How To Ship A Mattress? Comprehensive Guide Update 04/2024

If your sister left her shirt at your house on her last visit, shipping it long distance isn’t the same as shipping it back to her. The good news is that this is far easier than, say, driving around with a mattress strapped to the back of a moving truck or your ’11 Corolla. A lot of folks don’t know how to get started or what to expect.

The only time we advise against shipping a mattress is if the bed is worth less than the shipping cost. In this example, let us imagine that you want to move a $200 mattress from Sacramento, California, to Denver, Colorado. Buying a new bed instead of spending money on shipping your mattress is a better option if the shipping cost is greater than the mattress’s actual price tag. There are a number of economical bed-in-a-box brands that will transport your mattress to your home or any other address you choose for free.

For the rest of you, keep reading to learn how to transport your mattress.

How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Mattress?

The cost of shipping a mattress is influenced by a number of factors. The following are some of the more important ones:

  • Your mattress’s dimensions and weight.
  • The separation between the locations of the pick-up and the drop-off.
  • You can specify how quickly you’d like to get your mattress in the comments section.

Individual mattresses and box springs can be shipped for a fraction of the cost of renting a moving truck. I (Slumber Yard member McKenzie Dillon) recently leased the smallest moving truck U-Haul available, to move a couch 200 miles from my parent’s house to my new apartment. It ended up costing me about $320 in all, not including the petrol money I spent getting there and dropping it off. As for the money I would’ve spent shipping a mattress across many states, or even across the country, I can only imagine.
How To Ship A Mattress (Tips To Make The Process Easy)

As an example, consider this: When you hire a moving truck, you’re paying for both the truck’s space and the driver’s time. Shipping a mattress and box spring is cheaper than shipping a whole truck because you only pay for the area it occupies.

Insurance is an additional expense to consider. For those of you who have had the unfortunate experience of receiving a parcel and opening it only to discover that whatever was inside has been shattered, we feel your pain. It’s worth considering insurance if your mattress costs more than the delivery costs. The shipping business you select may have recommendations, or you can search online for a third-party insurance provider.

Guide To Shipping A Mattress

You’ll need to wrap your mattress (and box spring, if you’re packing that as well) carefully in order to minimize the risk of damage.

1. Measure Your Mattress

So that you can acquire an exact shipping estimate, you need to provide the mattress’s weight and measurements. To get an idea of what to expect, check out the normal measurements for each mattress size.

  • Twin: 38” x 75” 60 lbs
  • Full: 54” x 74” 90 lbs
  • Queen: 60” x 80” 105 lbs
  • King: 76” x 80” 125 lbs

Your box spring or foundation will also need to be measured, but you may have to approximate the weight. They often weigh between 50 and 75 pounds on average.

2. Gather Quotes

Just like you wouldn’t accept the first auto insurance quotation you receive, you shouldn’t accept the first mattress shipping quote you receive. Many websites, such as uship.com, tsi shipping, and freightpros.com, allow you to receive a free price. Your measurements, the pickup location, and the final destination of the mattress are all that are required.

Any quotes that are too high for your budget can be turned down by simply specifying your desired price. The Uship website features a place where you can “name your price” and see if any service providers are willing to perform it at your rate.

3. Remove Bedding And Disassemble

Taking down your comforter, pillows, sheets, and anything else that’s on top of your bed is the first step. Make a ziplock bag for any small hardware pieces and store them with the frame to prevent them from going missing. Make sure to keep all the parts of your frame or foundation together as well, so that you don’t have to juggle them all later.

4. Package Your Bed

It is essential to know how to pack a mattress correctly in order to assure its safe arrival at its destination. Using bubble wrap or packing foam, cover your bed and box spring. As a final precaution, put it in a mattress protector. Cotton or vinyl are the most common materials, and the covers zip on like a mattress cover. At Amazon.com, or in most bedding stores, you can buy one of these. Lastly, wrap the mattress and box spring together in a box and add packing peanuts to fill any voids.

