IKEA shopping guide
A friend just asked me for IKEA shopping tips, this is what I came up with.
General Tips
You can make a shopping list on the IKEA website and check to see what's in stock before you go!
The kids' play area is a blast-- older, potty-trained kids can be left at the big one downstairs, any kid can play in the smaller one in the cafeteria (this is at the College Park location, I don't know if every IKEA has this area). That way you can also see which of the toys they like most!
You should join the IKEA Family program-- free, and it gives you random perks, like an extra half hour in the big kids play area, and misc. discounts.
If we buy anything that's particleboard we assume it's temporary, though some have lasted a last a long time.
Do not expect to take anything apart ever again. If you need to move you'll move the furniture already built, and some of it will show signs of wear after that.
My Least Favorite Products
POÄNG chair, in any material or finish. It's just so uncomfortable for a shorty like me.
I really dislike IKEA's textiles, but some are ok (and they've been getting better in recent years), so just make sure to actually feel everything before you buy anything.
My Favorite Series
The entire HEMNES series
Bed, Bath, Living Room, Workspace
It's solid wood (not particle board) and much nicer than most of the other IKEA stuff. Plus, it's nicely designed to look a bit more traditional-- it's transitional :)
The entire BILLY series
They're not entirely solid wood but you can do a lot with these. I like the glass doors for them, so my bookcases don't get dusty. WIN! (The Hemnes bookcases also have optional glass doors.)
See also:
Curtain hardware
Curtain hardware
Good for wiiiide windows.
Great for kitchen organization.
I mounted the rail to the underside of a cabinet. We use the hooks to hang our large tea/coffee cups and also bananas:
Food
I've never had caviar, so I'm not even trying to compare. I love this stuff. It's vegetarian. Salty deliciousness. Sold in the refrigerated food section beyond the warehouse cashiers.
Around the House
They work great for things other than spices and go well in kids' rooms especially. They fit 4 Pint sized mason jars perfectly. They are unfinished wood and are easy to build and then spray paint.
See also:
They come in white and black and sometimes other colors.
We use them for forward-facing bookshelves in the nursery, but you could also use the BEKVÄM (above) for that. These are also good wherever you just need a ledge somewhere!
See also:
We don't have a nice set of glasses, we just use these and replace as they break.
Ditto.
These are FANTASTIC for way more than just shoes. Surprisingly pricey, though.
See also:
We don't have them in that arrangement, but I wish we did. The panels are all sold separately.
If you don't already have a magnetic knife rack you should get one. Better for your knives, safer (out of reach of kids), and more convenient for cooking.
This is a nice, sturdy step stool. I ended up spray painting ours white because it got sooooo dirty, though.
Oh, and I love their pillows. They have a guide for which one you need based on how you sleep. They're inexpensive so I just replace mine every year or so (because of my allergies).
Sleeper couches
We have this one in what used to be our guest room.
It's very comfortable, and you can get a storage thing for under it (same series). It's now just used as a bed, we don't even use it as a couch anymore.
If I wanted to buy a sleeper couch at IKEA now I'd buy this one.
Kids
Furniture
$19 for the kids. Probably incredibly flimsy, I don't let adults sit in it. My toddlerloves it. They have nicer chair sets but this is just soooo inexpensive.
I really like these in all white for kids' rooms.
I've read that this couch with a white slipcover is perfect for houses with kids because you can just bleach the slipcover and it looks like new.
We don't have this one but my toddler always runs to it in the showroom and rocks like mad for a few minutes.
Misc. Supplies
Tallest single-step stepstool I've seen, secure for adults. Non-skid. It's great for enabling toddlers to reach the sink.
These are the glasses my toddler drinks from-- he RARELY drops them, because they're so well scaled to his size, and when he has dropped them they've never broken.
Potty stuff
Toys
Folds up conveniently.
We don't have this one (we don't have space), but my toddler always runs to it and plays hide and seek in it.
I love elephants.
My toddler snuggled this while shopping one time. We didn't end up buying it but it's really cute.
I love this one. I've seen some nice ways to customize it and make it look upscale
I've heard these interface with Brillo and other wood train sets.
We don't have these but they're supposed to be some of the best building blocks around.
These rugs are awesome, wish we had space.