To get a mattress up stairs, measure the stairwell first, wrap the mattress, then stand it on its long edge and carry it with two people: one above steering, one below lifting. Pivot it diagonally at about 45° through turns and under low ceilings, and never fold a foam or spring mattress to make it fit.
- If you have not bought yet and the stairs are tight: choose a mattress that arrives rolled in a box, like the Posture Delight Pocket Spring Mattress, and carry it up boxed.
- If you are moving it on your own: keep a boxed mattress sealed until it is upstairs, and wait for a helper before moving one that is already unrolled.
- If it still will not fit after the diagonal pivot: stop forcing it, and hoist it through a balcony or call furniture removalists.
In this guide
Before you start: measure everything
The number one reason mattress moves fail halfway up the stairs is skipping the measuring step. Before you touch the mattress, spend five minutes on these dimensions — it can save you hours of frustration later.
Check the clear width between walls or balustrades on your staircase, the floor-to-ceiling height at the lowest point above the stairs, any landing or turning space partway up, the doorway width and height at your destination, and the exact length, width and thickness of your own mattress. Write it all down and compare it with your mattress before you commit to a move.
As a rough reference, the standard sizes are single 92 × 187 cm, double 137 × 187 cm, queen 153 × 203 cm, king 183 × 203 cm and super king 203 × 203 cm. A single is manageable for one or two people, a double or queen needs two, and a king or super king often needs two to three. A queen or king stood on its end is roughly 203 cm tall, so you'll want at least that much ceiling clearance above your stairs before you attempt to stand it vertically — otherwise you'll need to angle it diagonally partway up. A king can also stand on its 183 cm side to clear a low ceiling; a super king is 203 cm whichever way you turn it.
Pieces in this guide
Tools you'll need
The right gear makes a mattress move safer and easier. You don't need everything here, but the more you have, the smoother the job.
A mattress bag is essential — it protects against dirt, scuffed walls and moisture during the carry. Moving straps or forearm forklifts are also essential; they distribute the mattress's weight evenly across both forearms instead of your hands and lower back. Work gloves give you a better grip on plastic-wrapped mattresses, rope or cord is handy for cinching a bag closed, and non-slip, closed-toe shoes are critical for stability on stairs — never attempt this in socks or thongs.
A furniture dolly or hand trolley is useful for wheeling a mattress across flat floors to the foot of the stairs, but it isn't suitable for the stairs themselves — leave it at the bottom and switch to manual carrying with straps for the climb.
Step-by-step: getting it up the stairs
Once you've measured and gathered your tools, work through the move in order — don't skip steps, and don't rush.
1. Clear the path completely. Remove every obstacle from the staircase and the route from the front door to the bedroom, including rugs, shoes, cables and any furniture sitting on landings. Keep pets and children well clear of the area for the whole move, and double-check you have room to rotate the mattress on any mid-staircase landing or 90° turn.
2. Wrap and protect the mattress. Before moving it an inch, wrap the mattress in a protective mattress bag or thick plastic and seal it with packing tape. No bag on hand? Wrap it tightly in old blankets or moving pads and tie them closed with rope or bungee cords instead.
3. Fit your moving straps. Loop forearm forklifts or moving straps under the mattress so each person carries even weight through their forearms rather than their hands. This cuts the risk of dropping it and takes real pressure off your lower back.
4. Stand the mattress vertically. For almost every staircase, the safest approach is to stand the mattress on its long edge, making it much narrower to carry — sometimes called the "edge carry." One person holds the bottom, the other holds the top.
5. Use proper lifting technique. This step is critical for avoiding injury. Bend at the knees rather than the waist, keep your back straight throughout, lift with your leg muscles, hold the mattress close to your body, never twist your torso while carrying, and avoid lifting above shoulder height.
6. Ascend one step at a time. Communication is everything here — the person at the top guides direction, the person at the bottom provides the power. Count out loud ("ready, step"), never rush, and take a rest on any landing. If the ceiling drops low, angle the mattress diagonally rather than forcing it through flat.
7. Navigate corners and low ceilings with a diagonal pivot. Think of it like parking a car — don't force the mattress straight through a tight corner. Angle it about 45° in the stairwell, have the person at the top lift their end toward the ceiling while the person at the bottom swings their end toward the wall, then slowly work it through in that arc.
8. Place and position in the bedroom. Once upstairs, lay the mattress flat as soon as you can — leaving a foam mattress standing vertically for too long can cause uneven settling. Remove the wrapping and position it on your bed frame. If it arrived rolled in a box, open it in the bedroom: our boxed mattresses start expanding straight away and are generally ready to sleep on within a few hours.
Guide by mattress type
Not every mattress moves the same way — its construction determines what you can and can't safely do with it on the stairs.
Memory foam is medium to heavy and should never be folded — bending it can permanently damage the foam. Carry it vertically on its edge only, use moving straps, and lay it flat again as soon as possible rather than leaving it standing.