5. Arrange For Pickup

Once you’ve chosen a shipping firm, you’ll need to either arrange for curbside collection or arrange for a delivery site where you may drop off your mattress before it is shipped out. There are companies that will come to your home, wrap your mattress, and load it into their truck for you while you sit on the couch watching TV. Though more expensive, this is an excellent choice for those who choose or require additional support.

Is It Worth It to Ship a Mattress?

With all of this in mind, you may ask if shipping a mattress is even worth the effort. If your mattress is new, pricey, or you simply adore it, shipping it may make sense. It will be easier to justify the cost of shipping a mattress in those situations.

However, if your bed is more than 10 years old, you may be able to save yourself both time and money by purchasing a new one. Aside from that, getting rid of your old mattress and replacing it with a bed-in-a-box mattress may be more cost-effective in the long run.

Alternatives to Shipping a Mattress

If you’re on the fence about shipping a mattress, it’s a good idea to weigh your options.

A moving van is a good alternative if you need to transfer more than your mattress. Even though it will cost more, sending a mattress in a larger vehicle is more cost-effective than shipping it separately.

Shipping pods are an alternative to moving vans if you’re not up to the task of driving one. This is a pre-arranged service in which you load your belongings into a container and leave it in your driveway or on the street in front of your house while the moving company comes and gets it on a scheduled day. If you’re relocating a large number of boxes or pieces of furniture, this option makes the most sense.

Shipping your old mattress may not be the best option for everyone. In recent years, the cost of internet mattresses has decreased as the variety and quality of options has grown. Online mattress buying offers tremendous savings, and many of these mattresses provide free shipping and a sleep trial so you can see if you like the mattress before you buy it. The old mattress can be sold or donated to a local charity if you take this approach.

How Do Mattress Companies Compress and Ship Mattresses?

A mattress company’s delivery process is very different from that of an individual. For the most part, mattress makers have access to machinery that can safely compress a mattress without causing any harm to the materials.

With the help of contemporary compression technology, even coil-based mattresses can be slashed in size as soon as they are made. The compressed mattress is placed in a box for transportation and then sealed in plastic to maintain its compact shape.

The shipment package, despite its weight, is small enough to be delivered to your door. Once it’s delivered, all you have to do is unpack it in your bedroom (which may require the assistance of a second person). Within a few minutes to a few days, the mattress will grow back to its original size. A few hours of waiting is not uncommon, but it’s best to follow the instructions of the manufacturer when it comes to utilizing the bed.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the manufacturing process are trapped in the plastic because the mattress is compressed immediately after it is created. When you first cut away the plastic, these VOCs can give off a slight stench, but they’re typically regarded safe. The “new mattress scent” should go away in a few hours or days if your bedroom is sufficiently ventilated.

Things to Consider When Shipping Mattresses

The greater the size of the package, the greater the difficulty. When it comes to shipping, larger things like mattresses are more expensive. Furthermore, the courier service you can utilize may be restricted.

If you have any questions about shipping mattresses, we’ve got answers for you here.

Additional Shipping Fees

Your mattress may be subject to additional shipping charges if it is particularly heavy or large. To ensure that your mattress can resist any movement or high temperatures during transport, you’ll need to invest in sturdy, robust packing.
Mattress Moving Made Easy - Zippy Shell Blog

For example, the US Postal Service charges a $100 surcharge for large shipments of any kind. Shipping a 75-pound mattress across the country will cost you an extra $100 since it is considered large.

Establish a Return Policy

While it’s convenient to buy a mattress online, returning it might be a challenge. In order to return an item, shipping and labor expenses must be factored in. That being the case, what can you do to avoid it?

Shoppers are more likely to return to an e-commerce store if the return process is simple. Having said that, you’ll want to set up a return policy with your customers so that there are no unforeseen consequences.

Customers can often return mattresses within a 90-day period, on average. Customers can then have a return policy that is specific to their online shopping preferences.

How to Pack a Mattress for Shipping

Mattresses, for example, are particularly difficult to ship because of their bulk and weight. To avoid any harm to your mattress, you should invest in sturdy cardboard boxes and padding materials.

Cover your mattress with bubble wrap

While packing your mattresses, bubble wrap is your new best buddy. Before shipping your mattress, wrap it in a layer of bubble wrap or other cushioning material. Protecting your mattress by wrapping it in bubble wrap prevents any harm from occurring while it is being transported. In addition, it keeps your mattress dust-free.

