Ikea – what wonderful flat packed world

Yesterday we spent the day at IKEA, well we first spent 2 hours getting lost in and around north Sydney on our way to IKEA and then spend the reminder of the day at IKEA.

I have a lot of experience of IKEA, this is the fourth time I buy an entire home at IKEA, my 3rd IKEA kitchen starter pack. I can count the important events in my life by visits to IKEA. In generall I think I probably should be sponsored by IKEA.

By being such a Pro at IKEA there are some important IKEA related lessons that I would like to install in people.

1.There is no such thing as popping in to IKEA to check out something, make sure you have time, make sure you know what you are looking for and be sure you have no other engagement for later that day/night.
Most arguments you see people have in IKEA is relating to the fact that they thought they would be out of there by now. Don't do the mistake thinking you will be able to push through it in 30 minutes. Always over budget on time in IKEA. You will be under budget on furniture but over budget on time.

2.Always eat before you start. That is why the put the restaurant at the entrance of the shop.

3.Always eat something when you are finished as packing the car and driving home will take it's toll.

4. If it's possible do not bring your children, there is nothing fun to do at IKEA for children. If you can leave them with someone otherwise you will want to throw them out the window, or more likely other people will want to throw your children out the window. Neither of those scenarios are beneficial for the children.

5.Wear comfortable shoes and if you are buying big things that needs to be picked up from the warehouse do not wear clothing that you mind getting dusty.

6.Remember all those little things that you pick on the way, the spoons, the flower pots, the salad bowls and glasses. They are all very cheap individually, but together they can easily add up the same amount of money that you intended to spend on the Bjursta dining table.

7.If do need to exchange or return things to IKEA, make sure to do that the same day. Otherwise the non fixed unwanted chest of drawers will stand in your hallway for at least 6 months before you give in and throw it in the recycling.

8.Bring something to eat half way, once you get through the display area and get down to the market place the fun part starts. This is where you need your energy and creativity to make sure you buy the stuff that can make your home slightly more colourful but not in a cheap and nasty way.

9.Don't buy the cheapest ones, in IKEA it it's always worth it to buy one of their “upmarket” versions. Except for the egg slicers, both the cheap and the “expensive” one is rubbish.

10.Don't forget to buy a bag of the 100 tea lights.

So as I said, we spent the day at IKEA, we got the stuff delivered today. We haven't put it all together yet, maybe we will get to that tomorrow or Sunday.

I made the concious decision not to buy the cheapest stuff I could find or more like it A made sure I didn't buy the cheapest things. Instead we bought the ones we wanted. So now we are proud owners of a proper adult grown up bed frame and mattress. Instead of the very strange cheapest-I-could-find spring base with a thin cover set up that I forced us to sleep on in London for 6 years. Which I also complained about for 6 years.

We also have a proper head board with storage, bed side table lamps, a proper work table for me with legs that you can change the height on (so exited about this) and areally really nice coffe table.

We also have all the other stuff you need for a house, plates, bowls, glasses, wine glasses, cutlery, decorative pillows for our sofa that is yet to come from London, fabric to make pillow cases for said pillows and all the other wonderful wonderful things you can find at IKEA.

As you can tell I like IKEA, and I also got to have the meatballs. And I bought Ahlgreens bilar and pepar kakor in the swedish food shop.

I did however forgot to buy a bag of 100 tea lights.