We have A NEW BED!
I’m so excited about it since it feels like something we’ve been talking about for more than a year.
Our queen size mattress was causing us all kinds of back aches and I was pretty disappointed by the life span of it, considering the expense of it and the name brand. It just didn’t hold up and I was very hesitant to just go out and buy ANOTHER one of the same kind because I didn’t want to create another huge pile of wasted mattress within a few years again.
In our house, practically everything we think about wanting or needing – we first consider if we can make it ourselves! Turns out, you can make a lot of things! So, I did a search for DIY mattresses, as I’ve done a little bit of research in the past on foam mattresses or shikibuton (like a futon) style mattresses… and I found DIY Natural Bedding.
(For transparency – I am not an affiliate with this company and make no profit off of your purchase! I have provided them with photography work in partial exchange for my own purchase)
I did a comparison on 3 different organic options for mattresses – you can check that out here. This company appealed to me for a few reasons: Organic! Also, it’s all DIY style – so every single item is meant for you to use in your customized final product. There is a big focus on mattresses, but there are also other things you can make with their materials like blankets, foam cushions for furniture… and much more.
After some reading and learning, I settled on 5 pieces we would need. 2 Organic Latex Slabs (king size – Firm) with a wool wrap to protect the latex layers. Then we needed a ticking (thankfully this isn’t something I had to sew myself – tho they do sell kits to sew yourself!) to wrap around all of those layers. And on top of the basic mattress, I wanted a wool pillow topper to give an extra layer of cushion – because I love that feeling of sinking into a bed but also really like a firm mattress.
Since we ordered multiple pieces, the items came in different shipments based on when they were ready. We actually slept on just a single slab in the ticking for about a week because our second latex slab hadn’t arrived! It honestly wasn’t too bad, but I could feel the wood slats of the bed through the mattress if I sat in one place.
So, when we got all of the pieces together in one place – we got immediately to work putting it together! First, we layed down the ticking on the bed frame then rolled out the wool layer – it was VERY easy to tear, though I don’t think it mattered too much. I just layed the wool back down flat if I had pulled too hard. The 2 latex slabs came next and the wool wraps all the way around the latex and is even larger than needed so it took a few pushes and prods to get it evened out around the latex layers. A quick zip of the ticking around the mattress and we were done!
I chose the expandable knit ticking, which has an extra zipper that can open and make the ticking 3 inches deeper, because I wasn’t sure if we really only wanted 2 layers or 3 layers and this gave me the option to add a new layer at some point in the future if needed. That is what I really love about this DIY process – I can customize to my hearts content! They even have 5 different mattress densities – so I also figured if the Firm turned out to be too firm or not firm enough, we could just add a new layer with a different firmness.
I am OBSESSED with the knit ticking fabric. It is beautiful and so soft. The fabric is so soft but also thick and the printing and pattern on it is subtle and simple – I genuinely feel like a queen with this bed!
We added the wool topper – and, again, I can’t tell you how luxurious this makes me feel. There isn’t much in the world that I love more than laying around in my bed so it has been well worth the investment.
Speaking of investment, this type of mattress certainly doesn’t come cheap. It cost about twice what my old name brand mattress cost. However, there are so many positives that I don’t even know if I can name them all! For one, I anticipate that this mattress will last me FAR LONGER than my old one. Their website states that this latex foam should not collapse or form a permanent body indent for 15 years and that some find it will withstand 20 to 30 years of proper use! Our previous mattress was broken and had formed a divot within 4 years.
I also love that I can completely disassemble this if I wanted to. There are no springs, coils or toxic chemicals to worry about! As I said before, I know that we can add a new layer in the future if needed, which also might help with longevity potential.
Our old mattress also was incredibly difficult to clean but was made of a sort of knit fabric. It isn’t a pretty sight anymore and has even pilled up! I feel better knowing that, if needed, I can fully wash the ticking to remove dirt or stains.
If you aren’t in the mood for DIY mattresses or want to purchase a mattress made in the PNW – Check out Holy Lamb Organics (this is an affiliate link!) which has a location in Grays Harbor county! I’m a huge fan of their products, but ultimately decided I was interested in the DIY process for me.
