Have bounce in your step when hunting for new mattress

Bed buying requires a little in-store experimentation. Sales assistants can come in handy.

Do you find buying a mattress or bed a chore?

I know I do and perhaps that's because it is something we don't do often and it is much easier when shopping with someone else so you can try the bed together.

My daughter moved to Sydney last year and one of her first purchases was to buy the bed.

Her boyfriend couldn't go with her as he was working, so during the course of the shopping treat she rang me with this question: "Mum I'm buying a bed. What should I be looking for?"

So I gave her a few pointers as a first-time bed buyer who was on a strict budget. But bear in mind you spend a lot of hours in bed and need a bed that you will be well rested in.

Make sure the base comes apart and is easy to put back together again. (In terraced houses the staircase is often tight and impossible to get bulky furniture up and into the rooms)

Find out what the composition is - some mattresses are constructed with latex and as she is seriously allergic to latex it would end up being a wasted purchase. I have had other clients who can only sleep in 100 per cent natural fibres, otherwise they overheat.

Make sure the mattress base isn't too deep to accommodate standard sheets and a fitted bottom sheet. Some of the bases are very deep and sheeting can become more expensive to accommodate that depth.

And lastly try the bounce test! "What is the bounce test?" Bailee asked. As she was standing possibly within ear shot of the male sales person I had to ask my next questions carefully. "Are you dealing with a male sales assistant? Is he my age? How would you feel about lying on the bed and him sitting on it and proceeding to lie down?" Answers: "Yes, yes, yep that should be okay".

So the challenge was set. Bailee asked the sales assistant to assist her in her purchase. He was quite chuffed at the idea of helping this young woman in her quest.

Bailee lay down and he sat on the edge of the bed pretended to remove his shoes etc, as if he was getting ready for bed and then eventually lay down. He took his role seriously and Bailee was trying hard to contain herself, I can just imagine how difficult that would have been. So the next test was for him to lie down and she pretend to get into bed. So when he was nicely settled she plonked herself on the side of the bed and, lo and behold, nearly bounced him off the bed and on to the floor.

Consequently she bought the next level up that didn't have as much movement for two people.

We got a lot of mileage out of that little exercise and still laugh about it.

In general what do you look for: Budget - know your budget and stick to it with variation for upgrading.

Type of mattress - natural, foam, inner sprung; is it a mattress and base or slat bed with mattress; what is the mattress thickness; the amount of support and the construction. There are a few different natural mattresses available but the most popular would be latex. Latex is made from the milk of rubber trees and processed. It is often wrapped in wool which will give it different levels of firmness depending on how much wool is used. These can also be wrapped in a bamboo cover. These mattresses are breathable and excellent for people who have allergies.

Synthetic foam mattresses or memory foam hold the contours of your body and bounce back when not in use. Some people prefer this type of mattress over latex because latex can be more firm. But that does depend on the construction of the mattress.

We then come to inner sprung, where coils of springs are wrapped. The strength of the bed will depend again on construction, the gauge and number of coils and how they are put together.

Memory foam is often used in this type of bed also. Some people will not sleep on a coiled bed or an electric blanket because they are sensitive to metal.

Mattresses may come on a base and can be a stand alone item with headboards and footboards to be added or the mattress may be more suited to a slat bed which will become the base.

Mattress thickness and construction will play a big part on how much support you get and where you need it.

If you have allergies, do the research on which bed will suit you as there can be many toxic products used during the manufacture that may not be suitable for you.

Unfortunately, we still have many of our products used in the home that leach toxic waste. Some people are more susceptible to them and others will not find them a problem.

Remember, a mattress, just like anything else, needs regular cleaning as they collect dust (dead skin cells) and they do have a use by date and need to be replaced. But most of all have a little fun when choosing a bed - try the bounce test and see how your sales assistance bounces.

That particular sales assistant decided his mattress was far too soft and changed his bed for a firmer one.

I think he probably learnt a lot more about his product that day then he bargained for.

If you would like to make an appointment for a consultation or you're interested in any of the product or information I have discussed, drop me a line at terry@terrylobb.com or try me on Facebook Terry Lobb Colour and Design Ltd.