Buying a new bed can feel overwhelming. In addition to considering mattress firmness preferences, the best bed for your sleeping position, different company warranties and more, you also need to decide between the different bed sizes and dimensions. Should you go with a king or a queen? Can you get away with a twin XL?
According to Craig Fruchtman, owner of the mattress store Craig’s Beds in New York City, it doesn’t need to be that serious. Finding the right bed size can be simplified to a couple of steps.
First and foremost, measure your bedroom or apartment correctly to know what you actually have room for, and what amount of space you’re willing to devote to a mattress. “If you’re not sure, go home and measure,” Fruchtman advised. Some mattress stores may not do size-based exchanges like they do comfort ones.
Second, consider whether or not anyone else will be sleeping with you in the bed–a partner or pets, for example–or anything else that will affect your bed-size needs.
Finally, don’t let the royally named bed sizes fool you into purchasing a bed that ultimately doesn’t fit your body or your lifestyle. Fruchtman pointed out how modern-day pressure to constantly upgrade our lifestyles has extended to the mattress industry. But whether someone is better off sleeping in a California king, a regular king, or a twin XL depends on a variety of personal factors.
