Matching Your Mattress to the Right Vehicle
Most mattresses won’t fit inside a car’s trunk or hatch. Some vehicles, however, are ideal for moving a twin, full, double, queen, or even king-sized mattress. For example, most mattresses of any size will fit into a typical pickup truck. If you can borrow or rent one, you’re in good shape. If you have a van and can remove its seats, a single small mattress may fit without too much trouble. A large SUV is big enough to carry almost any mattress on the roof, provided that the mattress is properly secured, while a small vehicle may be appropriate for carrying a smaller mattress on the roof.
For the Roof of the Car
If you plan to strap the mattress to the roof of the car, there are some basic tools you should have available. In fact, most of these items should be part of any move you’re planning to do on your own without the help of a moving company. Some of these tools also show up in our list of the top five essential tools to help you move:
Thick plastic or mattress bag (sized to fit your mattress)RopeDuct tapeScissorsWork glovesAn extra pair of hands
How to Safely Secure the Mattress to the Roof of the Car
Let’s assume you don’t have a truck or van large enough to accommodate your mattress, so you’re taking the roof route. This should work out fine, assuming you’re not moving a king-sized mattress with a Volkswagen Beetle.
Be Safe When You Drive
When you drive with a mattress on your roof, you’re carrying a wide load that may block some of your view. For safety’s sake, drive slowly and take the back roads or streets if possible. Consider having friends drive behind you to let me know if the mattress is slipping at all. If you have friends helping with the move, you can also ask them to ride along with you, having each one hold the mattress through the passenger side and back windows. This provides a little more security especially if you’ll be traveling on a busy road, freeway, or interstate.
