The Surprising Cleaning Consideration You Should Make When Buying a Bed

Choosing a bed is a big decision that involves a number of considerations: What style do you want? What size do you want? How much do you want to spend? Along with finding a frame that fits your budget and your bedroom — both aesthetically and size-wise — there’s one more consideration you should make when you’re looking. And believe it or not, it has to do with cleaning. 

If you’ve browsed beds lately, you’ve probably noticed low profile, platform-style beds are having a moment. Not only do low bed frames lend a modern aesthetic to a bedroom; they also create the illusion of more room in your space, simply because they’re not as tall. While we’re all about a space-preserving optical illusion, it’s also important to think about functionality when you buy a bed — and here’s the catch: Many low-height beds are as low as they are because they don’t have much clearance beneath them.

Lack of space beneath your bed might not seem like a problem — it’s not like you hang out there — but there are a couple big ways not having enough space beneath your bed could get annoying down the road. 

For one thing, a bed with low clearance doesn’t allow you to use the under-bed area for storage. That’s not necessarily an issue for everyone, especially if you have ample closet space and storage areas elsewhere.

The low-clearance issue that’s more likely to get really old, really fast? Vacuuming, dusting, or just reaching under the bed to grab something is just really hard when the space is too small. 

So before you buy a bed, check the measurements to ensure you’ll have enough space to reach in with your vacuum’s hose attachment or a wand vac, and that you can comfortably reach your arm or head in to look for something — i.e. at least six inches.

And P.S.: If you already have issues with cleaning under a bed with low clearance, don’t worry: You can put sliders like these beneath the frame to make it easier to slide out of the way.