattress | | | | very comfortable if the futon is going to be a |
| isn’t always the best mattress. It depends on | | | | person’s primary bed. If the futon is going to |
| the individual. If you and your partner prefer different | | | | be a primary bed a better option is to purchase an |
| firmness levels look for a mattress that can have | | | | innerspring mattress for the bed. Several |
| different firmness levels on each side. For example, I | | | | manufacturers make innerspring mattresses for |
| prefer a firmer mattress than my husband does so | | | | futons. The innerspring mattresses are more |
| his side of the bed is less firm than mine. Comfort (as | | | | expensive but are also a whole lot more comfortable. |
| long as you are in your within the range of your | | | | If an innerspring mattress is out of your price range, |
| budget) should be your number one consideration. | | | | try to at least upgrade to an 8 inch foam mattress. |
| 4) Don’t be too concerned about the words, | | | | Airbed — an airbed is just what it sounds like |
| firm, extra firm, etc. especially when looking at | | | | — a bed full of air. Most airbeds are touted as |
| mattresses from different manufacturers. Firmness is | | | | being portable, easy to set-up, and easy to store |
| not standardized in the mattress industry. One | | | | after use. I have an airbed at my house for use as |
| manufacturer’s firm mattress may | | | | an extra mattress during the holidays when we |
| actually be firmer than another manufacturer’s | | | | always seem to have more overnight guests than |
| extra firm mattress. Look for comfort and | | | | beds. Today’s airbeds are a lot more than |
| support. You want to feel cradled and supported | | | | inflatable pieces of plastic. Our airbed has a pillow top |
| when you lay on a mattress. And don’t feel | | | | mattress which makes it surprisingly comfortable. |
| self-conscious about going into stores and lying on as | | | | Some airbeds have adjustable firmness levels and/or |
| many mattresses as you want. It’s the best | | | | a heated top to make them more comfortable. |
| way to tell if a mattress is or isn’t right for | | | | Adjustable beds — an adjustable bed is a lot |
| you. The best way to check out the mattress is to | | | | like a hospital bed because it allows you to adjust the |
| take off your shoes and your coat if you’re | | | | head and foot of the bed to your liking. Adjustable |
| wearing on. Lying on a mattress with your coat and | | | | beds come in all sizes and the larger sizes have |
| shoes on is not going to help you determine what | | | | separate controls for each side of the bed. |
| mattress is right for you unless you plan on sleeping | | | | Waterbeds — today’s waterbeds are |
| in your coat and shoes every night. | | | | more sturdy than the wobbly water-filled mattresses |
| 5) Warranty is important but not as important as you | | | | from the 70’s that you could get seasick on. |
| might think. A mattress with a 25 year warranty is | | | | The latest designs are built to look like an innerspring |
| great, but the life expectancy of a great quality | | | | box spring set. The interior of the mattress has |
| mattress is only about 10 years. You want a | | | | layers of baffling and upholstery to provide support |
| warranty to protect you from defects and problems. | | | | and comfort ( |
| To me a sleep guarantee is more important than a | | | | There are a lot of choices in mattresses today. |
| long warranty. What I mean by a sleep guarantee is | | | | |