Rule number one when your in doubt, call Mom,especially about domestic matters. What gets this stain out? What does that gadget do? How long should does it take to bake? Its always Mom with the answer, or a life well lived educated guess.
So imagine my surprise when she called me for advice, on a domestic matter. “We are finally going to buy ourselves a new mattress,” she started, “Where should we go?” Holding back my joy, and wanting to make a point right away, I answered “Wonderful, a good nights rest is the best investment you could make.” barely taking a breath, “Its important to get the very best mattress that you can afford.” Realizing I had just used my best sales pitch, on my own mother, I softened my approach. I mean it was just a simple question. I brought up that this was the best time of year to buy mattresses and bedding. January and February is style update time in the mattress world. New options means they need to get rid of the old and smart shoppers get a deal.
As I started to tell her about the shopping deals and how to get a much higher end mattress for less, it became clear to me that she and dad may not know much about what kind of mattresses are out there, much less how much they can cost. After all, the mattress they were replacing still had blue, sateen ticking on it, and was sitting in a water bed frame. Mom always like the storage she got on the water beds headboard. Her small master bedroom doesn’t give her many options. The designer in me knows, function is everything,
I also know that mattresses have come a very long way in only the last decade, let alone two or possibly three. It occurred to me that this is probably the case for just about any body. After all I’m fairly sure that most of us keep our mattress a bit longer than the recommended amount of time. Not to mention all the technology that has been added to the old standard mattress. Air, adjustable, individual coil, memory foam, loft, firm or plush, what does it all mean? How important is it? Do I really think my dad wants to hear about all that before he and mom head out to buy a mattress? Probably not. I figured it was best to hit on the most important points to THEM, arm them a bit as they head out on the mattress hunt.
What kind of shoppers are my parents? Hmm with a little thought, Id say dad likes to check things out a bit on the internet and will go with something that strikes his fancy. Mom is head to the most likely store and buy it sort of lady. Neither of them are particularly fond of browsing. Price is of concern since they haven’t been mattress shopping in a while, I’m pretty sure there will be a little sticker shock, followed by a bit of grumbling. And if I know them well enough, they will settle on something because of price, when they really need to consider their comfort needs first. Dad has a tense back from working so hard for so many years, Mom is the same as she is particularly good at over doing it, what ever it is.
After a mental assessment about the kind of mattress shoppers my parents probably are, the physical comfort needs they have now and will have moving in to the future as well the space the new bed would be in. I came up with a couple key points for Mom to remember.
The first thing I suggested is to limit the number of places to shop to two at the most. Neither of my parents enjoy shopping, limiting the scope will make it less stressful for them both. Ultimately you’ll find the same brands in multiple places, and while they may go by different names, they are the same underneath the ticking. The choice of the mattress store then comes down to location, sales and trust in the company. I made a couple suggestions not far from each other or from their home and who I was generally sure would give them a great deal.
Then came to getting them the very best mattress for their needs and their budget. Finding the balance between the two was key. First and foremost is the need, the comfort level for each of them. They are both in their 60’s now and have worked quite hard much of their lives. They need both support and comfort,they both expressed nothing too hard. These are fairly common requests and certainly every type of mattress has its own best option to help them.
But how to get them the best for their budget was a factor, their budget was $1,000. not too shabby, and certainly enough given this time of year. However many mattress options can be much higher in cost and can sore towards $10,000 fairly easily. Does that make them better? Some might argue that yes it does, but it really comes down to the cost of the layers used in each comfort level. Memory and specialty foam mattresses exist and can be quite costly depending on the firmness or ticking or the mix of comfort layers included. They are popular because for some, they are the most comfortable, their popularity is undeniable. However the cost is often an issue for the average person looking for a good nights sleep.
Thankfully the mattress industry caters to all, but especially the average person, and there are plenty of options to be had. Don’t get me wrong, there is something to be said for “you get what you pay for”. Which is why I suggest the nice middle zone of say $799. to $1499., this space gets you high quality, that will easily last 10-15 years. nicer fabrics for the ticking and variety of foam and comfort levels. Throw in the a nice end of season sale and I’m positive my parents will get a great mattress in their price point. I suggest looking for a sale on a higher price mattress that’s on sale for the budget they have. After all a $1499. mattress with a 40% off sale is only $899.
As Mom is diligently taking her notes, I bring up the comfort issue and how to insure they get exactly what they need. Asking about Dad’s back and what he seems to like and has expressed needing, as well as what she needs to relieve her own pressure points. The conversation went well as they had been thinking about it for some time and Dad had a chance during work travel to try some different mattress. They had a good idea of what they would like, great news. Now its time to consider how to insure you get just that, the answer is you have to lay on the mattress of course. Of course you do. But how long is long enough to know? Believe it or not the 45 seconds it takes to lay down is not enough. In fact I would say 5 minutes is the minimum, once you think you’ve found something that appeals to you, 8-10 would be ideal. It just takes that long for your body to relax and the mattress to warm and conform to your shape. While it seems a little uncomfortable to lay down in public, we all have to do it. I assured her that the staff in any store should be well trained in making you feel comfortable, and explaining the options they have.
Well that leaves the last and what you would think would be the easiest part of the whole decision, the size. Having had to put a mattress in a water bed frame, Mom and Dad had a California King size mattress and I suggested that they stay with that size given how narrow their room was. While obvious to me, Mom had been considering switching to a regular King size mattress for the ease of finding bedding. Hard to deny that point, the standard sizes are certainly more plentiful. However I argued that bedding was a yearly, at best, adventure but that she would be fighting for space in her tiny room every single day. This is also a common issue to consider, there are the three standard sizes we all know, Twin, Queen and King. But lets face it there are real needs for both people and spaces that make Twin XL, Full and California King necessary. And while I used to agree whole heartedly with how difficult it was to find bedding, now thanks to internet and outlet stores the options have opened right up. Same with the furniture industry and bed sizes, everything is available, one way or another, just ask your favorite designer if you have a hard time figuring it out. The most important thing of all, is to get what you need first and foremost.
So now Mom knows where to shop, how to shop and which size is best for her room. Not to mention way more than her simple question had asked for. Of course Im just happy they are finally investing in what I think is one the most important things in a home, a good nights rest. From my soap box I will always attest that every day starts better when you’ve been able to relax and get the rejuvenating rest you need. I can also say, my parents search was successful. They listened to the ideas, picked a single store they trusted, found a great mattress on sale, spent the time to test it out and got the price they wanted. Two weeks later Mom is happily telling me how much they love their new mattress. Mission accomplished, Intent met.
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