The Tape Hack You Need To Make Moving A Mattress So Much Easier

If you have ever moved a mattress — whether across the room, the country, or simply into a truck for disposal — you know how difficult it is. It's hard to find a way to carry it that prevents it from flopping around, which can damage the mattress and strain your back. There are methods, though, that can make mattress moving much easier for you. One such hack involves wrapping packing tape around the bottom corners of your mattress to form handles. This simple task can save you the headache (and backache) that moving a mattress can cause.

The first thing you need to do before using any mattress moving method, including this one, is to enclose the mattress in plastic wrap or a mattress bag to keep it clean, dry, pest-free, and to help prevent wall scuffs. When you have it all wrapped up, take a roll of packing tape and wrap it several times around both bottom mattress corners, ensuring you leave enough space for someone to fit their hand. The handles you are creating with the packing tape should be on the sides of the mattress from which it will be carried. When you've got a sufficient amount of tape to support the weight of the mattress, cut the end of the tape. Now turn the mattress on its side and have both carriers grab the tape handle with one hand and steady the upper part of the mattress with the other. It should be ready to move.

While this packing tape hack works great, there are other ways to move your mattress without damaging it (or your back). Hump straps, which are long straps designed to help movers carry heavy and awkward items, can be used to move mattresses. To use a hump strap, tilt the mattress and run the strap underneath lengthwise. Have the person on each side of the mattress wrap the strap around their wrists, place their free hand at the top of the mattress to keep it steady, and then lift it using the hump strap.

You can implement this concept without investing in a hump strap, though. If you have some rope and a few dish towels, you have what you need for this next hack. Take a dish towel and fold it lengthwise into thirds, then again into thirds widthwise. Tuck the first layer of the towel into the pocket to form a sling. Do this with three more dish towels and thread rope through the slings. Finally, lay the slings on the floor in a criss-cross formation and place the mattress on its side on top of them. Have the carriers place the slings around their forearms and lift. Whatever method you choose to move your mattress, it's crucial to maintain good body mechanics. When lifting, be sure you always to keep a straight back and bend at your knees.