mattress shopping tips The average person spends 1/3 of their life sleeping but buying a new mattress doesn’t just affect your sleeping hours. How comfortably you sleep affects your waking hours, too! At Star Furniture & Mattress, we strive to make the mattress buying process as simple and affordable as possible, so you can get the best sleep of your life without going over your budget. Here are some mattress shopping tips for first time buyers.

Know Your Options

Before you start shopping, make sure you’ve done your research. You’ll have a much easier time finding a mattress if you know what it is that you’re looking for. A good place to start is learning the difference between innerspring, hybrid, pillow-top, and memory foam mattresses, as well as the perks of plush, medium, and firm mattresses. Consider whether you’re a back, stomach, or side sleeper, what type of mattresses you’ve had in the past, what you liked and disliked about past mattresses, how much money you’re willing to spend on a mattress, and any health conditions that might be influenced by where you sleep. If you have a partner, you’ll both want to answer these questions, so you can come to a compromise that works well for both people. Once you’ve narrowed down your options and want to start looking at specific mattresses, best sure to consider motion isolation, durability, temperature neutrality, and different mattress foundations.

Size Matters

In the US, mattresses tend to come in six sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king. Choosing a mattress size is important, not just because you need a bed that will fit comfortably in your bedroom, but because it can influence how well you sleep. If you often find your feet hanging off a full mattress, for example, it might be best to upgrade to a queen. Do your small kids often come into bed with you and your spouse? A queen bed might not be a comfortable fit for more than two people.

Try Before You Buy

It’s hard to replicate the sleeping process when you’re in a store trying out new mattresses, but it’s important that you give any mattress you’re considering a bit of a test drive before bringing it home. We recommend trying out any sleep position you regularly sleep in and bringing along anyone who regularly sleeps in the bed with you, so you can get a feel for how the bed reacts when your partner moves. Don’t buy anything before you’ve spent at least ten minutes trying it out.

Pay Attention to Return Policies & Warranties

Before buying a mattress, make sure you understand the return policy and any warranties that come with the mattress. That way, if something goes wrong, you already understand your options. At Star Furniture & Mattress, we want to make sure you’re completely satisfied with your mattress, which is why we provide mattress buyers with a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. Since warranties vary by brand, make sure to ask an associate for the warranty information on any mattresses you’re considering. Keep in mind that some mattresses have up to 10-year limited warranties, but that many warranties have fine print you’ll want to make sure you understand.

Plan How to Get it Home

Unless you have a sizable pick-up truck or moving van, it can be challenging to transport mattresses because of their size and shape. Plus, it’s important to be careful when transporting because you can accidentally damage the mattress if you’re not careful. At Star Furniture & Mattress, we offer free delivery on mattresses over $999, so you won’t need to worry about transportation. Thinking of redoing the whole bedroom? In addition to our huge selection of new mattresses, we offer plenty of bedroom furniture for every style and every budget.  Check us out online or visit a Star Furniture store in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, or Bryan, Texas to start shopping today!