Every Single Reason the Hummer H2 Was So Stupid, Laid Out in One VideoTips for Finding a Mattress on Craigslist We all know how expensive mattresses can be. We spend such a huge part of our lives sleeping on our beds, it's important that we get the best mattress possible, right? Sometimes it's a bit hard to afford an amazing mattress. Luckily I have compiled some tips for the terrifying task of finding a mattress on Craigslist. About a year ago I asked How Do I Make a Futon Work as a Bed? Hilariously enough, you all told me to never try and use a futon mattress over a regular mattress. Last year I purchased a dingy futon off of craigslist for $50 and struggled through back pain (hey, I'm only 23!) and sleepless nights. I feel as though I may have to apologize to you, my trusty readers, for not listening to your advice. I'm always trying to save money and do things the cheapest possible way. I now know the importance of owning a great mattress, but what if I can't afford one?
So, it's time to look to Craigslist again. I think everyone is a little wary of buying something like a mattress of of Craigslist. Might as well be purchasing someone's used tighty wighties right? Well, I've come up with a list of tips to make your Craigslist mattress search much easier! Look for honesty: You want to seek out the listings where the seller is completely honest. It's okay if they mention some minor wear on one of the corners. The best option is when they state how old the mattress is, what brand or manufacturer, or an explanation as to why they are purging. Look for personality: Find a seller that seems to give a little personality into their post. You want to interact with a seller that is going to be personable. That way you can feel more comfortable asking questions and hopefully they'll be nice enough to give you answers! Quality of photographs: This one is super important. Look for the posts where the mattress is well photographed. Never go for a mattress where the image is clearly the stock photo taken off a mattress store website.
Bonus points if the seller takes a photo of the minor damage or label of the mattress. Search "By Owner": If you select "By-owner" rather than "By-dealer" you won't get those cheap looking ads that almost always look like a scam. Yes, they are trying to sell you brand new mattresses, but usually from a warehouse or back alley. If you've had experience with the "by-dealer" option, let me know in the comments. I've always been curious to see if these mattresses are authentic. I would personally rather buy my mattress from a real person who can tell me the history of the mattress. Watch grammar: A lot of bots that post spam on Craigslist use weird grammar or throw in sentences that don't make sense. Unfortunately, you may just be looking at an ad coming from someone with terrible grammar. Be wary of bed bugs: Check the mattress for tell-tale signs of bed bugs — small red or brown spots and other signs of the little critters. If you see even the slightest indication, run the other way!
Image: Flickr member robotpolisher. Licensed for use by Creative Commons. Are you relatively new to this bustling metropolis? Don't be shy about it, everyone was new to New York once upon a time, except, of course, those battle-hardened residents who've lived here their whole lives and Know It All. One of these lifers works among us at Gothamist—publisher Jake Dobkin grew up in Park Slope and still resides there. He is now fielding questions—ask him anything by sending an email here, but be advised that Dobkin is "not sure you guys will be able to handle my realness." We can keep you anonymous if you prefer; just let us know what neighborhood you live in. This week's question comes from a New Yorker who is considering buying a mattress on Craigslist. Look, I know what you're thinking. "Hell no don't buy a used mattress, you monster!" is what you're thinking. So do all my friends. I'm an adult with sound judgment and I bought everything else I own off craigslist. My eyeballs and nose are functioning normally;
I can see any weird stains and smell any weird smells. In a town as transient as NYC Isn't it possible that someone took care of their mattress and needs to get rid of it because they're moving? Also the prices are incredibly low exactly because no one trusts used mattresses. What do you think? Could A Smart Person Elaborate Revulsion A native New Yorker responds: Dear Could A Smart Person Elaborate Revulsion,A bedbug can be the size of a pinhead, and all you need is one queen up in there somewhere for you to have a total infestation on your hands. You can get an Ikea mattress for $89—the Craigslist savings cannot be so great that it is worth risking your health and sanity, and that of your roommates, visitors, or neighbors. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it is ethically wrong to take the risk, because you are putting lives besides your own in danger. But maybe you think I'm some kind of native germaphobe or something (not so—my puddle pictures require me to sometimes stick my hands into some pretty gruesome puddles and I handle that just fine).
So I polled my colleagues for their advice: John Del Signore: no comment except a link to this video: Raphael Pope-Sussman: "NO FUCKING WAY! Not only is this a terrible idea, but doing so would wreak havoc on the person's karma forever. He is risking bringing bedbugs into his apartment and spreading it to roommates or other residents of the building. Just to save some money? Why is the seller getting rid of her mattress? Doesn't she know that only lunatics buy used mattresses and that she's therefore inviting a lunatic over to her house? And what kind of person wants a lunatic in the house? Another lunatic, probably one with bedbugs or worse!" Jen Carlson: "God no. Craigslist mattress is a HARD PASS always. I want to buy this person a mattress now." What I do not understand is that people who would never touch a Craigslist mattress are often perfectly willing to buy upholstered armchairs, Ikea dressers, and other furniture from strangers on that platform. Bedbugs can lurk pretty much anywhere, and they can last up to 18 months between feedings.
That means they can infest any piece of furniture and linger. Sure, mattresses might be convenient for a bedbug to cling to, because it's close to their nightly blood buffet, but so too is that innocent bedside table you just bought for $25. I say avoid it all. Yes, this does have an unfortunate environmental consequence, but many of these pieces of furniture can be recycled into their constituent materials, and to be honest, even if every last piece of furniture in NYC must be burned when it is thrown out, that is worth it if stops the bedbug plague that has afflicted us these many years. Yes, this may be an overreaction, but I just spent six minutes watching that bedbug video and it's going to take me at least two weeks to get it out of my head. (Or if you're certain that furniture you're parting with is bedbug free, consider donating it to a non-profit organization like Housing Works—they will reinspect it before they sell it to the public.) This is also a time to meditate on the advantages of a minimalist lifestyle: the less furniture you own, the less you'll ever need to replace, and the less chance you have of being tempted by that sidewalk armoire you spotted on your walk to work.