First Ikea visit! What do I need to know?

[MomofKatie]

Sorry, but I just don't "get" the fascination with IKEA. Unless you're furnishing a dorm room or decorating in "early marriage."

DD wanted something she'd seen in an IKEA catalog, but she doesn't have an IKEA in her area, so she asked moi to pick up the item for her. Scoured the store and asked a couple of employees (who looked at me like deer in the headlights.) Was on my way out of the store in total disgust, when I ran across the item quite by accident -- wasn't anywhere near the section the employee had directed me. I told DD not to ever ask me to go back there.

Go ahead and chastize me -- I have my flame proof panties on. Besides, I live near Phx, and it's hotter than *$%^.

No chastizing here- some people like IKEA, some don't. No biggie.

DD and I like to go just to toodle around the store. It's a fun "waste a day" summertime activity for us- get some lunch, buy a few inexpensive geegaws for DD's room, get some excersise (you do a lot of walking in that store!).

I wouldn't furnish a whole home with IKEA stuff, but it is great for kids and teens rooms, guest rooms, storage solutions, and cheap little accents.

 

[Janepod]

No chastizing here- some people like IKEA, some don't. No biggie.

DD and I like to go just to toodle around the store. It's a fun "waste a day" summertime activity for us- get some lunch, buy a few inexpensive geegaws for DD's room, get some excersise (you do a lot of walking in that store!).

I wouldn't furnish a whole home with IKEA stuff, but it is great for kids and teens rooms, guest rooms, storage solutions, and cheap little accents.

We buy plants, extra glasses/plates for big parties, cheap chairs/plastic trays for the porch, cookie cutters, their awesome lemon press, that sort of thing.

 

[Pixiedust34]

We buy plants, extra glasses/plates for big parties, cheap chairs/plastic trays for the porch, cookie cutters, their awesome lemon press, that sort of thing.

About 3 years ago, I was anticipating our first stay at CSR and bought a small cactus on a whim, figuring it would last a few months at most and I could enjoy a little Southwest/Mexican theme while waiting for our trip.

That little cactus is still alive! I don't have luck with houseplants, and can't believe that cactus is still with us. We ended up transplanting it into a bigger pot.

 

[NotUrsula]

Sorry, but I just don't "get" the fascination with IKEA. Unless you're furnishing a dorm room or decorating in "early marriage."

DD wanted something she'd seen in an IKEA catalog, but she doesn't have an IKEA in her area, so she asked moi to pick up the item for her. Scoured the store and asked a couple of employees (who looked at me like deer in the headlights.) Was on my way out of the store in total disgust, when I ran across the item quite by accident -- wasn't anywhere near the section the employee had directed me. I told DD not to ever ask me to go back there.

Go ahead and chastize me -- I have my flame proof panties on. Besides, I live near Phx, and it's hotter than *$%^.

I think that a lot of people like Ikea as a place to visit because of the design aesthetic that is there; it if you like design there are all kinds of neat examples of innovation on display, and at Ikea, you *might* actually be able to afford to own some of them. Some people also like the novelty of the sheer size of the place.

As a place to just run in and pick something up, if it isn't a place where I commonly go? No way; it is just too large for that. (Now if it were a store that I visited often so that I knew the layout well, then maybe.)

 

[karenos]

I've actually gone to IKEA and just had lunch (we have one not too far from me). Their furniture is crap -- but perfect for either a dorm room or "I can only afford to eat ramen noodles" kind of apartment.

karenos

 

[klfrech]

How to get out!!!! I hate IKEA!!!!

 

[BearcatsFan]

Soooo ... we're anxiously waiting to see what you thought (and if you found the batteries)!

 

[java]

Soooo ... we're anxiously waiting to see what you thought (and if you found the batteries)!

I think she may still be trying to find her way out! I too am waiting on an update.

 

[shortbun]

Well, we found our way in and out, no problem. Spent about 2.5 hours in there. Bought a space saving table that had a little storage and DS is going to use for a study space then perhaps a dorm/college piece. Also found a gorgeous lamp that is perfect midcentury and will look excellent in my living room-table lamp,shaped like an egg and made of woven blond wicker. Did not eat there, DS said he couldn't stand the environment. There were a million toddlers running loose. Um, you guys failed to mention THAT. Got batteries, got a lemon squeezer, picked up some gadgets for stocking stuffers, got a box of cinnamon rolls on the way out. I now have vertigo. I do not do well in chaos. Again-why does everyone take their toddlers in there and let them run and shriek? I LOVE children but a couple nearly knocked me down running and there were no parents claiming them. I let them go hoping I'd never see them again. IKEA is not WDW but I quickly got the feeling that people were using it as entertainment for their families. Weird! I don't think I'm ever going back. Too crazy, life is too short! Not an exaggeration, at least 100 under 4 aged kids running the store.