Innerspring / pocket spring mattresses are heavy. Some innerspring mattresses are made with a hinge point in the middle, so check with the maker before assuming yours can bend — without a hinge, handle it exactly like memory foam and use the diagonal pivot for tight corners. That includes memory-foam-topped spring mattresses such as the Supreme Care 5 Zone Memory Foam Mattress, which despite its name is built on a 25 cm pocket spring core.
Latex mattresses are very heavy and should never be bent or folded. A queen or king latex mattress may genuinely need three people, so budget for extra breaks.
Mattress-in-a-box is the easiest option for a difficult staircase. While it's still rolled and boxed it is a long, narrow parcel rather than a wide slab: the king size of the Posture Delight Pocket Spring Mattress comes in a box about 190 × 33 × 33 cm, and the slimmer Sleep Essential III Pocket Spring Mattress about 189 × 31 × 31 cm in king. Carry it up boxed and unbox it in the bedroom, and you never have to manoeuvre a fully expanded mattress through the stairwell at all. See the full mattress in a box range.
Hybrid (foam and spring) mattresses are heavy and, thanks to the spring layer, can't be bent — handle them like an innerspring mattress, with two people minimum and extra caution around corners.
Air beds are light once fully deflated, which makes them the easiest of all to get upstairs — deflate completely, then pump it back up once it's in place.
Whatever the construction, never fold a memory foam, latex, hybrid or hingeless innerspring mattress — it can distort the coils, crack latex or permanently compress foam.
Guide by staircase type
A straight staircase is the most straightforward scenario — stand the mattress vertically, one person at each end, and ascend steadily. You'll still need two people for queen and king sizes.
An L-shaped staircase with a 90° turn is where most moves get stuck. Use the diagonal pivot: angle the mattress at 45° as you approach the landing and pivot it around the corner slowly, ideally with one person on each side of the turn. It's worth measuring the diagonal clearance of the landing before you start.
A U-shaped or switchback staircase is similar but with two turns — take each section one at a time, and be prepared to manoeuvre around the banister post using the diagonal method at each turn.
A spiral staircase is the most challenging scenario of all. Lay the mattress flat against the open side of the spiral and use the handrail as a guide, with two or three people helping. If the mattress genuinely cannot navigate the spiral, consider hoisting it via a balcony with a rope-and-pulley system, hiring furniture removalists, or opting for a mattress-in-a-box instead.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do measure everything first, use at least two people for queen and king sizes, wrap the mattress, carry it vertically on its long edge, use moving straps, wear non-slip closed-toe shoes, rest at landings, talk to your helper, clear the path, and lift with your legs rather than your back.
Don't carry a queen or king mattress alone, fold a memory foam or latex mattress, skip planning the route, carry the mattress flat on the stairs, leave rugs or cables on the stairs, twist your torso, lift above shoulder height, drag the mattress across floors (it damages the fabric), leave children or pets in the stairwell, or force the mattress through if it genuinely doesn't fit.
When to call the professionals
Sometimes the smartest move is knowing when not to DIY it. Bring in professional help if the staircase or landing is too narrow even with the mattress vertical or diagonal, if a spiral staircase physically can't take it, if it's a heavy king, super king or latex mattress and you don't have two to three capable helpers, if you have a back, shoulder or joint condition that heavy lifting could aggravate, or if the only way in is hoisting it over a balcony.
If you're still choosing a mattress, tell our team about your stairs before you buy — a model that arrives rolled in a box, such as the Cradle Rest 5 Zone Pocket Spring Mattress, avoids the problem. Browse the mattress sale online, or visit one of our five showrooms and ask which store has the mattress you like on display.
FAQs
Can one person move a mattress upstairs alone?
It's possible but not recommended: an expanded mattress is heavy and awkward, and moving one solo risks injury and damage. If you must, use a mattress sling or forearm forklifts and rest often. For queen or king mattresses, always enlist at least one other person.
Can you fold a memory foam mattress to get it upstairs?
No — folding or bending a memory foam mattress can permanently damage the foam layers. Keep it flat, or stand it upright on its edge and slide it up the stairs with two people rather than folding it.
Will a thick mattress bend to get it up the stairs?
Not safely. A thicker mattress resists bending more, and forcing it puts strain on the springs and foam inside. Only bend a mattress if the maker says it has a hinge point, and only at that point. Otherwise stand it on its edge and use the diagonal pivot instead.
How do you get a king-size mattress up a narrow staircase?
Stand it vertically on its long edge, with one person at the bottom and one at the top. If the ceiling is too low, angle it diagonally using the pivot method, or stand it on its 183 cm side. Never bend a memory foam king mattress.
How do you get a super king mattress up tight stairs?
A super king is 203 cm square, so unlike a king you can't turn it onto a shorter side. Measure the landing diagonal, stand it on its edge, use three people if you can and pivot it at 45° through every turn. If it still won't go, hoist it or call removalists rather than folding it.
How do you get a mattress up spiral stairs?
Lay the mattress flat against the open side of the spiral, use the handrail as a guide and have two or three people helping. If it can't make the turns, hoist it via a balcony, hire removalists, or choose a mattress-in-a-box instead.