How to choose a mattress? What is the best mattress? We know choosing a mattress can be daunting – especially since it’s probably been a while since your last trip to the mattress store. We’re here to help make sense of it all and provide you with everything you need to know so you can find the best mattress to buy for your lifestyle and budget. It’s time to buy a new mattress if: You wake up with aches and pains that dissipate throughout the day. Your arms or shoulders fall asleep throughout the night, or you wake up tossing and turning. Your mattress shows visible signs of wear and tear, such as sagging or the sides breaking down. You feel the coils when lying on your bed. You hear noises/creaks on your mattress when moving around. You roll toward the middle of the bed at night, or you easily roll off the edge of the bed. No matter what the temperature in your bedroom, you always seem to feel too hot in bed. Your mattress is more than eight years old – check the tag to determine the age of your mattress.
You’ve outgrown your current mattress size or are in need of a larger one. (Tip: If you’re an expecting parent, check out these tips to sleep for pregnant mothers!). Complete this checklist before your visit to the mattress store and bring it with you to help narrow your search. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – that’s what the sales representatives, known as sleep consultants at Mattress Firm, are there for! SIZE: To identify the correct mattress size for your space, consider the following: The mattress should be longer than the tallest person sleeping on it. The bed width should allow enough space to fold your arms behind your head without going beyond the mattress edge or touching your partner’s elbows (for two adults, we recommend either a queen or a king). Full size bed / Double mattress Not sure which size is right for you? Click here for a little more info on choosing the right mattress size. Do you need a box spring or foundation for your mattress?
☐ Yes ☐ No BUDGET: Determine a budget you’re comfortable with and let your salesperson know so he or she can direct you to the best mattress options in your price range. Not sure how much you should spend for a good quality mattress? As a general rule with mattresses, you get what you pay for – the higher the quality, the better the comfort, support and durability. However, it’s important to choose a model that suits your needs and your pocketbook. We recommend the “eight days of pay for eight years” model: Take one day’s pay and multiply it by eight. That’s how much you should spend on a mattress that will last eight years. If you don’t plan on keeping your mattress that long, or it’s going to be a guest mattress that will be used less often, you may consider spending less, but consider using this equation to find your ballpark price range. The least I will spend is $___________ The most I can spend is $__________ I [am / am not] willing to consider floor models and and other clearance options.
TEST-DRIVE: Once your salesperson has shown you some different mattress brands within your size/budget range, test out your mattress options by laying on each side (back, stomach, left side, right side) for about five minutes per side (20 minutes total). We know what you’re thinking, “I don’t want to lay on a bed in front of my fellow shoppers?” Don’t worry – we see it all the time, and it’s an important step in the shopping process. Some questions to ask yourself as you test drive each mattress include: Do I prefer a firm or soft mattress? Refer to this five levels of comfort guide if you’re not sure. Which mattress brand do I trust the most? Check out this list of our most trusted mattress brands if you need more information. What features can I live without? What features can I NOT live without? (For example: hybrid mattress only, must be memory foam, etc.) Take any relevant notes about what you liked/didn’t like about each one here: Is shipping and/or delivery included?
☐ Yes ☐ No, it costs $________ Will they dispose of my old mattress for me when they bring the new one? Is there a charge for that? ☐ No ☐ Yes, it costs $________ Is recycling my old mattress an option and can they recycle it for me? How long will it take to get my new mattress delivered to me? RETURN POLICY / WARRANTY: o What is the return policy? Is there a return fee, restocking fee or any penalty fees? ☐ No ☐ Yes, it will cost $________ What does the warranty cover? Will it be voided due to stains or tears caused by use? (Tip: To protect against regular wear and tear and extend the life of your mattress you may consider purchasing a quality mattress cover.) Make sure you understand what your warranty covers and take any relevant notes here: Once you have found the perfect mattress you are more than half way there! Here are some essential bedding accessories to help complete your sleep sanctuary. If you find you’re too hot at night, or your partner wakes you up with his or her tossing and turning, check out today’s high tech sleep products that have set out to solve these common issues:
Let's be honest: Laundry isn't always on the top of our to-do list. But we do know when it's time to wash our clothes, because they stain, smell, or might seem fine, but we know how many times we've worn that questionable sweater.But what about the other things around your home—do you know the last time you washed your throw blankets? Neither did we, which is why we were glad to get tips from Joss & Main style director Donna Garlough on how often we should be cleaning some of the most frequently used items around our homes.Here's her lesson in mid-winter cleaning. The amount of traffic your rug gets will determine how often you should clean it, but when you do, a thorough vacuum and a good shake outside will get rid of most of the dust and dirt. Garlough suggests a good old-fashioned beating with a wooden spoon to really get the deep-packed dirt loose. For stains, Garlough says "most rugs can be treated by blotting the fresh stain (never rub it!) with a white cloth on both sides, then spraying or dabbing it with water, and repeating as necessary."
You should vacuum your throw pillows (along with the couch and chairs they're on) regularly to prevent the dust from building up and working its way into the fibers. If your pillows have removable covers, Garlough suggests washing those once a season. You can also wash the feather inserts, but do at least two at a time to balance the load and prevent lumpiness.In a bathroom that's used daily by multiple people, fabric shower curtains should be washed monthly to keep mildew from forming, and the liner should we washed every week or two. Garlough shares her tips on washing those tricky liners: "To clean plastic liners, spray them down with a diluted vinegar solution, let it sit, and then rinse. Fabric liners should be machine-washed (with bleach if they're white, oxygen bleach if they're not) and dried in the dryer. If a mildew smell does develop, fabric liners can usually be salvaged with an extra-hot wash cycle; plastic ones should be replaced."If your mat is a darker color that hides dirt, you might not be able to tell how quickly it gets dirty.
Read the care instructions, but most cotton and synthetic mats can be tossed in the wash with cold or warm water. Always air-dry them, especially if the mat has a rubber backing.Once a season, wash your fleece and cotton throw blankets separately on a gentle cycle in cold water. Garlough recommends line drying them or using a no-heat setting on your dryer to keep them from shrinking.Curtains aren't something we interact with frequently, so you might think they don't need to be cleaned. But curtains are exposed to sunlight, dust, odors, and other elements that can deteriorate their appearance over time, and should be washed at least twice a year. If they're cotton, running them separately in the washing machine should be fine, but if they're silk, linen, or synthetic, they should go to the dry cleaners.You should wash your comforters and blankets used on your bed once a season, and certainly before storing them for the summer if you lighten up the layers during the warmer months. "Wash them on a delicate cycle with a small amount of mild detergent," Garlough says.