Bed Sizes

In a recent post on the Moving to New Zealand Facebook site, someone asked about buying a new bed in the States or in New Zealand. It’s a reasonable question if you’re in the market for a new bed, but it is made much more difficult by the different standard size mattresses in the two countries:

So if you’re on the fence, here are some suggestions on things to think about:

• Do you want to use an existing bed frame? If so, it may not accomodate a different size mattress. Definitely measure! If you just use a headboard or nothing at all, this may not make that much of a difference.

• How attached are you to your bed linens? It is impossible to find sheets in New Zealand that fit American beds properly. You can get close, but as you can see from the sizing above, things are a little different. It can make changing sheets an incredible pain in the you-know-what. Brooklinen used to ship to New Zealand for free, but alas, they realized how much they were losing in shipping and stopped that perk. If you decide to bring an American bed, also bring extra bed linens. If you decide to buy in New Zealand, be prepared to buy new bed linens or have a weekly wrestling match with that fitted sheet.

Ultimately, it is a personal choice. If you’ve read my What to Bring post, you know that I’m a proponent of packing up everything with you so you don’t have to spend countless hours looking for things you like at a reasonable price. (Like most everything in New Zealand, it will probably cost more to get a mattress here than in the States, but then there is the shipping cost to consider on top of that.) I definitely include beds in this category! A good night’s sleep is priceless, and if you like your existing set up, bring it along.