 

[Scurvy]

Well, we found our way in and out, no problem. Spent about 2.5 hours in there. Bought a space saving table that had a little storage and DS is going to use for a study space then perhaps a dorm/college piece. Also found a gorgeous lamp that is perfect midcentury and will look excellent in my living room-table lamp,shaped like an egg and made of woven blond wicker. Did not eat there, DS said he couldn't stand the environment. There were a million toddlers running loose. Um, you guys failed to mention THAT. Got batteries, got a lemon squeezer, picked up some gadgets for stocking stuffers, got a box of cinnamon rolls on the way out. I now have vertigo. I do not do well in chaos. Again-why does everyone take their toddlers in there and let them run and shriek? I LOVE children but a couple nearly knocked me down running and there were no parents claiming them. I let them go hoping I'd never see them again. IKEA is not WDW but I quickly got the feeling that people were using it as entertainment for their families. Weird! I don't think I'm ever going back. Too crazy, life is too short!

Oh how awful! I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I've never seen the toddlers running around when I've been to Ikea, but then maybe that is a weekday thing. I tend to go on weekends and it's horribly crowded so maybe the parents are less likely to let the kids do that then. I keep thinking I might be better off going on weekdays when it might be less crowded but I think I will just stick to weekends. I can tolerate crowds way better than badly behaved shrieking children!

 

[java]

Yikes I always thought the benefit of Ikea was the free childcare thingie- I never used it but always saw it packed with kids. It got so bad that the Ikea had to demand that parents dropping off stay in the store vs. leaving them for free babysitting.

 

[shortbun]

Yikes I always thought the benefit of Ikea was the free childcare thingie- I never used it but always saw it packed with kids. It got so bad that the Ikea had to demand that parents dropping off stay in the store vs. leaving them for free babysitting.

Yeah, when I rounded the corner on the 1st floor and saw the pkup window for the daycare spot, I was like WTH, why are these crazy folks NOT using the childcare area? Could it be that children had escaped from the childcare area? I mean, these kids really seemed unattended and there were a ton of them! My friend who lives here says he's never seen it packed with children like that. I saw one young dad checking out with his maybe 5 month old riding the big box he was pushing on a dolly. He had one hand on the baby and one hand on the dolly. I laughed out loud, got busted and had to cover with "your baby is adorable!" He smiled and nodded, clueless.

 

[lucas]

Well, we found our way in and out, no problem. Spent about 2.5 hours in there. Bought a space saving table that had a little storage and DS is going to use for a study space then perhaps a dorm/college piece. Also found a gorgeous lamp that is perfect midcentury and will look excellent in my living room-table lamp,shaped like an egg and made of woven blond wicker. Did not eat there, DS said he couldn't stand the environment. There were a million toddlers running loose. Um, you guys failed to mention THAT. Got batteries, got a lemon squeezer, picked up some gadgets for stocking stuffers, got a box of cinnamon rolls on the way out. I now have vertigo. I do not do well in chaos. Again-why does everyone take their toddlers in there and let them run and shriek? I LOVE children but a couple nearly knocked me down running and there were no parents claiming them. I let them go hoping I'd never see them again. IKEA is not WDW but I quickly got the feeling that people were using it as entertainment for their families. Weird! I don't think I'm ever going back. Too crazy, life is too short! Not an exaggeration, at least 100 under 4 aged kids running the store.

Sorry, I had to laugh at the part about not ever going back. That is how I feel, too. I've gone twice but the second time was to take my mom who was visiting us and does not have Ikea where she lives. She says never again, too! Ha ha! That time we went with her, there were people sacked out on the beds!

 

[BearcatsFan]

Well, we found our way in and out, no problem. Spent about 2.5 hours in there. Bought a space saving table that had a little storage and DS is going to use for a study space then perhaps a dorm/college piece. Also found a gorgeous lamp that is perfect midcentury and will look excellent in my living room-table lamp,shaped like an egg and made of woven blond wicker. Did not eat there, DS said he couldn't stand the environment. There were a million toddlers running loose. Um, you guys failed to mention THAT. Got batteries, got a lemon squeezer, picked up some gadgets for stocking stuffers, got a box of cinnamon rolls on the way out. I now have vertigo. I do not do well in chaos. Again-why does everyone take their toddlers in there and let them run and shriek? I LOVE children but a couple nearly knocked me down running and there were no parents claiming them. I let them go hoping I'd never see them again. IKEA is not WDW but I quickly got the feeling that people were using it as entertainment for their families. Weird! I don't think I'm ever going back. Too crazy, life is too short! Not an exaggeration, at least 100 under 4 aged kids running the store.