Fortunately, ULINE sells bubble wrap for about $79 for a 24″ × 300′ roll. Mattresses might benefit from additional cushioning materials like packing foam during shipping.

Choose the correct shipping box

You can’t just use any box when shipping mattresses; you have to use the right one. Mattresses should be shipped in a large, sturdy cardboard box to ensure their safety. Sturdy boxes provide strength and stability to your mattress, so this step is critical.

Mattress shipment boxes are available from companies like ULINE and Ecobox. So no matter if you’re shipping a twin-sized mattress or king-sized mattress across the country, ULINE and Uboxes can provide you with sturdy shipping boxes.

To send a full-sized bed across the nation, you’ll need a truck that can handle the weight. Mattress boxes from ULINE can be purchased at the prices listed below.

Mattress Shipped in a Box

Ecobox, on the other hand, offers very reasonable shipping rates for mattresses. You can also save money by purchasing boxes in quantity. Here’s a look.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Mattress?

Delivery costs for mattresses can quickly escalate. Shipment boxes for mattresses should not be compromised on quality. With ULINE and Ecobox, you don’t have to worry about transporting a mattress across the country or even simply between states.

Fill in any extra space with packing materials

Packing materials should be used to fill in any empty spaces before you seal the box securely. Packing peanuts and other cushioning products help keep your box secure and free of harm during transit.

Mattresses can be shipped using packing materials like packing peanuts provided by ULINE. The pricing for packing peanuts are listed below.

How to Package a Mattress for Shipping

Packing peanuts cost $27 for a 20 cubic foot bag, as we can see. A 12-cubic-foot package of packing peanuts would set you back roughly $24.51 from Label Master.

Mattress Shipped in a Box

Your mattress will be safest if you take all the required precautions, such as packing it in a cushioned shipping container. In the end, no one wants to rest their head on a mattress that has been abused in any way.

10 Tips to Save on Shipping Costs

1. Reuse old packing materials

As many as 90% of costs can be saved by reusing packing material.

It’ll save you a lot of money on shipping if you’re moving house because of how expensive it is.

Start stockpiling goods at home if you know you’ll be moving in a month.

2. Don’t buy cardboard boxes, source them for free

Buying cardboard boxes at the shop is an expensive habit for many families.

This can considerably increase the cost of shipping.

It would be a good idea instead to ask for used cardboard boxes from local businesses like your local grocery store, liquor store, or shopping mall.

3. Make sure your packing is done before the shipping company staff arrive at your door

All shipping firms add on additional fees for delays.

So, don’t wait until the last minute to pack.

Maintain a neat and orderly arrangement of your bed linens so that they may be picked up by your moving company.

4. Inspect your invoices before you sign for them post-delivery

There is a policy in place at both UPS and FedEx that guarantees a full refund if your packages are delivered later than expected (even by one minute).

You have 15 days from the date of delivery to file a claim.

Check your invoice to see if the package has been delivered, and only then do you sign for it.

5. Choose light-weight packaging materials to reduce the overall weight of your freight

The amount you’ll be charged for shipping is directly proportional to the weight of your package.

Because of this, you should do everything in your power to reduce the weight of your packing materials.

Packing peanuts can be used instead of a blanket to protect the bed frames.

6. Don’t schedule your delivery

Shipping firms offer an additional service called pre-scheduling delivery at an additional expense.

In the case of FedEx, for example, an express pickup costs $4 more per box and a scheduled delivery costs $5.50 more each package.

Don’t mention a delivery date if you want to save money on shipping costs.

7. Purchase insurance only from a third-party company

Customers are charged for the insurance that shipping companies give.

In order to recoup these costs, they raise your rates.

Purchasing your insurance from a third-party carrier can help you avoid these unneeded costs.

8. Consolidate and ship other household items with your bed

In order to make the process of moving into a new house as simple as possible, some people prefer to ship their furniture in bulk.

However, you are boosting your delivery costs by doing so.

Consolidating a mattress with other household objects is the most efficient method of transport.

