First Ikea visit! What do I need to know?

[shortbun]

Headed for West Chester Ohio this weekend to see my old college chum and my son's birthdad. He happens to live 10 minutes from Ikea. We are also going to see the Pompeii exhibit at the Cincinnati Center but I might be AS excited about Ikea. haha! I have no idea what to expect. My DH says, jokingly, that we should treat it like a casino: take an envelope with cash in it and when that's gone, we leave. I love modern! I'm looking for a chair that might look good as extra seating in my living room which is midcentury. I'm also looking for something that will serve as display cases for my son's/was my grandfather's Paleo tool and Arrowhead collections as well as his shell collection, which is quite extensive and has shells rarely found anymore.

Then, I want something for our pantry that I can use for more hidden storage of canned goods and rarely used appliances. My husband has been doing the cooking and he's got every appliance out on the counter. I like a clear counter.

 

[bearloch]

bring the measurments of the sizes you are looking for! wear comfy shoes! and they sell lots more than just furniture, theres beding, dishes, plants, baskets, garbage cans, etc!!

make sure u have a big enough car/van to haul home! they come unassembled in flat boxes but some are very long and or wide!!




have fun!

 

[newt2]

Wear comfortable shoes. Their stores are so big that it's like walking a day a EPCOT.

 

[christineann]

Try the meatballs

 

[Janepod]

Plan on being there all day. It takes a long time to wind through the store. Things aren't arranged in aisles; you're snaking from room to room.

Look at the catalog (if you have one) before you go to see if there's something you really like.

Eat lunch in the cafeteria! I love the meatballs and the lingonberry sauce. There's a berry drink I don't care for, but my son loves it.

Definitely empty out your trunk before you go. You will certainly buy more than you thought you would.

Have fun! I love Ikea. (Even though I really don't buy anything at this point; I just have fun checking out the store.)

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Headed for West Chester Ohio this weekend to see my old college chum and my son's birthdad. He happens to live 10 minutes from Ikea. We are also going to see the Pompeii exhibit at the Cincinnati Center but I might be AS excited about Ikea. haha! I have no idea what to expect. My DH says, jokingly, that we should treat it like a casino: take an envelope with cash in it and when that's gone, we leave. I love modern! I'm looking for a chair that might look good as extra seating in my living room which is midcentury. I'm also looking for something that will serve as display cases for my son's/was my grandfather's Paleo tool and Arrowhead collections as well as his shell collection, which is quite extensive and has shells rarely found anymore.

Then, I want something for our pantry that I can use for more hidden storage of canned goods and rarely used appliances. My husband has been doing the cooking and he's got every appliance out on the counter. I like a clear counter.

Measure everything you can in the area you're shopping for before you go. And plan to be there a while--it is HUGE!

 

[Eliza32]

look at the Catalogue on line to see what kind of stuff there is that you might like...the descriptions and colours are true to life, and the measurements will help you to rule something out BEFORE you go, to save time in the store.

Be prepared to buy loads of bits and pieces from the Marketplace - cups, glasses, drinking straws, paper plates, candles, you name it. We never spend less than £20 in any visit!!!

Can seriously recommend the meatballs for lunch - usually a good price too (although all of my comments are based on UK experience) and an ice-cream on the way out...I'm assuming they have the self-serve machines in US IKEAs too.

 

[BearcatsFan]

Be prepared for the CROWD!

We've tried to shop at the West Chester location several times since they opened, but the crowds are terrible, particularly on the weekend. You will wait in line for food, wait in line to get into the "rooms", wait in line to check out if you decide to buy anything.

My best advice? Wear your Disney shoes! Have fun!

 

[Robinrs]

Leave male teenagers HOME.

My son lost interest after the breakfast!!

I LOOOOVE their clearance area. It's at the end of the maze at our Ikea, near check out. My cousin said she got ALL of her house stuff from there! The inventory changes a lot and is worth taking a look at.

 

[phorsenuf]

And if you get lost, just follow the white arrows on the floor.

 

[Mokat76]

Leave your wallet at home or you'll bankrupt yourself saving money. They have a way of creating needs you didn't have before you walked in. Kinda like Dis in that regard. ;-)
Seriously go in with a plan and have fun. Happy hunting!

 

[Anjelica]

I wish we had an IKEA near us - I've only ever been in 1 and that was just for a little for over an hour.

