If you choose a bed that is easy to move and set up, you save time, money, and physical effort. Moving a heavy bed frame requires movers, equipment, and a large moving truck. This becomes a problem for frequent movers and renters.
When you look for a bed after moving to a new city, most people advise on comfort and design. If you are bound to change houses in a few months, the design won’t pay off. The bed needs to fit through the door of your next place and survive the trip without falling apart. So, how to choose a bed that won’t give you a headache when you move out? To do that, you first need to understand what makes a bed easy to move.
What Makes a Bed Easy to Assemble?
You can easily move a bed when the joints are bolted together, not glued. Even if they are nailed to the frame, you may have a difficult time. During relocation, you should be able to break the frame into parts. You must also be able to lift the base that holds the mattress separately.
In answer to how to choose a bed that moves easily, look for a bed frame that comes apart with basic tools. You must be able to reinstall it without making the joints too loose.
Check How the Joints Are Fixed
With bolted joints, you can open and tighten them again. If the joints are stapled, nailed, or glued, they are meant to stay fixed. If you pull the frame apart, they can lose their grip. You need to check where the side rails meet the headboard. If you see bolts and an Allen key, you can take the bed apart and reassemble it.
Can You Break the Bed Into Parts?
While figuring out how to choose a bed that you can assemble again, you should know the bed frame should be split into parts:
- A headboard
- A footboard
- Two side rails
- A centre support
- The base
If there are fewer parts, there are fewer bolts to lose. Hence, you can rebuild the bed faster. Some beds have drawers attached to the side tables.
Which Tools Do You Need to Assemble a Bed?
You need an Allen key, a spanner, and a screwdriver to assemble a bed. Some frames need drilling or glueing during setup, but most are built to be assembled once. Reassembling them every time you move becomes difficult. Check whether the bolts screw into metal nuts or plates instead of going straight into wood. Metal threads can hold their grip after multiple rebuilds.
What’s the Easiest Base to Carry?
Wooden slats that you can roll up or lift out are easy to carry. A single large piece of plywood is sturdy but hard to carry up stairs. When a base is screwed into a frame, it means one extra round of unscrewing. Even though the base is light, see whether it’s attached to the bed. To understand how to choose a bed for reassembly, you should keep the frame material in mind.
Is a Metal Bed Easier to Move than Wooden Beds?
While the debate over metal vs. wooden beds has existed for a long time, it matters for people who move frequently. Metal frames top the list for ease of setup. Metal beds have slim rails that bolt together and no heavy panels.
Solid wood bed frames add weight. They can handle repeated assembly well. If the bed is made from pressed wood board, you may not be able to move such beds.
Are Metal Beds for People Who Frequently Relocate?
If you want to find out how to choose a bed for frequent movers, a metal frame stands out as a practical choice. The parts are thin and lightweight, the joints are bolted, and the frame won’t swell or chip during transport.
However, people often complain that it squeaks. You need to tighten every bolt after every rebuild. Adding rubber or felt washers at the joints can prevent the noise.
Do Solid Wood Beds Handle Assembly Well?
When figuring out how to choose a bed, solid wood might be on your shortlist. Wooden beds can survive repeated moves, but they are heavy. If you have a bed with pressed wood board, it needs more care. Every time a screw comes out of pressed board, the hole widens. After a few moves, the joints can become wobbly.
How to Choose Storage Beds for People Who Move Often
If your bedroom is too small or you live in a studio apartment, a storage bed is useful. However, it is often the hardest to move around. A hydraulic storage or box bed has a large enclosed base made of several heavy panels. Hydraulic beds use lifting pistons that you need to remove carefully.
The choice between a storage and non-storage bed comes down to how long you plan to stay. If you live in your own house and aren’t planning to move, the extra space may be worth a difficult move. If you know you will move in a year or two, a plain bed frame with a few under-bed boxes can do the same job without the heavy base. No matter what you choose, check whether the bed fits through the door.
How to Assemble a Bed: 5 Steps to Consider
While figuring out how to choose a bed frame you can move easily, keep the size in mind. For example, single beds are the lightest to carry. Queen- and king-size beds need two or more people because the headboard is the widest part. Below, we mention how to put a single, queen- or king-size bed frame together:
1. Before taking the bed apart, you can take photos of every joint and label the parts.
2. Keep the bolts, nuts, and the Allen Key in a bag taped to the headboard.
3. Stand the headboard against a wall and attach the side rails.
4. Attach the footboard, then the centre support and its legs.
5. Lay the slats and check whether the corners are square. Then tighten each bolt.
It is easy to put a queen- or king-size bed together with two people. If one holds the rails, the other can fix the bolts. Do not skip the centre support – this is one of the reasons why a bed sags.
Is Renting a Bed Easier Than Moving One Every Year?
If you know you will move in a year or two, renting a bed is easier than owning one. Some bed rental providers dismantle, transport, and set up the bed. If you don’t know how long you will stay, consider whether you should buy a bed at all.
Rental platforms such as Rentomojo manage delivery and installation. For example, if you move to a new place, the rental platform relocates the single-, queen-, or king-size bed to the user’s new address – if the service is available.
Buying a bed is a practical choice for those who prefer a heavier frame. The point is to check how often you are likely to move.
Final Thoughts
While figuring out how to pick a bed that moves easily, you must check a few things. Are the joints bolted together? Does the frame split into a few large parts? Does the longest part of the bed fit through the lift or door? After checking these things, you’ll know whether a bed will assemble without a hassle. Of course, you still need to look into comfort and design. Whether you buy or rent, see whether the bed comes apart and travels in large part.