Don't Just Throw Out Your Old Mattress, Donate It!

There are many donation agencies across the country that would consider taking your mattress off your hands. So, instead of adding to a local landfill with your mattress, you really could do something good with it (and something good for the environment). What's that old saying - "One man's trash is another man's treasure"? Well, this is a prime example of that. Typically, if your mattress is still in reasonable shape, with no noticeable stains or structural problems, then many organizations will take them. Many of them will even arrange to pick up the mattress from you! Some agencies will not take a mattress without its foundation, so you'll have to clear that up with them prior to the donation. If you buy a new mattress, and they offer free mattress pick up (where they typically discard the old mattress), try the donation route first with your old mattress. Just think, by doing something kind like this, it just might help you sleep better at night!

Agencies to consider for mattress donation:

• National Furniture Bank Association
• Furniture Banks Across America partnered with National Furniture Bank Association
• Catholic Charities
• Vietnam Veteran's of America
• Local homeless or battered women's shelters
• The Hope Clinic in Fairfax, VA serves local uninsured families with medical, spiritual and emotional needs. Many of the families come to them with very little finances and most have inadequate living necessities. So, if you're in the Washington, DC area, please consider this great organization for a mattress or other donation.
• DonationTown.Org

Larger organizations like Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity typically will not accept mattresses due to sanitary bedding law and hygienic concerns. I have had experience with a few Salvation Army locations that will accept mattresses, however, if the mattress doesn't have any spots or stains, so you'll have to call and see what their criteria are for each location.

Other ideas to consider are: posting to your local Craigslist.org or Freecycle.org website (let them know you're not selling it, and are willing to give it away if they pick it up, but be clear with your description of the mattress, i.e., any stains, structural problems, etc., and provide a picture of the mattress if you have it); posting flyers at local schools/universities; and, post on your Facebook page, you may have a friend locally that may need one..

Now, before you go throwing your existing mattress away because it isn't comfortable anymore, there are ways to improve the comfort quality of your mattress.. CONSIDER THIS: Topper pads, both in memory foam and latex form, are a great way to improve the comfort and therapeutic value of an aging mattress.. If your mattress is still in good condition (i.e., still relatively firm and even, with no dips or hammocky feel) then a topper pad can really stretch the life of your mattress out for years, by giving you a supportive, body conforming material that really does help improve sleep and comfort levels.. They typically come in 2 to 3 inch thicknesses (sometimes 1 and 4 inches are sold), and depending on your size (typically someone who is over 190 lbs would require a 3 inch topper pad; anyone below that weight should go with a 2 inch topper pad) varying thicknesses are needed. So, check out this possibility before going the donation route, if your mattress is still in good condition..

I recently tested (1/2011) the Pragma Bed Mattress Platform (sold on Amazon.Com, link at right) with both a memory foam and latex mattress. The platform worked beautifully with both mattress types (memory foam and latex foam cores), and is easily unfolded and used, then you can fold it right back up in seconds to store.. The metal support strands are close enough together to provide that much needed congruous support for a foam core mattress. Great for guest beds that need to be put away after use, or for your main mattress for long term use. HIGHLY recommend this platform foundation for your memory foam or latex mattress. Great buy at a great price.. Comes in a surprisingly small box, because it is collapsable, is lightweight which makes it easy to move (as you'll see in the video at right) so is great for storage..

Sometimes, if you have a sagging mattress, the problem can be the foundation. So, by placing a board (1/4" to 1/2" thick pressboard or plywood) over your existing foundation, this can (but is not always a solution) make your mattress perform better, and reduce the sagging issue.. You can pick these up at Lowes or Home Depot, and have them cut the wood/board to size for you. I would recommend you cutting the wood at least and inch short on width and length, so you don't have any wood protrusions.. If this doesn't work, purchasing a new foundation could extend the life of your mattress, and improve the comfort quality of your existing mattress. If it's a foam mattress (memory foam or latex), you'll need a solid, uniform bottom foundation for this type of mattress (examples at right on Amazon.Com)..