Last time I was there, no white towels with red stripe, which I also love. Didn’t ask if they were just out.
And let’s not forget about those sturdy blue bags that everyone on CC was talking about not too long ago, great for packing up the kids’ dorm rooms! A life saver for my S, who has to put his stuff in storage at school each year since we live on the other coast!
^^^Just pulled two of those out tonight to take to pick up D2 on Friday!!!
I missed the bathmat mention. If you mean the berber-like, yes. They hold up to washing so well. I’ve got multiples, too.
Are we talking about these white/red kitchen towels? Looks like they can be ordered online.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10100909/
Yep, that’s them. .79/each.
I only go for something cheap and cheerful (like glasses, or pots etc) and only ever go in the back way (via the check outs). Even if you want an item, this is where the bays are. There is no reason to go through the displays. And OMG the food is dreadful, how anyone eats at the cafe is beyond me, although this as an area thick with free range children. That wouldn’t help, I am sure.
I haven’t had the cinnamon rolls but I had to stop buying the mini cinnamon buns that come in a bag - not refrigerated. They used to sell the Giffar brand, which BTW in Scandinavia has 4 or 5 flavors, but they switched to their own brand and they are dry and nasty. Too bad! D3 used to love have the other ones in her lunch.
Ugh. Visited for the first time last summer. Disorienting, confusing, overwhelming, and filled with just too much stuff. If I’m shopping for a bed, I don’t want to have to pass displays of every other item on earth. But worst of all was the fact that there was merchandise on the floor that had been recalled and wasn’t being manufactured anymore (it was that falling down/killing kids issue), with no indication on the samples that they were no longer available. I’d rather shop ANYWHERE else.
IKEA blue bags.
At our store, the dish towels were right at the check outs. I got one for DS to take to school in case he randomly tries to clean something. At 79 cent, OK.
Our IKEA in Brooklyn, like the first Target in downtown Brooklyn, was overwhelmed with customers. Gradually they managed to staff and manage it except for ridiculously long lines at the registers. Recently even that situation has improved, although I try to go during the day, during the week. As for returns, they have a take-a-number system that works pretty well. And they are extremely generous taking back returns, no questions asked. I live on a very stringent budget and I have lots of their stuff–furniture as well as soft goods, gadgets, etc. They carry very basic stuff and much higher quality stuff–check out the pots and pans! And I love the frozen salmon strips!
Definitely use the short cuts when you don’t want to meander through the maze. They are marked on all the maps, or you can ask a staff member. And at least at the Brooklyn IKEA, it’s pretty easy to enter the building and find your way to whatever part of the store you want.
AH…IKEA. I find you have to approach it as a game. Park near the exit. As close to the loading spaces as possible. Enter thru the exit or near the returns section (which is near the checkout area). Then walk thru the furniture storage area and into the lower level. Most of the stuff I need is there anyway. Napkins, candles, bamboo, flower pots. picture frames, vases etc. It’s also where the textiles are located. For years I resisted purchasing any of their bedding because - how good can 400 thread count be? Guess what, their duvet covers are wonderful. Soft, wash well and inexpensive enough to make a drastic style change every year.
I’ve also found it cheaper to purchase their curtain panels and use that fabric than to buy a similar fabric off a bolt.
Some furniture isn’t all that difficult. Bookshelves, small end tables and those wonderful bent wood chairs that bounce and rock are a breeze. However, S and I recently assembled a secretary drop front desk. It took the two of us about 2.5 hours. And by that I mean it took S - a 4.0 ME soon to be graduate- 2.5 hours. Even he got a couple of parts upside down or backwards at the first try. But the finished product looks very very good. It gets kudos on a regular basis - and it perfectly matches the finish on some Target bookcases. These are in the guest room which I’m told looks like a $500 hotel. Go figure.
But there is the rumor that 40% of attempts to assemble Ikea furniture by a married couple leads to divorce. 
Must be a topic of interest…the Atlantic has a whole article dealing with Ikea. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/ikea-furniture-fighting-couples-trust/406267/
It was a really big thing here when they took away self checkout. The spaces for 6 self checkouts is now back to 2 manned checkouts, so the loss must have been massive to take that step backwards.
At this time in my life I do not need IKEA. But it is really great for starting out and temporary lodging.
The only thing I have associated with ikea are those sturdy blue bags which I managed to acquire from a few friends after helping them move.
They are actually very strong. Managed to use one to transport a 40+ pound computer tower I was giving away to a friend’s home on public transit.
Also, don’t know if anyone else mentioned this, but the confusing maze-like environment of most Ikea stores is actually by design to encourage shoppers to spend more time in the store on the chance they may spot some enticing merchandise/deals and buy more stuff == greater profits for ikea.
Bought D1’s bedroom set at IKEA when she first graduated and moved to NYC. A few years later, when she bought her own place in Manhatten and wanted all new furniture, she could barely give her IKEA furniture away. She said there are tons of young people in NYC who gave moved up financially who are trying to get rid of their IKEA furniture. Hahaha
I skipped this stage when I graduated from college by slowly acquiring hand-me-down furniture from neighbors moving out and from roommates at the apartment I shared with them.
When I moved out, all furniture which was still good was given away to neighbors in turn.
Incidentally, I’ve never been to the NYC Ikea even though I’ve been meaning to go to try out their discounted or sometimes free Swedish breakfasts.
We’ve infrequently gone to the IKEA in the city where both of our kids went to school (and one is still living and the other may be relocating to). First time, no idea how it was organized, after we found the one furniture item we were looking for I had to be shown the shortcut exit because I was feeling so overwhelmed and anxious. Our most recent visit was to take our son shopping for Christmas. We arrived early, ate breakfast, and spent at least a couple of hours there. Interestingly, our son, who generally hates shopping, really likes IKEA. He happily examined every desk chair and standing lamp, then browsed housewares with me where we both picked up some smaller items. (And I swear he finds assembling stuff relaxing!) At this point the most stressful part of the visit is getting there. We live in a small town and IKEA is located near the airport and a major mall and the traffic is always heavy.
We stayed at a house (Air B&B) which was furnished great–I recognized almost every stick of furniture as IKEA.
The first time I went to IKEA it felt very maze-like. But fun. Now I know where to go (and short cuts) if I’m actually looking for something in particular. But I always look around for new items. Don’t get there too often because of distance. But the prices are just right to “buy and try”.
I like to look at IKEA hack sites to see how people have dressed up or re-purposed their IKEA finds.