Mattresses That Fit Up a Walk-Up
A mattress is the one thing in your new apartment you’ll use every day, and in New York it’s also the thing most likely to get stuck in a stairwell. Before you pick a brand, figure out how it’s going to get inside.
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Measure the route, not just the bedroom
Walk the path from the street to your bed and measure every tight spot:
- The front door and any vestibule door
- Stairwell width and the landings where the stairs turn, which is where full-size mattresses usually get stuck
- The elevator door and cab, if you have one
- Your apartment door and any narrow hallway inside
If any of those are tight, a mattress that arrives compressed in a box is the safe choice.
Why bed-in-a-box works for walk-ups
Bed-in-a-box mattresses ship rolled and vacuum-packed in a box that one or two people can carry up the stairs. Once it’s in the bedroom, you open it and it expands. Most brands say to give it a day or more to reach full shape, so check the instructions and plan to sleep on it the second night if you can.
Pick a size that fits the room
- Full: 54 x 75 inches. A good fit for smaller bedrooms and one sleeper.
- Queen: 60 x 80 inches. The most common choice for couples, but measure first in a small room.
Leave room to walk. About two feet of clearance on the sides you use keeps a small bedroom from feeling like it’s all bed.
Mattresses worth a look
Purple
Known for its flexible grid comfort layer, which many people find sleeps cooler than all-foam beds. Ships compressed.
Helix
Offers a range of models matched to how you sleep, whether on your side, back or stomach. Ships compressed.
DreamCloud
A hybrid of coils and foam that ships compressed in a box.
Tempur-Pedic
The best-known memory foam brand, for people who want deep pressure relief and a mattress that will last through a few moves.
Raymour & Flanigan
Want to lie down on it before you buy? Raymour & Flanigan has showrooms around the New York area, plus bed frames and the rest of the bedroom.
Delivery-day details
- Ask your building about deliveries. Some buildings limit large deliveries to certain hours or require you to reserve the freight elevator.
- Getting rid of the old mattress. NYC requires mattresses and box springs left out for trash pickup to be fully sealed in a plastic bag. Find mattress disposal bags.
- Add storage under the bed. Bed risers and under-bed bins turn the space under a mattress into a closet. Shop bed risers.
Setting up the rest of the bedroom? See the full NYC Move-In List.