To take advantage of the low-cost bulk shipping rates given by corporations, follow these steps.

9. Pick up your package from the delivery hub yourself

Only if you have a compact mattress and the disassembled frames are small and portable can you use this option.

However, you should only use this service if you are able to pick up your items from the delivery hub yourself.

You won’t have to pay the shipping company’s high delivery fees this way.

10. Ship your belongings much ahead of the moving date

The reasoning here is straightforward.

When you need expedited delivery, you don’t give the company much time to put together the resources necessary to meet your needs.

There is a fee associated with their responsiveness and rapidity.

The firm will be able to prepare for your moving day if you schedule at least three weeks in advance.

As a result, you won’t have to worry about being overcharged.

Final Thoughts

Shipping a mattress doesn’t have to be difficult if you plan ahead. If you opt to ship your mattress and box spring, be sure to follow the instructions indicated above to ensure that they arrive safely at their destination.

However, shipping a mattress isn’t exactly inexpensive. The expense of transferring your bed, whether you use a shipping agency or rent a moving truck, can soon escalate.. Nevertheless, knowing how to ship a mattress properly might save you time and money if you’re in a scenario where you have no alternative.

FAQs

It’s not difficult to send a bed.

Here’s a step-by-step procedure:

  1. The mattress should be completely free of all bedding and pillows.
  2. Put them in a different bag if you’re shipping them!
  3. Protect your mattress from damage by placing it in a bag before you move.
  4. You may require two boxes that close on top of each other to accommodate the mattress.

Shipping a mattress by UPS or FedEx is, in fact, an option.

If you have a large or tiny, heavy or light-weight home item, several shipping firms can ship it for you.

Shipment from Colorado to California of a regular Queen-sized bed was quoted to us by UPS, FedEx, and UShip.

The following is what you’ll have to pay:

  • UPS = $34.20
  • FedEx = $128.68
  • UShip = $349

Ship your mattress across the country in 5 simple steps!

  1. Measure and weigh your mattress
  2. The dimensions of your mattress, in terms of its length, width, and height, are critical. Use an approximation of a weight range (such as the one shown above!).
  3. Choose one of the shipping options available online.
  4. Take out a policy (preferably from a 3rd party vendor)
  5. Carefully dismantle your bed.
  6. Make an appropriate storage arrangement for it.

Shipping to a company address is cheaper than shipping to an individual’s home.

UPS, FedEx, and other commercial carriers charge more for home deliveries.

Why is this the case?

Because of this, industrial regions

  • More fuel-efficient and less harmful to the environment (due to the fact that it is denser).
  • During regular business hours, a recipient may generally be found to accept the package.

It’s legal, yes.

If you have a mattress on top of your automobile, you must make sure that it is safe and secure.
Shipping a Mattress: Top Questions Answered | GhostBed®

In order to avoid endangering other road users or themselves, loads must be properly attached to the vehicle.

It’s against the law to transport a mattress on a roof rack that isn’t properly secured.

The legal charge is “driving with an insecure load” if you are caught.

A police officer will not hesitate to pull you over if your mattress is going to fall off while you’re driving in many places.

You can put a full-size mattress in your car if you have a large enough vehicle.
A full-size mattress would require a car of this size:

  • An enormous four-wheel drive vehicle capable of towing a bed on top.
  • Almost any mattress size will fit in the bed of a pick-up truck.
  • In a Minivan, you may have to bend the mattress somewhat, but that shouldn’t be an issue

In some cases, moving a mattress by yourself may be achievable, depending on the mattress’ size and weight.

Of course, we would always recommend you to ask for help when necessary and to utilize proper lifting techniques so you won’t damage yourself.

If you’re stuck and don’t have access to help, try these steps to move the object on your own:

  1. Remove all of the linens from the mattress.
  2. Keep the mattress clean by putting it in a large plastic bag.
  3. Mattress should be bent or folded into two halves gently.
  4. Secure the mattress using ratchet tie-downs.
  5. Transport the mattress to your vehicle by placing it on a dolly.
  6. The mattress can either be strapped to the roof of your car or placed flat in the rear of your moving truck.

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