What do you do when you have overnight guests and nowhere to put them? Fluff up the sofa? Throw an old mattress or some blankets on the floor? If your home is frequently short on sleep space, here’s an idea: add a trundle bed or two.

Trundle beds, also called truckle beds, have come a long way since Laura and Mary trundled theirs out on “Little House on the Prairie.” They’re not just bare-bones frames suitable for rustic cabins.

A trundle is any bed or sleeping platform that pulls out from under another bed. Read on to learn about the variety available today in these versatile sleepers.

Why should I choose a trundle bed?

If you need to maximize space in a guest room or a child’s bedroom, a trundle bed may be the answer you’ve been looking for. It’s usually more comfortable than a futon, and it hides under the main bed when it’s not in use. Sometimes you can store the pillow and bedding right there in the trundle.

Trundles are great for studio apartments and other small spaces. Even in a larger home, they’re ideal if you have children who like sleepovers. They’re best for kids, teens and young adults. Some of them sit close to the floor and may be less practical for older or less mobile folks to climb in and out of.

What kinds of beds can have trundles?

The most common style is an ordinary twin bed. Some trundle beds are fulls but larger sizes are rare. The trundle can have a metal or wooden frame. If it’s wood, the trundle will normally be of the same color and style so it will look like an ordinary storage bed when the trundle is tucked in. And it will in fact double as a storage trundle bed. You can keep the trundle's mattress in there, or you use that space for extra bedding and pillows, overflow clothing or anything else you like.

Bunk beds frequently have trundles. In many cases the trundle is an optional add-on. This arrangement gives you three beds with the daytime footprint of only one!

The other candidate for a trundle bed is a daybed. A daybed doesn’t always look like a bed; some of them can pass for sofas! This set-up yields two sleeping spots not only in a bedroom but also in a family room or anywhere a sofa fits in.

What are the features of a trundle?

Many trundles have aesthetically pleasing panels with drawer pulls. At a glance, it looks like a line of storage drawers. However, when you grasp the handles the entire trundle pulls out as a single unit. The trundle slides out on rollers or castors. In the case of a metal trundle, it can be just a frame, but more commonly there’s a wooden box. You can drop in a mattress or use it for storage.

With some trundles, you sleep close to the floor, but others have a pop-up mechanism. These usually rise to about the same height as the main bed.

Which mattress should I use with a trundle?

For a trundle bed with mattresses, choose a mattress that can be used without a box spring. While it’s possible to do that with any mattress, with some styles the manufacturer's warranty requires a box spring to remain valid. Memory foam mattresses are designed to be used without box springs so they’re always a good choice.

Some people use mattresses as thin as 3-5 inches but others say 6 is the minimum for sleepability. 8-10 inches is the ideal thickness. It’s possible to use a thin, foldable mattress, which can be stored elsewhere to free up the trundle box for storage during the day, but that can cut down on comfort.

Some twin mattresses are designated “Twin XL.” These are a few inches longer and won’t fit in a twin trundle. Be sure to select a normal twin mattress or a trundle mattress.

One last consideration: for kids on a sleepover, pulling out the trundle feels like an adventure. It’s something a child might want to show their friends. They may even ask to sleep on it when there’s no one else around.

Whether it’s for kids or grown-ups, don’t be at a loss next time you have an extra sleeper. Put one of these special beds to work for you!