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How to Shop for a Mattress

By
Home Stager with Owner, The Refreshed Home White Plains NY

If you're in the market for a new mattress, first, acknowledge the very act of buying a mattress is uncomfortable. You're laying down, in front of a stranger....who wants to sell you something.  Trying to relax, while your brain is hissing 'pay attention, so you don't overspend'.

Not a primer on coil counts or the like; it's just after 25+ years in busy retail furniture, The baby-sleeping-black-and-whiteRefreshed Home has seen some very simple and practical ways to make the process easier, while upping the odds of you making your own best choice.

Mattresses degrade a teeny tiny bit, every night, you just don't notice it, attributing sleeplessness or your aching back to other things.  Average lifespan of a mattress used most every night hovers around 10 years, and that time goes by fast. Funny, many of my customers were  motivated to replace their mattress after returning  returning from a trip- where they slept on another mattress- and realized they could wake up, feeling great!

  • Be prepared. Show up with a reasonably full stomach, dressed lightly, in loose and comfortable clothing...including shoes that slip off, and yes, good socks!
  • Leave bags and bulky coats in the car, and find a baby-sitter if there are kids.  Fitting some shopping in when you're tethered to children, or at the end of the work day, hungry and in uncomfortable clothes is not condusive to you making your best choice.
  • If there are two of you who'll be sleeping on this, shop together. First because one person's weight and movement will affect the others' comfort, but also there are things you will just want to discuss in real time, face to face.
  • If you have any allergies (latex, down), any other needs-like a low profile or split box spring-let the salesperson know that first.

Price is important, but chances are you haven't been mattress shopping for years, so have a range in mind, but be open, and gather information first. If you have a definite price parameter tell the salesperson up front. Cost is an important qualifier, most showrooms are set up accordingly, so you're not racing from one end to the other to try mattresses. Sometimes there is stock on new, but discontinued models.

  • A 'hard' mattress won't take the place of a good chiropractor, or last longer. If you like the feel of a firmer mattress, that's fine, but it's not inherently better.
  • Don't be wed to any one brand early on. Brand X might have served you well for many years, or Aunt Sophie might have hated her Brand Y mattress, but to be competitive, most manufacturers carry a wide range of styles/price points, and tweak-if not change- their product almost every year. Just focus on what is in front of you.
  • Simply, lay down. Don't be shy, lie like you normally would, for a minute or two so you can really notice the differences. Trying and buying a mattress is an intimate thing, you want to relax.  I always told my customers a few things they needed to know, including that I'd disappear for a few minutes to let them be.
  • Don't flood your mind, trying to understand the jargon/technology-or compare prices until you've narrowed it down to a few that you like. THEN ask questions about the differences between the ones you like.
  • A lot is riding on your making a good decision, if you're unsure, making a return visit to try it again, on another day is not a bad idea.
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Our spaces affect us profoundly...and so many other parts in our life fall into place when our spaces and possessions serve us in the best way they can. But getting there is much more than a pursuit of pleasing aesthetics.

 

Decorating and Staging are different, but much of the skill sets overlap, and each creates unique solutions that considers the needs, goals, resources, expectations, hopes and dreams of each client.

Bettering Westchester, Putnam and lower Fairfield counties since 1981, The Refreshed Home works collaboratively, and brings a thoughtful approach to the creative process. Proud to make a difference, as well as make a living. Offering specialty services such as remote and buyer consults, listing photo/video styling, guided and accompanied shopping, and accessory rental. We get in, get out, and you get on with your life.  Talk to me TODAY about how we can better your space!

  

                    

 

Marie Graham ASP, IAHSP, IDS Your Stager With A Mission!

QUESTIONS? Don't hesitate!! 914.607.2895 

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Comments (9)

Ralph Gorgoglione
Metro Life Homes - Palm Springs, CA
California and Hawaii Real Estate (310) 497-9407

Marie, thanks for the practical tips about mattress shopping. As one spends so much of one's life in bed, it's a great suggestion to come prepared to test out which mattress feels the most relaxing as the number one priority. 

Dec 27, 2013 03:12 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Excellent advice for those shopping for a mattress.  Having sold them for years, I avoid any "sales" jargon and basically tell my customers to try them out.  I even leave them alone for a bit so they are more comfortable, then come back to answer their questions.

Dec 27, 2013 08:46 PM
Broker Patty Da Silva Da Silva
Green Realty Properties® - 954-667-7253 - Cooper City, FL
Top Listing Broker

Great points Marie. I should consider buying after I had been on vacation because if not, I could end up sleeping on the first matress I tested and buy it! LOL

Dec 28, 2013 12:16 AM
Marie Graham
Owner, The Refreshed Home White Plains NY - White Plains, NY
Westchester County Interior Decorator, Home Stager

Hi Ralph-thanks for checking in! The silliest things can complicate the process, and a good nights' sleep is just too precious to mess with!

ROGER! Blows my mind, salespeople who hang out and just keep talking...

Hi Patty! Good to see you! It's true, so many don't realize how bad/old their own mattress is until they've slept on another mattress.

Dec 28, 2013 12:44 AM
Charles Stallions
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services - Pensacola, FL
850-476-4494 - Pensacola, Pace or Gulf Breeze, Fl.

I found your post because the wife and I have been shopping so now I am armed with a little more information.

Dec 28, 2013 05:07 AM
Marie Graham
Owner, The Refreshed Home White Plains NY - White Plains, NY
Westchester County Interior Decorator, Home Stager

Hi Charles, glad you found me! Good luck shopping, let me know how it goes!

 

Dec 28, 2013 01:01 PM
Sussie Sutton
David Tracy Real Estate - Houston, TX
David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers

Thank you for this blog post! I know I need a new mattress but have heard that I need many coils in order to get a great sleep. I am heavy too, not as much as I use to be but I still think I need more coils.

What say you?

Dec 29, 2013 09:24 AM
Marie Graham
Owner, The Refreshed Home White Plains NY - White Plains, NY
Westchester County Interior Decorator, Home Stager

Sussie-a high coil count is rarely a bad thing, but there are a lot of other factors to consider that'll affect long-term comfort, as well as price: gauge of wire in coils, how big coils are, and if there are actually springs in the boxspring (most don't have them, they call them 'foundations', and count on you not to think about that)  I'd start out by finding a few that are comfortable, then comparing the innards. Two things I'd definitely stay away from are mattresses that aren't flippable (they have foam only on one side) and the memory foam ones. They may be comfortable for a while, but can get really warm, and don;t offer a lot of support. Good luck!

 

Dec 29, 2013 09:58 AM
Nick T Pappas
Assoc. Broker ABR, CRS, SFR, e-Pro, @Homes Realty Group, Broker/Providence Property Mgmnt, LLC Huntsville AL - Huntsville, AL
Madison & Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Resource

Marie, thanks for the info, I'll probably be in the market for a new mattress, but for now...Happy New Year to you.

Jan 01, 2014 11:30 AM