How To Know If Your Mattress Will Fit Into A Minivan

Looking to move your bed or perhaps camp in your minivan? We reveal which beds can fit inside your vehicle.

Whether a mattress will fit inside a minivan (or not) depends on both the sizes of the bed and the minivan. Single mattresses will fit inside most minivans, double beds as well, but you might need a bigger vehicle.

Whatever your reason for loading your bed, it is essential to know if your mattress can fit inside and if not, what your options are.

Will A Mattress Fit Into A Minivan?

These days, it is more prudent to move most of your own property when moving. A professional company often charges per box or furniture load. If one can transport your own large items, such as a mattress, then the overall costs could be a lot lower. Another reason you might wonder about the logistics of fitting a mattress into a minivan could be because you want to sleep inside the vehicle.

Whatever the reason, both occasions prompt the question, “Will my mattress fit inside my minivan?” The answer is yes and no. If that sounds a bit nuts, bear with us. It all boils down to the size of the mattress and also, the size of the vehicle. Some mattresses are simply too large for a minivan.

Before we start, it might be a good idea to know exactly what size mattress you are dealing with. So whip out that measuring tape and grab our free guide that explains all the different mattress sizes in the UK.

What Size Mattress Will Fit Inside A Minivan?

Let’s dive straight into the good news! Most minivans are big enough to accommodate the most commonly used mattresses, including bunk-sized beds, the standard single mattress, a double, and in some cases even a king or queen mattress. Overall, you really should not have a problem unless the vehicle is a smaller model than most.

Looking for a new comfy mattress? We reviewed the best king-size mattresses and super king-size mattresses that are available on the market today.

What Size Mattress Will Not Fit Inside A Minivan?

You might have more trouble fitting the largest beds inside of a minivan. These include the queen and in most cases, a mattress that is classified as an emperor-size bed will definitely not fit inside most minivans.

If you want to use a minivan to dispose of an old mattress, there is an easier way! Read our guide that explains everything about how to dispose of a mattress in a way that is effortless on your behalf and is also environmentally friendly.

How To Find Out If Your Mattress And Van Is A Match

Well, we can stand here all day and throw around mattress names and the probabilities of them fitting inside a minivan. But we need to step away from the theoretical side of things and get more practical. In other words, you need to do a physical test to see if you can move your chosen mattress to the vehicle.

The test is quite simple and you probably already know what it is!

Dust off that old measuring tape.
Measure the width and length of your mattress.
Write the measurements down in a notebook.
Measure the back of your van.
Compare the two sets of measurements.
If the mattress measurements are smaller, move the mattress inside the van.

If you plan on sleeping in your minivan but cannot use an electric blanket, no problem. Here are the top ways to warm your bed without an electric blanket.

How To Keep Your Mattress Safe From Damage

One might be surprised to learn that a mattress can get damaged in various ways while being loaded into a minivan – or while it’s being transported or used inside of a vehicle. Let’s look at the most common dangers and how to protect your mattress.

Prepare The Back Of The Van

To protect both the mattress and cargo area of the van, you can prepare the area. Lay down a blanket or a tarp to reduce the friction or scuffing that might occur between the bed and the van. Ensure that the cargo area is also clean. You don’t want old dirt to smear off onto your mattress!

But in case your mattress or bed needs to be freshened up, our free guide is full of the best tips and tricks on how to clean a mattress.

Don’t Carry The Mattress Alone

Trying to move a large mattress towards the car is not always a good idea – when you attempt to do so on your own. A single mattress that is not heavy is a different story. But trying to move a heavier and bigger bed can cause the mattress to scuff on the ground, possibly wrench out of your grip when it falls over and onto a sharp object like chairs. When you enlist the help of a friend or your moody teenager, the job will not only be safer but it will also go faster.

Want to make your minivan bed more luxurious? Add a topper! Learn how to cut a memory foam topper to size or have a look at the best mattress toppers.

Carefully Insert The Mattress Into The Van

The best way to get the mattress inside the van is to open the back door and insert it that way. Be careful not to bend the mattress. This could damage its internal design, especially if the mattress is a pocket sprung bed or a hybrid.

An assistant is really useful at this point. Once the mattress tip is resting on the cargo area, one person can climb inside and help to pull the bed into the right position without bending the mattress.

Cover The Mattress

Whether you are moving the mattress to another location or you are installing it into your van to sleep on, both scenarios call for covering the mattress. If you are just moving it to a new place, you can wrap it in plastic or several blankets to offer extra protection during the ride. If you plan on sleeping inside the van, then you can arrange the bedding like normal.

A mattress protector will add an extra layer of protection. Love DIY? Here’s how to make a mattress protector at home.

Drive With Care

In most cases, the weight of the mattress will anchor it down. But if you notice that the bed is shifting or sliding while you are driving, you might need to secure the mattress somehow. This will avoid the bed from picking up damage.

A Quick Summary About Fitting Mattresses Inside Minivans

There are two main reasons why you might want to place a mattress inside a minivan.
These include moving the mattress to another house or rigging the van for sleeping purposes.
Most mattress sizes will fit inside a large minivan.
To find out if yours fit, take your mattress’s measurements and measure the inside of the van’s cargo area.
Should your mattress fit, get a friend to help you load the bed safely and also take measures to protect your bed from scuffing and dirt.