Impossible bed dilemma— AIBU? Am I missing the solution?

[lemonadecar]

Very tired lone mum with a frazzled brain. I have moved house but still have my mattress on the floor as I can’t solve this bed dilemma— maybe you can help work it out.

I got rid of my gorgeous oak frame as it was too big. These are what I need to find:

• is small enough to fit up very small twisty staircase (probably flat pack then)
• is very sturdy and doesn’t squeak/wobble
• can be assembled by me
• has space under for storage, not a low bed
• I’m also not sure whether to downsize to a double which would fit the room, or persevere with king size
• the wall behind my bed is the flimsy wall of the partitioned off shower room. I want a headboard to lean on but don’t understand how they work.

I am so tired out by life and just want to solve it so I can have a lot of sleep in the new house. Hopefully someone who likes logistics will help me.

I just put up a king size bed frame on my own yesterday. I had no help at all but they are very easy to do so don’t be put off. I always put together our beds, it’s really not hard. I have a really nice one from Argos which is much cheaper than others I’ve bought but both nice and sturdy. It might be worth looking there is you haven’t already. Dunelm has lots of nice ones too.

We got something a bit like this - we had to assemble it but that was fine, so and loads of room inside it
https://dusk.com/products/ascot-ottoman-bed-frame-natural?variant=56281402212730&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21439363600&gbraid=0AAAAADNOeOU3I-vch9AJsxKcYMDKGpPN5&gclid=CjwKCAjwkaXUBhASEiwAZI3ds5SJ5rf4QZxxA4iHCg6xXAo94l5P4OfjrtuhJeAWzi1BvMcW1SbZTxoCL0wQAvD_BwE

I agree that the half I sleep on less is harder but I try to roll over in the night to use both sides. I also rotate the mattress regularly. It is a pain to change the sheets in the far corner but I manage it and I’m an old bag! I’ve vowed never to buy another bed without storage, it’s so useful

Building a flat pack bed is dead easy. They usually come with the required tools (just an allen key, probably!) and you know what a bed looks like, you can't really go wrong. you can stack some books to hold bits up if you need to, or get the kids to hold something (if they are old enough to help).

Also, on a practical level, if you're worried about getting a whole bed up the tight staircase, you can always unpack a flatpack downstairs and carry pieces up individually.

Although you do have to account for bends in staircases and low ceilings - in my old house nothing bigger than three feet would go up the stairs and some flat pack furniture had to be hoisted in through bedroom windows! (It was a very old and very awkwardly-built house!)

Double sounds better bet. When I became single I made sure I bought one from a place where the delivery guys take it to a room of your choice (ie up the stairs). Consider getting a local handyman in to build it (unless you are handier than me, lol). Do not, repeat, do not think taking the mattress out of the plastic downstairs is a good idea. Ask me how I know! I got a sort of free standing headboard so it’s not attached to the wall or the bed. With shelves etc so no need for additional furniture in a smallish room.

Roseland furniture offer an option of delivery to room of your choice - and assembly service - it’s extra cost of course but in my experience they also take away all packaging.

We have this bed frame from ikea. It's very sturdy, headboard attached to bed not the wall. We have the storage drawers, but you can order without. It did take two of us to put it together (but were both rubbish at diy).
We also have an awkward twisty staircase..
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/malm-bed-frame-high-w-2-storage-boxes-white-luroey-s69175974/

We have a six year old Ikea bed that’s been moved twice and is still sturdy, doesn’t squeak at all. I was sceptical tbh but have been impressed!

Lots of storage underneath and obviously flat pack, although much easier to assemble with two people.

We have this one and I love it. So much storage space.

She’s confused because the first post bizarrely recommended that she get a headboard that was nailed to the wall! That’s total nonsense OP, ignore it.

I have this bed from Dunelm. Had absolutely no problem assembling it solo. As many many others have said, came flat packed and individual pieces were simple to carry up stairs (I have a narrow staircase with a 180 degree turn). My husband was in the house at the time but I prefer to work alone!

www.dunelm.com/product/alara-pleated-velvet-bed-1000214552?defaultSkuId=30855705

From a practical point of view, if a king size is a squeeze in the room it will be far more difficult to assemble than it would otherwise be. You need plenty of room around it to bend over, manoeuvre 6ft long pieces of wood etc. A double would give you that little bit more leeway.

Haha. Now I know this is a wind up post.

How tiny is this staircase, OP?

Mine is narrow (72cm), steep and has a 90 degree turn at the top, where the newel post reduces the opening even more. Then there is a tiny landing (72cm x 90 cm) with doors on 3 sides.

The delivery men had no trouble whatsoever getting my double divan bed up the stairs and into my bedroom.

My spare room is currently accommodating my friend's kingsize bed that went up those stairs, too. It's wooden framed, but it all went up in one piece.

I came on to recommend this option. Brilliant company and all beds are flat--packed and handmade but there are lots of options with storage. They will also assemble for you in any room. Yes, that costs are bit more but having a well-made bed is crucial and the beds themselves are reasonably priced. I would also get a double rather than king if the room isn't very big.

I have traditional style metal bed frame I got from Argos nearly thirty years ago that has moved three times with me up and down narrow twisty staircases. It takes apart and puts together easily. It’s sturdy and has room underneath for storage in boxes. As others say, you can buy a compact compressed style mattress.
For one adult, a traditional double bed is fine and is a sensible size in a smallish bedroom, which you probably have if your staircase is narrow and twisty.

We have the same ottoman bed from Happy Beds, it comes flat pack. Yes making it will be awkward, but the box will definitely fit up the stairs.

Order double bed from IKEA. Get it delivered as heavy. Buy memory foam.matress as comes rolled so easy to get upstairs. Get a local handyman to make the bed up for you.

Single mum with a king sized bed? Unless you are unusually large a single would be fine - we have gone mad over the last 20 years with bed sizes

also look at windows / we pulled bed in through windows once

Omg how am I only seeing this now! What a genius idea!

OP no head for a headboard. Got a divan base last year (fab storage) and put some panelling on the wall behind the bed. Really ties in the whole room, 0% squeaking.

A divan will give you a lot more space than a framed bed. You can get one that splits in two to get up the stairs.

If you are sharing your bed with someone fairly regularly then don't size down. Your sleep quality will suffer.

Also pretty sure we have a space saver bed from get laid beds with drawers

I got a metal double bed frame from Amazon to replace a very old bed. If you search for 'metal (double) bed frame there are loads. Mine has a headboard with a shelf. It comes flat packed, you have to assemble it yourself, but a tool was provided. It would go up your twisty staircase no problem. It has plenty of room underneath, and I keep shoes and things in boxes u deer eat h. It is pretty solid, doesn't move or wobble, and cost about £80. There are lots of variations on Amazon.

I got the, Tribeca Wooden Ottoman Bed from dreams. They put it together and take the packaging away. I've had it since September, I'm opening it often and have had no issues. It doesn't squeak and the frame means it isn't leaning on the wall. I got the matching side tables as well.

It’s definitely not a wind up post!

The staircase is tiny because the front door was moved to the side of the house, so the staircase now comes off the middle room (it is an unaltered Victorian terrace). It turns a sharp 180 then goes up the (tiny thin) bathroom and just a little square of landing with the rooms coming off. The bathroom wall goes to my room and is hollow— you know, a plasterboard wall like you’d get when something is partitioned off.