<p>I am heading to IKEA for the very first time next week with my daughter, to look for furnishings for her off-campus house, which is completely unfurnished. Are there any things in particular that we should look for?</p>
<p>My favorite stuff there are the little things… the little drawer organizers, the clip on lights, the various gadgets.</p>
<p>The answer my kids would give: everything! For a special treat buy some of their cinnamon rolls on the way out. They cost like 5 for $6.00 and are every good as those in the malls. Have fun! It is an experience and you almost have to go once just to see what all is there and then go back and do the serious shopping.</p>
<p>Cute pillows
Inexpensive kitchen towels
Basic kitchen tools (spatulas, etc.)
Floor lamps
Side tables/night stands
inexpensive vases/candles
bamboo plant (fun!) with a bag of polished rocks and a square/rectangle clear glass container to put it in
picture frames</p>
<p>The list is endless! Set aside LOTS of time. Take a break and eat lunch in the inexpensive cafeteria. Be sure to grab a shopping cart, measuring tape, pencil and notecard to write down things right when you enter the door!</p>
<p>Beds and bookshelves are very excellent. I would not get a couch or furniture for the dinning room at IKEA. They are expensive and not comfortable at all.</p>
<p>We recently bought a full sized iron bed at Ikea with a headboard, footboard and side rails for a whopping $89. Looks amazing in my D’s room!</p>
<p>Little Lack side tables – to serve as end tables, bedside tables, printer stand, etc. 10 bucks each, and even I can assemble them. [LACK</a> Side table - birch effect, 21 5/8x21 5/8 " - IKEA](<a href=“Products - IKEA”>Furniture - Shop Furniture Online & In-store Near You - IKEA) </p>
<p>Other simple-to-assemble tables to serve as dining table, desk, coffee table (if she wants one), TV stand.</p>
<p>Cheap, easy-to-assemble chairs to go with the dining table.</p>
<p>Possibly an arrangement of storage cubes (although I like the ones at Target better).</p>
<p>Possibly a desk chair (although I like the ones at Staples or Office Depot better).</p>
<p>I would be wary of anything with drawers unless you’re really good at assembling furniture.</p>
<p>I love Ikea but can you hand down any used furniture? Some pieces are cheap there but the costs can go up if you are outfitting from scratch. I love their housewares and find they hold up very well. My kids much prefer the bed linen choices there compared to BB&B.
The As-is section before the checkouts has occasional finds, though there is a lot of junk to sift through. We also love the food shop after the main checkouts.</p>
<p>Make sure you get an electric screwdriver!</p>
<p>Also, if you buy a lamp, pick up the lightbulbs there. Ikea seems to stock lots of unusual bulb sizes.</p>
<p>(We’ve now furnished three kids apartments with Ikea furniture, and they’ve been happy with it.)</p>
<p>Do a Google search on IKEA hacks. You can make some awesome items from basic items. The Lack side table can be painted, decoupaged, or cut out designs from vinyl or contact paper to personalize them. Their book cases are cool, especially the Expedit. We flipped the Expedit on end and put it on a lazy Susan to rotate it. It looks like this one from PB.[Display-It</a> Storage Mirror | PBteen](<a href=“http://www.pbteen.com/products/display-it-storage-mirror/?pkey=cbookcases-shelves]Display-It”>http://www.pbteen.com/products/display-it-storage-mirror/?pkey=cbookcases-shelves)
Very cool storage ideas.</p>
<p>I would echo “shop used” - I am writing from a solid 50-year-old mahogany desk (immaculate) that I picked up on craigslist for about the same price IKEA would charge for pine.</p>
<p>That having been said, I really like IKEA, especially for college students. The only injunction I would give is that you should avoid particle board as much as possible - she is probably going to be treating that furniture a little rougher than she might in later years, and particle board is really vulnerable to moisture and movement. Spend the extra money and get the pieces made from pine or other whole woods.</p>
<p>And try the meatballs. With the lingonberry jam. Seriously.</p>
<p>That lazy Susan thing is COOL!!!</p>
<p>I second the meatballs!</p>
<p>IKEA is an experience. It can be a blast or it can overwhelm you, or both at the same time. Do allow 4-5 hours to shop, with breaks to eat (cafeteria for a meal, or snack shop for those yummy cinnamon rolls!) During the breaks you can relax and think through and discuss all the possibilities. You can spend WAY too much money at IKEA if you don’t take time to think about what you are putting in your cart.</p>
<p>IKEA is known for their shelving and furniture being sold in flat boxes. You will need to arrive at IKEA in a van or SUV with plenty of length for the boxes. (They do offer deliver for a fee if you don’t own a large vehicle.) But definitely drive the largest vehicle you own to IKEA!!</p>
<p>I shopped recently with my daughter who is off to college for the first time in a few weeks, and we bought some small kitchen items, a unique mirror that is decent sized, but will sit on a dresser (she can’t attach anything to her dorm walls). We got hanging shoe rack that goes in the closet, unique storage containers, and got ideas for shelving and other items that she couldn’t make decisions about until she got room and roommate assignments.</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>
<p>Go for the Swedish meatballs. IKEA cabinet and closet organizers are very good. Personally, I would not buy anything furniture from them…I just don’t like their stuff.</p>
<p>I went to Ikea last summer for the first time. I went with my kid and spouse. They have more Ikea experience than I do. However, one (large) item they wanted wasn’t in stock but was expected shortly. They signed up for a delivery, which I think was $60. I asked if they could add the other item if it came in before the day of delivery. They could --but ONLY if this was noted at time of the original purchase. It came in on time and was added to original order…no extra fee…even though originally they were told it would be $20 extra. If we had NOT asked when the purchase was made, they would have been charged for an extra delivery because if there is no notation on the first purchase, the second purchase is automatically a second delivery instead of being added to the first delivery. There’s a minimum delivery charge which covers delivery of items from a 5 pound lamp to the delivery of several items weighting hundreds of pounds.</p>
<p>This may be unclear…but if you need delivery, the delivery company is NOT part of Ikea, at least it isn’t where my kid and spouse live. But if you note that an additional item MAY be added to the delivery later when you make the purchase, there’s no additional charge if it comes in before the date the order is loaded onto the truck. If you don’t, you get two separate deliveries…meaning you have to stay home twice…and get charged for both.</p>
<p>If your D has space in her room for a chair, I highly recommend the Po</p>
<p>We have bought a lot of IKEA over the years and the things that have held up well are the couches/chairs with slipcovers (great to be able to wash in the washing machine or if that doesn’t work, buy replacement slipcovers too) but my favorite thing (we have 3 now) are the Galant desks which are very study desks. We have at least 4 desk chairs and they are pretty good, some better holding up than others, but comfortable - much more economical than what you could get at Staples. [GALANT</a> Desk - white, T-leg, silver color - IKEA](<a href=“Products - IKEA”>Products - IKEA)</p>
<p>If you have never been and no one has told you yet, the top floor is where you can view a lot of the product in staged room settings - whole rooms set up. There is some stuff to put in your cart on this floor, but most stuff you will actually pick up on the lower level.</p>
<p>The giant blue woven plastic carry bags they sell near the check out for 50 or 99 cents (I forget) --</p>
<p>I always have one or two in the back of the car. They’re almost as indispensable as blankets and towels. Have given away plenty in the last couple years – they’re great in a pinch when someone needs to move a lot of stuff – particularly good for college bedding and whatnot.</p>
<p>We have a friend who calls IKEA “a Scandenavian design Home Depot”. I fully agree. And the habitrail you follow is annoying too.</p>