When is the best time to buy a Mattress?

The best time to buy a mattress is NOW

If I told you that you could take a pill that would make you happier, calmer, better able to think and better able to function, would you take it? Of course you would! 

The benefits of good sleep are well known. Good sleep leads to better physical and mental health all round.  The positives of mattresses are pretty much the same. So why do people deny themselves those magical effects by sharing their beds with bad mattresses. 

When is the time to change your mattress? 

People working in furniture retail know that Ireland is full of Baddies in the Bedroom. We know from our experience in mattress recycling that Irish people are putting up with unsupportive mattresses.

There are many features that tell us people find mattress shopping stressful and confusing. This feature from the interiors site Houzz compares mattress buying with car purchase. Lots of people dislike feeling clueless about what will be a fairly big expenditure. 

Mattress lingo can be confusing. Posture this, gel tech that, ortho what have you. People struggle to say what makes a good mattress. The idea that there is an ideal time to change your mattress or to rotate your mattress can put people into a tail-spin.  

But that said, you know yourself better than any expert. You buy your own clothes don’t you? You know when something feels right. The time to make a change is when it feels right for you to fix and problem, upgrade or treat yourself.

Is your mattress as good as your underwear?

That question is not as silly as it sounds. Mattresses are like lingerie for your home.

In theory they are not on display to the world and you cannot show them off like you would a new flat screen TV. But like lingerie, the answer to what lies below resides with you. How does it make YOU feel? Deep down you DO know what you want and there are people who will help you get it. The staff at Murphy's take pride in helping you.

You must make the time to discover what you really want

The best time to buy a new mattress is when you have time to buy a new mattress. There are two aspects to that:

1. Take time to think about how you sleep. And I mean really think. Ask the questions. Are you sleeping on the floor? Are you sleeping on the sofa? Do you dream of hotel beds? Do you only ever sleep well in hotels? Am I boring you? I mean, do you have time for this? Of course you do. Lean into thinking about good sleep and when you experienced it last.

Face those niggly half-ideas. Are you putting off buying a new mattress because you think that a ‘good’ mattress has to cost thousands of euros? Do you wish you could remember the name of that lovely mattress in your sister in laws’ house? Are you trying to recall a brand name you once heard about? Maybe you are planning to do online research and read reviews. Yaaaawn to that! Or maybe you have some spare cash and you just want something better than the lumpy, shoulder pain inducing mattress you have now?

2. Visit a mattress store with sales staff you trust

At Murphy Furniture our sales staff are trained in mattresses and are skilled at asking you the right questions so that we can prescribe the exact one. They understand how the terminology and products apply to your preferences.

They will encourage you to try the mattresses. Allow a chunk of lying down time. Not pressing, not sitting, proper lying down.

A word on price and quality 

Again the underwear analogy helps. Spending a bit more on food, wine, bras and mattresses is worthwhile, but beyond a certain point you are not adding to the support or comfort. 

It comes back to you, and that mixture of what you need, what you like and what you can afford. You will be spending a few hundred euro to have an item that will be very close to you and that feels nice to be around. Just be aware that your priorities are support and comfort.

A word on innovations

From time to time there are innovations in the mattress industry but in general they should not affect when you buy. Some of the innovations make a genuine difference.  

Pocket springs allows two people to lie on the same mattress without the heavier person affecting the springs underneath the lighter bedmate. 

There are new types of gel layers that keep beds cool. Some people will value that.

Our staff can explain the differences between mattress toppers (people buy them separately) and the cushioned layers in the mattresses themselves. So stop angsting about memory foams vs pillow tops.

Watch out, though, many developments affect the industry, not the sleeper. There are cool and trendy companies that will shrink wrap your mattress into a tiny package and deliver it by hipster bicycle. Seriously, how is that going to help you sleep? It isn’t.

Other companies let you buy online, try and return. Mother of the Divine! Who is helped by that amount of hassle and admin?

Obstacles to mattress buying

You have everything you need to buy a new mattress now. The expert is you. The time is now. There are people to help you pick the best time to buy a mattress. That’s why shops have staff to talk you through the process. It’s not rocket science. A mattress is basically springs covered in cloth. Add a few layers of squishy stuff and supportive stuff.  

If you have a bad back then chat to your doctor before you come into a shop. Then decide if you prefer hard, soft or medium. The answer is usually medium firm, meaning that it has support but also some nice extra layers to add comfort. We’ve come a long way since Goldilocks had hard, soft and baby to choose from.  Now, clear some TIME in your diary. Why?  

Is it time to TRY the mattress?

You KNOW when you are ready to buy a new mattress.

So now. You’re good to go. You have asked your doctor about your back and she says to get a medium firm mattress but be sure to try it. Well, that’s what I said but you had to hear it from a doctor. Fair enough.

You’ve got shoes on that slip on and off easily. You have comfy clothes. You are arriving at the shop early so the mattresses are on the shop floor. (After you go they will be dealt with for safety, not your job) You called the shop in advance and you know a few staff names. 

Now, try it. Try a few. The best time to buy a new mattress is when you have TIME to buy a new mattress. Ideally you should test a mattress by lying on your back for ten minutes and then doing the same on your left. Take your time, talk with the staff, listen to suggestions. Let them explain terms. Absorb enough terminology to feel convinced.

All will be well. Good sleep is coming.

Is Black Friday a good time to buy a mattress?

Now, you know that your own mattress is important enough to take out a credit union loan. So why should Black Friday matter? There are a few exceptions to the question of when is a good time to buy a mattress.  If you are buying for teens or kids it makes sense to hang on for sales, offers and Black Friday. Can you imagine your teen lying on a bed in a furniture shop with you and a sales assistant? OMG! Totes awks! Same for the rental property. 

When should you buy a mattress as a wedding gift?

Weddings are on hold for the foreseeable future. A mattress is a thoughtful and generous wedding gift. Give shop vouchers and let the couple have the fun of shopping. 

The guest room mattress - what kind of host are you?

Visitors are precious gifts. If you are allowed a visit from someone in your safety pod then make sure that the visitor does not Dread Your Bed. Oh, you didn’t know? I thought you knew that your sister doesn’t stay over because of your horrible mattress. Yes, it’s not your noisy kids. She likes them, hates your old mattress. Black Friday, sales and offers apply here.

It is always the right time to be kind  

There will be more sumptuous mattresses in our next post when we talk about creating your very own 5 star hotel experience in your bedroom. Have a sneak peek at our luxurious Fitzwilliam range.