I did have a question for those that go shopping/purchase items there regularly. How have you found the quality of the items you have purchased? Where are most items made?

 

[Pixiedust34]

Try the meatballs

Yes! If you're shopping there for the first time, you may as well eat there and try the meatballs.

Look in the Marketplace--lots of kitchen gadgets, plants, small household items, etc.

Bring your own bags. Ikea doesn't give bags anymore.

 

[Ilivetogo]

Headed for West Chester Ohio this weekend to see my old college chum and my son's birthdad. He happens to live 10 minutes from Ikea. We are also going to see the Pompeii exhibit at the Cincinnati Center but I might be AS excited about Ikea. haha! I have no idea what to expect. My DH says, jokingly, that we should treat it like a casino: take an envelope with cash in it and when that's gone, we leave. I love modern! I'm looking for a chair that might look good as extra seating in my living room which is midcentury. I'm also looking for something that will serve as display cases for my son's/was my grandfather's Paleo tool and Arrowhead collections as well as his shell collection, which is quite extensive and has shells rarely found anymore.

Then, I want something for our pantry that I can use for more hidden storage of canned goods and rarely used appliances. My husband has been doing the cooking and he's got every appliance out on the counter. I like a clear counter.

We live 15 minutes from an Ikea. I've been many many times over the past 15 years. We have lots of stuff from there -- the furnitureis easy to put together and is sturdy. The nice thing is that you can actually see and touch the items there in the store that have already been assembled. You can pull open the drawers to see how they slide, open doors to see how much room is really in there, look at actual colors, sit on the chairs, etc.

As others have said:
1) Take your measurements with you.
2) Try the meatballs. A little lingonberry sauce goes a long way. Mmmm
3) Wear comfy shoes. (big store)
4) Plan to be there for a while ... there's a LOT to look at.
5) Bring bags to carry stuff - or be prepared to juggle everything to your car.
6) Best advice yet from a PP ... leave teenage males home!!!

You can EASILY nickle-and-dime yourself to death there. Bring lotsa $. The stuff in the "Marketplace" is amazing and inexpensive. "Oh - I need one of these!" "That's nice, I'll get one of those." "That's so cute, my DD will love that." etc.



HAVE FUN!!!



.

 

[Feralpeg]

How to get out? I can never find my way out of that store. I follow the signs, but the path just twists and turns. It takes forever to make your way out of the store here.

 

[Robinrs]

How to get out? I can never find my way out of that store. I follow the signs, but the path just twists and turns. It takes forever to make your way out of the store here.

That's marketing GENIUS!!

I live pretty close to one, too, but RARELY go. It's fun but it's a hassle and I'm a get in and get out kind of person unless I just moved into a place or it's Christmas.

 

[SandrA9810]

That's marketing GENIUS!!

I live pretty close to one, too, but RARELY go. It's fun but it's a hassle and I'm a get in and get out kind of person unless I just moved into a place or it's Christmas.

Because no one thinks to pick up a map at the front entrance of the store, but to get back downstairs to get one is a maze within itself.

 

[tcufrog]

You can check on the IKEA website to see if an item is in stock. The kids' stuff including toys and art supplies are super cute and really well priced. My older son's room is almost all IKEA. They also have a great selection of home organization products.

 

[Scurvy]

I wish we had an IKEA near us - I've only ever been in 1 and that was just for a little for over an hour.

I did have a question for those that go shopping/purchase items there regularly. How have you found the quality of the items you have purchased? Where are most items made?

The things I got at Ikea that I use most often are dishes (made in Turkey), glasses (also made in Turkey) and candles (made in Poland). I've been very pleased with all of them. I got my wine glasses there as well but I don't know where they were made. I'm also quite happy with them, though I use them less often.

I've gotten lots of things there - candle holders, trays, storage containers, and all kinds of other things. Most of my bookshelves are Billy bookcases from Ikea. We also get their cinnamon rolls and frozen meatballs often. The only problem I've ever had there is that the lighting is a little odd, and some colors don't look the same in the store as they do elsewhere. With most things that isn't a problem but watch out if you like red. Several times I've bought things that looked red in the store only to get outside and realize they were a shade of rusty orange. But anything that appears to be bright fire engine red in the store really is red. It's just other shades that are questionable.

As others have mentioned they don't give out bags for your purchases, but they do sell inexpensive reusable bags that hold up really well.

 

[lucas]

Go when it first opens or it will be impossible to find a parking spot.