How to Move a Mattress

Moving a mattress looks simple until you are standing in the driveway with a floppy queen and a sedan, and no obvious way to get it across town.

That is the moment the bad ideas start: strap it to the roof, wedge it in the pickup bed and hope. Those are exactly how mattresses end up loose on the highway behind you.

There is a right way to do this. This guide covers how to move a mattress without damaging it or losing it on the road.

Why Not the Car Roof or the Pickup Bed

The car roof is worse than it looks

A mattress on the roof acts like a wing. At speed, air gets under it and lifts, and straps run through the windows crush the mattress without actually holding it down. A mattress that peels off into traffic is a serious hazard and an unsecured load. Even if it stays put, the wind and road grime ruin it.

The open pickup bed is not much better

A mattress is large and light, so wind lifts it out even when it looks wedged in. Most beds are too short, which leaves the mattress hanging out unsupported, sliding and catching air. With nothing over it, it gets dirty and wet on the way.

Use a Trailer, Ideally Enclosed

Enclosed is the best option

An enclosed trailer fully contains the mattress, so nothing can catch wind or fly out. It also keeps the mattress clean and dry, protected from road grime and weather the whole way. For moving a mattress, an enclosed trailer rental is the option that removes almost everything that goes wrong. Read more about enclosed trailer sizes to match the trailer to your mattress.

An open utility trailer works with care

An open utility trailer can do the job if you strap the mattress down well and cover it. You take on the wind and weather yourself, so it needs a tarp or a mattress bag and solid straps, not just the mattress's own weight to hold it in place.

How to Secure It

Lay it flat and strap it down

Lay the mattress flat, or stand it on edge against a wall inside an enclosed trailer, and strap it so it cannot shift. Use ratchet straps, and run them over a board or protect the edges so the straps do not cut into the mattress.

Keep it clean, dry and unbent

Slip the mattress into a mattress bag to keep it clean and dry and to guard against tears. Do not fold or bend a mattress to make it fit, since that can damage the coils or foam. On an open trailer, cover it and cinch the cover down so it cannot balloon in the wind.

A couple of practical notes

Load it with a second person, since a mattress is awkward and floppy to handle alone. Match the trailer length to the mattress so it is fully supported rather than hanging off the end. Read more about how to load a trailer for securing and tie-down.

What about insurance and damage protection?

Before towing a rented trailer, contact your auto insurance provider to ask whether your policy covers liability and towing-related damage claims.

Eligible rentals booked through Big Rentals also include Basic Rental Protection at checkout. This added protection can help limit your financial responsibility for certain damage or theft events during the rental period.

For full details on how Basic Rental Protection works, including deductibles, exclusions, and renter responsibilities, review our FAQ and platform terms.

The Short Version

• Do not strap a mattress to your car roof or toss it loose in a pickup bed, since it catches wind, flies off and gets wrecked
• Move it in a trailer, and an enclosed trailer is the best option because it contains the mattress and keeps it clean and dry
• An open utility trailer works if you strap it down and cover it well
• Lay it flat or on edge, use a mattress bag, skip the folding and match the trailer length to the mattress

Browse enclosed trailer rentals near you.