Going To Sleep

By: Amira Rezad

During my college days, I used to sleep on a mattress a lot; that is until I saved up some money and got myself a second-hand metal-framed folding bed, and boy, was that a luxury back then! Fast forward ten years, and the folding bed is as sturdy as ever; and recently, I gave it away to a friend who needed an extra bed for her house.

Murphy beds

Folding beds are, perhaps, a little underrated. To me, they’re extremely practical, as they’re space savers, and work best where square footage is limited, such as in small homes, apartments and college dormitories. It seems, however, that they’re more popular in some countries than others. In North America, there’s a type of bed that can fold into the wall, which is called a Murphy bed. It’s also sometimes known as a ‘wallbed,’ or ‘fold away bed.’

Basically, this type of bed has hinges at one end so that it can be folded up and stored vertically against the wall, or inside of a closet or cabinet. As such, modern Murphy beds can also come with added features such as lighting, storage cabinets, office components and a piston-lift mechanism, which makes the bed much easier and safer to lower and raise.

Sofa beds and folding metal beds

If you can’t find a Murphy bed, consider getting a sofa bed instead. Like a Murphy bed, it is also a type of folding bed, but it not only helps you to save space, it has a dual purpose as well. If sofa beds aren’t your thing, you can easily get a metal bed frame that can be folded in half, like the ones you get when ordering an extra bed at a hotel.

The mattress

The other important part of a folding bed, of course, is the mattress. Folding bed mattresses are usually attached to the bed frame with elastic straps, to prevent them from slipping off. These mattresses don’t usually have box springs, but will usually lie on a platform made of wood or wire mesh instead.
There are also folding bed frames that come with castors, so that you can move them around easily. Some also have a reclining feature, which makes it possible for you to adjust the backrest. Some folding beds are so lightweight and mobile that you can even take them with you on a camping trip! All in all, folding beds are a useful thing to have around, especially when you have guests staying over.