How Do You Store a Mattress?

Store a mattress by cleaning and drying it fully, covering it with a mattress bag, and placing it flat in a unit with enough floor space to support its full shape. Keep boxes, furniture, and other heavy items off the mattress, and store bed-frame parts separately.

A mattress can take up significant room during a move, renovation, or home update. Measure the mattress before reserving a unit so you can store it without folding, sharply bending, or blocking access to other belongings.

Mattress Storage Essentials:

• Vacuum both sides of the mattress before storage.
• Spot-clean stains according to the manufacturer’s care instructions.
• Let the mattress dry fully before covering it.
• Use a mattress bag or cover designed for moving and storage.
• Store the mattress flat whenever possible.
• Do not fold, sharply bend, or place heavy items on the mattress.
• Remove sheets, mattress pads, pillows, and bedding before storage.
• Disassemble bed frames and keep related hardware in labeled bags.
• Leave a clear path to the mattress if you expect to retrieve it before other items.

Mattress Storage Steps at a Glance:

How Do You Prepare a Mattress for Storage?

Prepare a mattress for storage by removing bedding, vacuuming both sides, spot-cleaning when needed, and allowing the mattress to dry fully. Follow the mattress manufacturer’s care guidance for stains, fabric covers, foam layers, and cleaning methods.

Use this preparation process:

1. Remove sheets, mattress pads, pillows, and blankets.
2. Vacuum both sides and the mattress edges.
3. Spot-clean stains according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
4. Let the mattress air-dry fully.
5. Place the mattress inside a fitted mattress bag or cover.
6. Move the covered mattress into the storage unit.

Do not store a mattress with moisture, food residue, or bedding still attached.

Should You Store a Mattress Flat or Upright?

Store a mattress flat whenever possible. A flat position supports the mattress across its full surface and avoids prolonged pressure on one edge.

You can stand a mattress upright briefly during loading and unloading. Do not leave it upright for an extended period unless the manufacturer specifically states that vertical storage is appropriate for that model.

Do not fold or sharply bend a mattress to make it fit inside a unit.

What Size Storage Unit Do You Need for a Mattress?

Choose a storage unit with enough floor space to lay the mattress flat and keep it away from heavy furniture or boxes. The right unit size depends on the mattress dimensions, whether you are storing a bed frame, and how many additional bedroom items you plan to put away.

Measure the mattress length, width, and height before comparing unit sizes. Include the dimensions of any box spring, bed frame, dresser, or other bedroom furniture in the plan.

Should You Use Climate-Controlled Storage for a Mattress?

Climate-controlled storage can be useful for mattresses made with foam, fabric, natural fibers, springs, or multiple material layers. High heat and changing humidity can affect foam, fabric covers, adhesives, and internal materials over time. Humidity can also contribute to moisture-related odors when a mattress is packed away without enough airflow.

More than 90% of Public Storage properties offer climate-controlled units. These units are designed to help maintain more consistent temperature or humidity levels than non-climate-controlled storage.

Clean and dry the mattress fully, use a fitted mattress bag, store it flat, and keep it raised from the floor when the unit layout allows. Check your preferred Public Storage location for available climate-controlled unit sizes and features.

Do You Need Drive-Up Storage for a Mattress?

Drive-up storage can be useful for a mattress because mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and bedroom furniture are large and difficult to carry through long hallways or elevators. Vehicle access near the unit can shorten the distance between your vehicle and the storage space during move-in and move-out.

More than 45% of Public Storage properties offer drive-up access units. This option can help when you are moving a mattress with a bed frame, dresser, nightstands, boxes, and other bulky bedroom items.

Choose drive-up storage when you plan to:

• Load a mattress directly from a car, van, or moving truck
• Move a box spring, bed frame, headboard, or dresser
• Make several trips while packing or unpacking a bedroom
• Store furniture during a move, renovation, or home update
• Retrieve the mattress without carrying it through a long building route

Measure the mattress and the longest bed-frame piece before reserving a unit. Keep the mattress flat, store furniture beside it rather than on it, and leave a clear path for access.

Can You Store a Mattress With a Bed Frame?

Yes. Store a mattress with a bed frame by disassembling the frame when possible and placing screws, bolts, brackets, and other hardware in labeled bags. Keep all bed-frame components together along a wall or in a designated bedroom-furniture section.

Lay the mattress flat and place bed-frame parts, boxes, and other furniture beside it. Do not stack rails, headboards, dressers, or boxes on top of the mattress.

What Should You Avoid When Storing a Mattress?

Avoid storing a mattress before it is fully dry, folding or sharply bending it, or placing heavy items on top. Also avoid choosing a unit too small to support the mattress flat.

Common mattress-storage mistakes include:

• Leaving bedding on the mattress
• Packing the mattress while damp
• Using a unit that is too small
• Folding or sharply bending the mattress
• Leaving the mattress upright for an extended period
• Stacking furniture or boxes on top
• Blocking the mattress with other belongings

Store Your Mattress With a Clear Plan.

A mattress is easier to store when it is clean, dry, covered, and laid flat in a unit with enough room for the mattress and bedroom furniture. Measure before reserving, label bed-frame hardware, and keep heavy items beside the mattress rather than on it.

Find a Public Storage location near you to reserve climate-controlled or drive-up space for a mattress, bed frame, bedroom furniture, and moving boxes. Public Storage gives you room to organize your bedroom items during a move, renovation, or home update.

A well-planned mattress setup makes the next bedroom move easier to manage.

Mattress Storage FAQs

Can you store a mattress in a storage unit?
Yes. Store a mattress after cleaning and drying it fully, covering it with a mattress bag, and laying it flat in the unit.

Should you store a mattress flat or upright?
Store a mattress flat whenever possible. Stand it upright only briefly for loading or unloading unless the manufacturer gives different instructions.

Should you use climate-controlled storage for a mattress?
Climate-controlled storage can be useful for mattresses with foam, fabric, springs, and layered materials affected by heat and humidity. More than 90% of Public Storage properties offer climate-controlled units.

Can you store a mattress with a bed frame?
Yes. Disassemble the bed frame when possible, label the hardware, and store frame pieces beside the flat mattress.

Is drive-up storage useful for a mattress?
Yes. Drive-up storage can make moving a mattress, box spring, bed frame, and bedroom furniture from a vehicle easier. More than 45% of Public Storage properties offer drive-up access units.