Checklists & Planners

Printable mattress resources

Eight worksheets you can print or save as a PDF from your browser — no email required, nothing to install.

Read the Planning Guide Decision Guide

Mattress Buying Checklist

Everything to verify before, during and after a mattress purchase.

Before you shop

☐ Name what is wrong with your current mattress in one sentence
☐ Confirm your sleep position and your partner's
☐ Set a total investment including protector, base and bedding
☐ Measure the room and the delivery path
☐ Decide whether an adjustable base solves a real problem for you

While comparing

☐ Foam density (4 lb/ft³+ memory foam, 1.8 lb/ft³+ polyfoam core)
☐ Coil count and gauge for hybrids
☐ Comfort-layer thickness
☐ Trial length and the minimum nights before a return is allowed
☐ Warranty sag threshold and the non-prorated period
☐ Return shipping or restocking fees
☐ Foundation requirements that could void coverage

In the showroom

☐ Lie in your actual sleep position for ten to fifteen minutes
☐ Bring or request a pillow similar to yours at home
☐ Sit on the edge and note how far it collapses
☐ Have your partner shift while you lie still
☐ Slide a hand under your lower back to check the lumbar gap

Before you pay

☐ Confirm delivery date, setup and old-mattress haul-away in writing
☐ Confirm the trial start date — delivery or purchase
☐ Keep the receipt and photograph the law tag
☐ Check that your existing foundation meets the warranty requirements

Mattress Replacement Planner

Score the signals, decide whether it is time, and plan the swap.

Signals to check

☐ Seven to ten years old — Plan
☐ A visible dip you can measure — Replace now
☐ Waking stiff, easing within an hour — Replace now
☐ You sleep better in hotels or guest rooms — Replace now
☐ You and your partner roll toward the middle — Replace now
☐ Waking hot most nights — Watch
☐ Congestion that clears when you leave the bedroom — Watch
☐ New creaks or pops — Watch

Investment Guide™

☐ Occasional use: approx. $1,000 – $1,500 · 8 – 12 years of occasional use; noticeably fewer if slept on nightly
☐ Everyday quality: approx. $1,600 – $2,400 · 8 – 10 years nightly
☐ Primary bedroom: approx. $2,500 – $4,000 · 10 – 12 years nightly
☐ Handcrafted: approx. $4,000+ · 12 – 15 years or more; the gains here are in materials and feel rather than a leap in support

Before you order

☐ Price is not value. Value comes from comfort, proper support, pressure relief, durability, construction quality, materials, warranty and the service standing behind them.
☐ Plan for the whole sleep system, not just the mattress: protector, base or foundation, pillows and sheets typically add 15% to 25% to the investment.
☐ One practical way to think about this: divide the investment by the years you realistically expect. A mattress that stays supportive for twelve years usually costs less per year of good sleep than one replaced in five.
☐ Invest the most in the bed you sleep in every night. Guest rooms genuinely do not need the same commitment, and that is not a compromise — it is good planning.
☐ Ask what is included. Delivery, setup, old-mattress haul-away and a protector are frequently bundled, and they change what two numbers actually mean.
☐ Plan for a protector and correctly sized sheets from day one. A single unprotected stain can void the warranty on the first night.
☐ One thing many shoppers overlook: an hour with a knowledgeable local mattress professional, lying on several constructions, will do more for this decision than a week of reading. That guidance is part of the value you are buying.
☐ After helping many homeowners choose mattresses, the regret I hear is almost never about investing a little more. It is about a bed that stopped supporting them three years in.

Bedroom Planning Worksheet

Measure the room, the bed and the delivery path before you shop.

Measure

☐ Measure the room, wall to wall — Record length and width at floor level. Note where the ceiling slopes if it does.
☐ Mark the bed footprint — Queen 60 × 80, King 76 × 80, Cal King 72 × 84 inches. A frame adds 2 to 5 inches on each side.
☐ Leave walking clearance — 24 to 30 inches on every side you walk. 36 inches if anyone uses a walker or wheelchair.
☐ Check the door swing — The bedroom door, closet doors and any drawer fronts must clear the bed and nightstands fully.
☐ Measure the delivery path — Front door, hallway width, stair turns, elevator depth and the bedroom door. Narrow turns are where deliveries fail.
☐ Measure ceiling height at the bed — Matters for canopy frames, adjustable bases in elevated positions and bunk beds.
☐ Confirm total bed height — Foundation plus mattress. Aim for a 24 to 26 inch top surface for easy, safe transfers.
☐ Measure for bedding — Mattress height plus 2 inches for a protector determines the sheet pocket depth you need.

