Before I got up this morning, I was scanning the list of basic furniture problems we live with day in and day out so I could share a trick with readers. Duh! I wasn’t even out of bed, what could have been more obvious?
Our mattress has lost it’s verve. Buying a new Queen or, even upgrading to a King, is not an option right now. There are a few things you can do to stretch it out a bit longer. First of all, check the frame to make sure nothing has gone askew or come loose like slats or side rails. If the mattress is in fact the culprit, try one of these tricks:
1. If your mattress isn’t too old, be sure to flip it over at regular intervals and turn it one complete 180 degree rotation to put the top at the bottom and vice versa. As I said, that will only do so much and mainly it will keep a good mattress from developing a body groove.
2. This is what I always resort to: Have a 1/4 to 1/2 inch piece of plywood cut to slide between the mattress and the box spring. Cut it just a few inches shorter and narrower than your mattress so it doesn’t wiggle out and you wack your shin while making the bed. Also remember that you may want to paint the entire piece with KILZ or another similar primer to seal in the glue fumes from the plywood. Let it air out thoroughly before using it.
3. Buy a Temper-Pedic like memory foam topper from a cheap furniture store, an upholstery supplier or anywhere else you can find it. You can use it on top and it will fill in those saggy spots so you can get a good night’s sleep for a bit longer.
These are make-do tricks I’ve used for as long as I can remember. My mom taught me the mattress rotation/flip and the plywood trick.
Start saving up for a nice new mattress and maybe plan on building your own platform bed.
