ikea haul

A couple of weeks ago I made my maiden voyage to 

Oh. My. Word.  If I didn't have children's buses to come home for (and a husband who would miss me terribly), I would have moved into one of their rooms.  Maybe this rad orange and pink one:

Or this cool contemporary one:

Or definitely this one decked out in my favorite colors and that light.  Oh, that light.

Is it not the coolest light ever?  It took all my will power not to bring it home with me.

 But I did come home with quite the IKEA haul and a few IKEA shopping tips.

Number one: go prepared!  This place is huge.  I mean ginormously, Texas-sized huge.  Me with no concept of IKEA casually asked my brother, "Like, is it wholesale club huge?"  He laughed at me.

I made a shopping list on their website with the definite, on-a-mission things I needed.  Then I scoped their inventory tracker for days before to make sure they would have my necessities in stock before I made the hour-long trek.

Number two: get your necessities first.  If there are things that you absolutely must go home with, load those up first, even if it means making two trips through the check-out.

One of my main goals was to pick up two table tops to make desks for the boys:

I knew the stock on these was low and that we would probably have to go with an alternate color.  After shopping for an hour, I panicked and bee-lined off the show room floor and down to the warehouse.  Good move--these were the last two table tops and they were out of their #2 choice.  Whew!

from IKEA: Vika Amon table top in high gloss red, Adils legs in black, Snille swivel chair in red,  Alrik swivel chair in blue, Bygel wire hanging basket, Bygel containers in black, Tertial work lamp, Algot wire basket, Kassett magazine file in white, Trofast storage box with lid in white

Another item that I was definitely going home with was this cutie:

From IKEA: Raskog utility cart in turquoise, Antonius basket insert

So I threw that on the flatbed with the desks and chairs and made trip number one to the car.

With those items checked off my list, I could relax and casually stroll through the showroom and marketplace.

Number three: don't use their carriages if you can at all avoid it.  The IKEA carriages are CRAZY!  All four wheels swivel.  At first I thought it was just me, or that I got a bum carriage.  But then I saw everyone making really wide turns with their whole body tilting out to the side.  If you must use a carriage take this tip passed onto me by one of the salespeople: walk alongside with one hand on the front and one on the back of the carriage. 

from IKEA: Vitaminer Vimpel panels with tiebacks

Number four: take measurements.  I went with a list of measurements of the boys' closets and the existing shelving in them.  It would also be helpful to have someone at home to call on for some speedy measurements of things.

This is my college dorm loft bed turned cozy nook/ "treehouse" for the boys--lots of fun!

Not from Ikea, but a little close-up of the blanket my nana made decades ago:

Number five: give yourself plenty of time.  I was warned by lots of friends to not expect to get in and out of there in two hours.  I spent four hours shopping and did not stop to eat (though the food did smell yummy).  It is definitely a store you want to take your time in to get the full experience.  Oh, and if you find yourself in a rush, look up for the shortcut signs--very handy, trust me!

from IKEA: Akerkulla cushion

from IKEA: Ung Drill mirror

This summer we will head back to IKEA as a family.  I think the boys will love the room vignettes on the showroom floor, and somehow I completely missed the fabric section.  Besides, I think that light needs to come home with me.