Record

☐ Room length ______
☐ Room width ______
☐ Ceiling height ______
☐ Doorway width ______
☐ Narrowest hall turn ______
☐ Stair landing depth ______
☐ Desired bed-top height ______

Mattress Maintenance Calendar

A year of small habits that add years of mattress life.

Weekly

☐ Wash sheets and pillowcases
☐ Air the bed for an hour before making it

Monthly

☐ Wash the mattress protector
☐ Check the foundation for loose or bowed slats

Quarterly

☐ Rotate the mattress 180°
☐ Vacuum the surface and seams
☐ Deodorize with baking soda
☐ Confirm bedroom humidity is 45–55%

Twice a year

☐ Wash pillows or replace them if flat
☐ Inspect for impressions and photograph any dip
☐ Deep-clean under and around the bed

Before leaving a seasonal home

☐ Strip the bed
☐ Cover with a breathable cover
☐ Set thermostat near 78°F with humidity control
☐ Leave the bedroom door open

Guest Bedroom Guide

What a guest room actually needs — and what it does not.

The mattress

☐ Medium firmness suits the widest range of guests
☐ Approximately $1,000–$1,500 for a queen is usually right
☐ A 10–12 inch build is plenty for occasional use

Protection

☐ Protector from day one
☐ Breathable, not plastic-backed
☐ Wash between visits

Between visits

☐ Strip the bed
☐ Leave the door open for airflow
☐ Run the air handler
☐ Baking soda refresh quarterly

Guest comfort extras

☐ Two pillow lofts so guests can choose
☐ A spare blanket at the foot of the bed
☐ A bedside surface, lamp and outlet within reach

Mattress Comparison Worksheet

Compare up to three mattresses on the specifications that actually matter.

Record for each mattress

☐ Brand and model
☐ Price (queen)
☐ Construction: foam / hybrid / latex / innerspring
☐ Foam density
☐ Coil count and gauge
☐ Comfort-layer thickness
☐ Total height
☐ Firmness (1–10)
☐ Trial length and minimum nights
☐ Warranty length and sag threshold
☐ Return fee
☐ Foundation requirement
☐ Cost per expected year

Score 1–5 after testing

☐ Pressure relief in your sleep position
☐ Lumbar support
☐ Edge support
☐ Motion isolation
☐ Temperature
☐ Ease of repositioning

Mattress Moving Checklist

Move a mattress without damaging it or voiding the warranty.

Before the move

☐ Decide whether it is worth moving — over seven years old usually is not
☐ Buy a proper mattress bag
☐ Photograph the law tag and keep the receipt

Loading

☐ Bag and seal before it leaves the bedroom
☐ Carry flat or on edge — never fold a hybrid or innerspring
☐ Load flat against a truck wall
☐ Keep away from anything that could puncture the bag

Move-in day

☐ Set up the bed first
☐ Unbag and air for a few hours
☐ Confirm slats and center support are correct
☐ Fit the protector before the first night

Mattress Cleaning Checklist

Routine cleaning and the right response to the four common stains.

Routine

☐ Strip the bed completely
☐ Vacuum surface and seams with an upholstery tool
☐ Sprinkle baking soda, wait several hours, vacuum again
☐ Let the mattress dry fully before remaking

Stains

☐ Urine — enzymatic cleaner, blot, never rub
☐ Blood — cold water only, heat sets it
☐ Sweat and body oils — mild detergent solution, blot dry
☐ Spills — blot immediately, dry with a fan

Never

☐ Steam clean foam
☐ Soak the surface
☐ Remake the bed while damp
☐ Use bleach on the mattress cover

Every mattress resource on Total Home Fusion, in one place.

Want it reviewed?

Bring your filled-in worksheet to Maria

A Home Life Advisor can sanity-check your investment, sizing and timing before you commit.

Ask Maria