Oh yikes! Glad you were able to find a few things you liked, though. Strange, because when we went last time we thought people were just hanging out in the rooms and lingering for a looooong time, too.

 

[Elmo9607]

You'd have to sedate me in order for me to go anywhere near an Ikea on a weekend. Or even a Friday. $7.99 coffee tables are just NOT worth getting run over by people. (however, I handle Christmas at Disney just fine! )

On subsequent visits, I've been able to go at odd times during the week, like 1 pm on a Wednesday, or 5 pm on a Monday. I visit in the winter more than the summer. The store is almost always quiet then. In the evening in the wintrer sometimes theres only three or four people in the cafe area. No kids running around, no people clogging the aisles.

I have a trip planned there on Thursday...hopefully will be arriving in the morning. Never been there in the morning, but thinking it won't be too bad.

I've gone there just to eat dinner and walk around before. I love Ikea (but never on a weekend)

 

[Imzadi]

The Billy bookcases are a great deal though. We needed a wall of tall bookcases and everything we saw at traditional furniture stores other than insanely expensive solid wood ones was more expensive, didn't look as nice and didn't have doors. We've moved ours once and they are still in great shape.

Yes, this has been my problem. I really, really, really need to get 2 floor to ceiling, wall units with doors. Ikea's Pax wardrobe fits the bill. They are much deeper than regular bookcases. Solid wood or custom-mades are insanely expensive for floor to ceiling stuff.

But, I can't stand the cheap looking, faux wood laminate on the Pax doors. (I don't care what the material of the shelves are, as the doors will be closed. As long as they hold up.) But, the idea of staring at 8' faux laminate wood is stopping me from pulling the trigger. I also don't want to just get the plain white "formica" look. To try to get four custom-made 8' solid wood doors (only,) at a decent price is next to impossible.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Yeah, when I rounded the corner on the 1st floor and saw the pkup window for the daycare spot, I was like WTH, why are these crazy folks NOT using the childcare area? Could it be that children had escaped from the childcare area? I mean, these kids really seemed unattended and there were a ton of them! My friend who lives here says he's never seen it packed with children like that. I saw one young dad checking out with his maybe 5 month old riding the big box he was pushing on a dolly. He had one hand on the baby and one hand on the dolly. I laughed out loud, got busted and had to cover with "your baby is adorable!" He smiled and nodded, clueless.

Where we used to live, Ikea was a popular SAHM meetup place in the winter. $1.00 breakfast, let your toddler run around and open and close all the kitchen drawers, pick up a few knicknacks and some wooden toys from the children's area, get an ice cream cone on the way out... Our Ikea used to encourage it and had a children's seating area in the cafeteria with toys and a TV showing cartoons. I'm sure it didn't make it a fun shopping experience for people who were unprepared, but moms and tots were pretty much the only ones in the store at 9:00 am on a weekday.

As far as the general Ikea experience, I will admit that I love it. Anyone remember that scene in Fight Club where they show the guy's apartment and suddenly there's an Ikea catalogue overlay over the room with the names and prices of all his furniture and decorations? That was our first apartment. We've "upgraded" a lot of things since then, but you'll have to pry my Poang chair and Expedit bookcase from my cold dead hands...

Oh, and today is my DS's birthday and he's getting an Ikea play kitchen as his big gift.

 

[Ephany]

Go on Easter Sunday at opening. Totally dead and rather eerie. I had to pick up a bed one year and that was the only day I had access to a truck. It was very surreal, especially compared to a normal weekend.

I promised a friend who I'll see next month that I'll swing by the Atlanta store and pick some stuff up for her, but DH refuses to go with me. To him there's no difference between Ikea and the mall on Black Friday and he won't step near either one. I always find something I didn't know I needed though, and those little doodads add up quick!

 

[Lintasare]

Thought I would give this thread a bump.

Went to the Ikea in Denver on Friday and had a blast. It was fun walking around and seeing how they do rooms and even small living spaces. I thought the store was very easy to navigate, just follow the arrows on the floor. Found a couch I may purchase in the future.

Did spend a lot of time wandering in the Marketplace. Ended up with a cart full of stuff I never knew I needed. Did buy a ton of the Skubb storage boxes. They fit great in my dresses and my closet.

I will be back. There is more stuff I want.