I'm going to Ikea for the second time ever on Monday, and I get to without kids! My first trip was a mission to get very specific items (crib and changing table which have lasted 2 kids, 5 years of constant use) and I didn't get to explore the store
So tell me. What do I need to look at or buy?
I'm definitely hitting plants/planters, candles and baskets. Maybe lamps? Who knows!
Update: So much stuff! I limited myself to 1 bag (the big yellow ones) so I didn't over spend. LOL I still bought more than I planned on.
These for my boys:
two ice cream scoops, a tea strainer, new kitchen scissors, cork trivets, ice pop makers, a new serving bowl for serving salad, new placemats, a bunch of cute napkins, several storage boxes, rolling plant stand, votives
I also got a cinnamon roll. OMG. So good. I was there for two hours just roaming.
As-Is section was a bust, but I can see how it might have good stuff.
Anyone know how their towels hold up? Debating going back for those and wine glasses. I really liked the Hederlig glasses.
I second the Kids plates/bowls/cups. We use them all the time!
I like their dish towels - cheap, hold up well.
The kids' art supplies are great, too - markers, chalk, perler beads. They also have good storage containers in the kid section (and the storage section).
I like their fleece blankets, too, but I usually monogram/embroider those as gifts.
I hate going to IKEA but whenever I have to go, I always get plants/planters and plastic straws. (Lol, I know it's weird but I use at least one a day for my cans of sparkling water and IKEA's come in cute colors in huge packs that last a year.)
Ooh! janegold is right about the plastic straws. I keep them in my diaper bag for when we go out to eat, since bendy-straws allow G a little more independence without the spills.
Check out the As Is section, too...it's pretty hit or miss, but sometimes you can get good deals on close out or slightly damaged stuff.
I love their ziploc bags. They come in so many different sized and they have just added some new sizes last time I was there. I use them storage, travel, pump parts when I was pumping ect. They hold up better and when I used them for pump parts, I would wash and they actually held up.
They have some really great lunch box-sized storage containers. Like, it has a locking lid & inserts that are divided. I use them for my kid's lunch or travelling with snacks all the time.
Also, if you have parties coming up, their colored napkins are a good price.
Personally, I'd pregame on the website a bit so that you can jot down specific ideas. Their summer stuff is usually pretty fun too.
I just like to go in and go through every section thoroughly. Like, if I know I don't need furniture for the kitchen I may just breeze through there, but for the most part, I look at everything haha.
But I go to ikea like every few years and with lots of cash on hand to really go crazy
I just wander the store and look at everything lol. Especially on a weekday when the store isn't packed, it's kind of relaxing. I always end up buying 12 more things than I planned.
I like their plastic storage tubs and boxes, closet organization and lint rollers. Also the elderflower syrup is great in a cocktail.
This is definitely the plan. And I warned DH that I will probably come home with a pile of stuff. Oh well! Save
I really wish their shipping wasn't so much. I need curtains and a couple other things but won't be near one for a while.
Most recently we got DD's bed there (Hemnes daybed) and we love it. Also the ritva curtains, which I bought one too few of, various kitchen utensils and containers, the cork trivets, the list goes on and on...
I want to go alone next time, H just wants to race through.
I just wander the store and look at everything lol. Especially on a weekday when the store isn't packed, it's kind of relaxing. I always end up buying 12 more things than I planned.
I like their plastic storage tubs and boxes, closet organization and lint rollers. Also the elderflower syrup is great in a cocktail.
I have to wander the store because I can't find the damn exit!
They have a lot of good stuff in the kitchen section, from cheap paper napkins to pots.
Their lamp selection is rubbish IMO.
Their almond cake is nice, I always get some to take home.
Yeah, I just like their little accent lamps. I got one similar to the below for DS1's room as a nightlight and it was awesome. Of course, it got broken and I'm hoping to find another.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown
Yes! We have one on the back of each bathroom door, inside our bedroom closet door, inside our guest bedroom door, and ... I think I need one more for inside the laundry closet!
I can see this being helpful in the laundry room... where else? Save
I have one in my kitchen to hold all of my mason jars that I keep coffee/tea/flour/sugar/etc. in.
I have another that holds all my crafting crap next to my desk. And another in the bathroom since we don't have a lot of storage. DH wants one for his garage, I just haven't gone to get it. Which is kinda sad since Ikea is literally five minutes from my house.
"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown
Throw pillows - I can't get out of there without new throw pillows. So I now have a lot of throw pillows. They have some beautiful embroidered ones that would be like $90 in any other store. They have these great rubber laundry bins that we use to hold toys and they are like $5 each. I also have a ton of their stainless steel bowls - they come in several sizes. Biggest for popcorn or family salads, smaller ones for single serving salads and other side dishes. Super easy to clean and stack inside themselves for storage.