Sleeping in an RV an be interesting experience, though hopefully not much different from sleeping at home. RV mattresses and beds can have a hard time staying together, and cause the mattress to move either through your movement or the movement of the RV.
Thankfully, there are relatively simple solutions to fight gravity and physics so you can sleep comfortably.
Keeping your mattress in place within your RV is as simple as using velcro, a rubber mat, or other holding devices.
Using a rubber mat to keep your mattress in place
A foam mattress in a metal frame, within a moving RV can be a recipe for movement. A rubber mat between the metal frame and the foam mattress can help alot.
You have to be aware of a couple of things first: Get a rubber mat that is as big or bigger than your mattress. An RV owner can readily cut the rubber mat down to the right size, but adding more rubber is not possible or practical.
A rubber mat with grips is even better, though even a smooth rubber matt is likely to have the traction to hold you on place.
Velcro to keep your mattress in place
Velcro strips are cheap and easy to use. Velcro comes with two sides, both of which have a sticky side and a side with many, many tiny hooks that grab onto hooks with other strips.
Ideally, you an attach the adhesive to a metal or wood frame with the hooks facing up. Then attach the other strip to the mattress. Most stronger velcros have good enough adhesive to stick to a foam or spring mattress.
Velcro is also easy to remove or replace. If you decide you want even more security, it’s simple to just add more.
Velcro can wear out eventually, especially if removed and replaced repeatedly, but this can take years.
Double sided tape
Double sided tape is actually quite a bit like velcro, at least temporarily. Double sided tape just has two sides, and you can put strip on the mattress and on the frame.
Double sided tape is cheap, often already in your home or RV, but its also more temporarily. When tugged and moved repeatedly, the double sided tape will eventually come loose.
Fitted sheet
It’s possible to find sheets that are fitted and can expand to get a grip on the edge of your frame and the mattress.
This method offers a couple of challenges: sheets are likely more expensive than velcro or a rubber mat. We hope your sheets are changed often, and you’ll have to redo this fit as ofter as you change your sheets.
There are better methods including everything else listed above.
Different mattresses
A spring mattress tends to slide less than a foam mattress. This is in part because a spring mattress is usually heavier and thicker. A large spring mattress might also not be an option for a small RV.
If you have the option to put a spring mattress in your RV, and it would benefit you in some other way, consider it as they are less likely to slide.
Bed frame spacers
This is helpful when your mattress leaves an inch or two in your bed frame, which isn’t common.
Place foam spacers on the edge of your edge to keep it from moving within the frame. You could just get foam blocks and cut them or find pool noodles. These will absorb the need to move and keep your mattress in place.
Conclusion
Having your bed slide can be weird, especially in your sleep. A moving bed is also an inconvenience when you are tired and don’t want to move your mattress to the right spot before laying down.
Velcro, tape, or a rubber matt can do the job quite effectively and are easily modified to fit your needs. They all need a little cutting and you might have them laying around the house somewhere, too.