Okay, here’s my blog post about moving a mattress in a pickup truck, written from my personal experience:
So, the other day I had to move a queen-sized mattress. I don’t own a moving van, obviously, but I do have a trusty pickup truck. I figured, “How hard could it be?” Turns out, it’s a bit more involved than just tossing it in the back and hoping for the best.
Getting Started
First things first, I cleared out the truck bed. I mean everything. Spare tire, tools, random junk that accumulates back there – all of it had to go. I wanted a completely flat, clean surface to work with.
Protecting the Mattress
Next, I thought about protecting the mattress. I didn’t want it getting dirty or ripped. So, I grabbed a big, thick plastic mattress bag that was used when the mattress was new. Wraped the mattress with the bag, and used a lot tape to secure the bag. I even used some packing tape to really seal it up. If you don’t have a professional bag, a large tarp would probably work too, just make sure you tape it down well.
Loading the Mattress
Now for the fun part – getting the mattress into the truck. I had a friend help me, and I strongly recommend having a helper. It’s just awkward and heavy to do it alone. We lifted the mattress (thank goodness for strong friends!) and carefully slid it into the truck bed. We laid it flat, making sure it was centered and not hanging over the edges too much.
- Important Tip: If your mattress is really thick or if you have a smaller truck bed, you might need to angle it a bit. Just make sure the majority of the weight is supported by the truck bed.
Securing the Mattress
This is where the ratchet straps came in. I used four of them – two going across the mattress width-wise, and two going lengthwise. I hooked the straps onto the tie-down points in my truck bed. I have got these metal loops in the corners.
I tightened the straps gradually, making sure they were snug but not overly tight. You don’t want to damage the mattress by compressing it too much. I pulled on the straps to test them, making sure they were secure and the mattress wasn’t going anywhere. My thought for securing it is, it’s is all about physics, if I suddenly stopped the truck, is the mattress going to be a flying object? I don’t want it!
The Drive
I drove slowly and carefully. I avoided any sudden stops or sharp turns. I also kept an eye on the mattress in my side mirrors, just to make sure it wasn’t shifting around. Also I choose the local road instead of highway.
Unloading
Once I got to my destination, I carefully loosened the straps and, with my friend’s help again, slid the mattress out of the truck. Then it is easy to removed the plastic cover, and the mattress was good to go!
It wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done, but with a little planning and some help, moving a mattress in a pickup truck is totally doable. Just remember to protect the mattress, secure it well, and drive carefully!
