How to Load a Queen Mattress on a U-Haul Trailer

Moving is always a big job. Whether you're using a U-Haul van or 5 x 8 trailer, a queen mattress requires a little extra "oomph" to load up for the move. In addition to the mattress, consider the box spring, frame, headboard, and footboard when planning the move and determining the size of a trailer. Once the mattress and other large items are loaded, you can pack the rest of your belongings into the trailer and head to your new home.

A standard queen mattress is 60 x 80 inches, but it can vary in depth, ranging from 8 to 18 inches deep plus the matching box spring. The Olympic queen is a less common size of 66 x 80 inches. If you aren't sure about your mattress size, measure it carefully before reserving a U-Haul trailer.

U-Haul trailers range in size from 4 x 8- to 6 x 12-foot enclosed trailers and 4 x 7- to 6 x 12-foot open utility trailers. A queen mattress and box spring will fit into an enclosed 5 x 8-foot trailer or upright in a 4 x 7-foot open trailer. The advantage of the enclosed trailer is, of course, that you don't have to tie down the mattress and box springs, and if the weather turns bad or you're staying overnight along your route, your belongings are protected from rain and theft.

Prepare your bed for moving by enclosing the mattress and box spring in plastic mattress bags and taping the open ends closed. Mattress bags with handles make it easier to move the mattress. Also disassemble the bed frame and wrap anything that might be damaged in bubble wrap to protect it while loading and while in transit to your new home. Put bolts and other hardware in a large, reclosable bag to keep it all in one place during the move.

Balance the box spring upright on a dolly, upside-down rug, old comforter, or cardboard and then carefully roll or slide it out to the trailer, lifting as needed to clear the door threshold, steps, and other obstacles. Load the box spring at a 45-degree angle, leaning it against the side of the trailer. Repeat the process with the mattress, setting it against or on top of the box spring. A sheet of cardboard on the bottom of the trailer helps you push the box spring and mattress inside without the risk of tearing the mattress bags.

If you're loading an enclosed trailer, pack the rest of the bed frame and your other boxes around the box spring and mattress and secure them with rope and/or tie-down straps so the load doesn't shift while you're driving. If you're using an open trailer, either lay the box spring and mattress flat or at an angle against the driver's side of the trailer or keep them upright in the center and fill in around them with the bed frame and your packed boxes. Use ropes and tie-downs to secure the load, crisscrossing over and around the bed and securing it on the sides, front, and back to make sure nothing can move. Even if the bed is lying flat, it must be secured. Finally, cover the entire load with a tarp and tie it down securely.

A U-Haul cargo van can also hold a standard queen mattress. Put a piece of cardboard or a rug in the bottom of the van to help you slide in everything and then load the box spring at a 45-degree angle to get it through the back doors. Lean it against the left side of the van and then load the mattress so it is resting on the box spring. If nothing else is going in the van, load through the back doors at an angle but then let the box spring and mattress lie flat on the van floor.

Slide boxes of fragile items in the space between the box spring and side wall. Pack it as tight as you can without crushing the boxes. Then, pack the right side of the van, laying the headboard and footboard on the mattress. Close the back doors and use the side door to finish packing the van.