IKEA

[Whisper9999]

We just had an IKEA open up in our city. It was a huge event: it backed up the freeway, people slept outside for ten days to get the door prize(s) and there the parking lot (which was several acres) was overflowing. I drove by from the freeway in the evening and there was still a line outside the building to get in.

Can someone tell me what the big deal is?? I've heard mention IKEA several times on this site. I'm scared to go in the place. I heard that they set up the store like a maze so you have to walk through the whole thing and you get trapped in there.

Can you really save that much money? Is the furniture really that great? I'm hoping you'll say 'no' so I don't have to get sucked into this monster...

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

IKEA sucks for furniture, unless you like putting it together and subsequently having it fall apart 3-5 years later. Don't get me wrong, IKEA does have some stuff that is decent quality, and even a bargain as compared to other stores.

For example, if you're looking for cheap kitchen stuff, IKEA always has knives, cutting boards, and even pots and pans for cheap. Likewise, you can find rugs, pillows and lamps for decent prices as well. I would stay away from things like beds, dressers, wall units (except for cheap bookshelves, and even then I'd be careful) and other heavy items. They don't hold up under heavy usage, since the vast majority are made of lower-grade particle board with thin fake-wood veneers.

Shop smart, buy only what you NEED (and you don't need another compact disc organizer rack), and you'll be fine. Be prepared for long lines and crowded aisles filled with lots of young couples just starting out, couples with young children looking for cheap furniture, and college students.

 

[Martha]

An Ikea recently opened in Minneapolis and we went last weekend. You were right about the maize. When we wanted to leave we ended up twisting throught the entire lower level of the store. My husband was so irritated at the manipulation that he never wants to go back and we didn't buy the $3.99 roll of plastic shelf paper we were going to buy.

I'lll go back though. I though it was kind of fun. As Jay said, it doesn't look like the big items are very durable, but there is good deals on the ticky-tack. I liked the dorm room display. It made me almost want to go back to college or live in a little efficiency apartment decked out in Ikea.

 

[Whisper9999]

IKEA sucks for furniture, unless you like putting it together and subsequently having it fall apart 3-5 years later.  Don't get me wrong, IKEA does have some stuff that is decent quality, and even a bargain as compared to other stores.

For example, if you're looking for cheap kitchen stuff, IKEA always has knives, cutting boards, and even pots and pans for cheap.  Likewise, you can find rugs, pillows and lamps for decent prices as well.  I would stay away from things like beds, dressers, wall units (except for cheap bookshelves, and even then I'd be careful) and other heavy items.  They don't hold up under heavy usage, since the vast majority are made of lower-grade particle board with thin fake-wood veneers.

Shop smart, buy only what you NEED (and you don't need another compact disc organizer rack), and you'll be fine.  Be prepared for long lines and crowded aisles filled with lots of young couples just starting out, couples with young children looking for cheap furniture, and college students.

Thx for the tip. Quality is big for me. I don't want to have to get rid of furniture cuzz it falls apart especially if I had to put it together!

 

[Whisper9999]

An Ikea recently opened  in Minneapolis and we went last weekend.  You were right about the maize.  When we wanted to leave we ended up twisting throught the entire lower level of the store.  My husband was so irritated at the manipulation that he never wants to go back and we didn't buy the $3.99 roll of plastic shelf paper we were going to buy.

I'lll go back though.  I though it was kind of fun.  As Jay said, it doesn't look like the big items are very durable, but there is good deals on the ticky-tack.  I liked the dorm room display.  It made me almost want to go back to college or live in a little efficiency apartment decked out in Ikea.

I'm kind of type A/impatient, so thx for the warning. I'll probably have some fun tho if I go and just have a nice block of time for it. I actually don't the big furniture items as much and need the knick-knackey things, so that'll work out pretty well...

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

I liked the dorm room display.  It made me almost want to go back to college or live in a little efficiency apartment decked out in Ikea.

That's the way to think. We should all keep in mind that we once NEEDED very little to survive. A strategically laid-out single room dorm that we SHARED with another person was all we needed.

 

[Whisper9999]

That's the way to think.  We should all keep in mind that we once NEEDED very little to survive.  A strategically laid-out single room dorm that we SHARED with another person was all we needed.

Now find me a female that thinks this way and I'm set for life.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Now find me a female that thinks this way and I'm set for life.  

True, note that Martha M. wrote that seeing the display ALMOST want to go back to the whole dorm room living arrangement. I doubt that very many of us would want to go back to that, having tasted the "freedom" of larger living quarters.

 

[Hyperborea]

Can someone tell me what the big deal is??  I've heard mention IKEA several times on this site.

Modern design furniture instead of reproduction colonial furniture. It's been very difficult to find elsewhere at reasonable prices here in the SF Bay Area and perhaps in much of the US. Perhaps many Americans (though not all judging from the lines when Ikea opened) don't like the modern age?

Can you really save that much money?  Is the furniture really that great?

Not everything that they sell is of the same quality. It varies and you need to choose carefully. I'm still using an Ikea bookshelf from over 20 years ago that has held up very well. It's basically 3 chrome metal "ladders" that melamine covered shelves hang between. It's simple, disassembles for easy moving, and it holds a lot. Some of the shelves are finally bowing a little but then I have two rows deep of heavy technical books on them.

I've recently picked up a few more pieces (floor lamp, coffee table, bedside table that I'm using as a living room side table - great for having somewhere in the living room to hide the clutter) and they are simple, clean, and reasonably inexpensive. There were items there that were kind of flimsy and looked like they wouldn't survive long. Some of the "wood" covered products were real wood veneer and some were a plastic printed with a "wood" veneer look. The wood veneer looked good and the plastic printed "wood" did not - at least to me. You have to pick carefully.

The "assembly" required on many pieces is simple. Don't worry no engineering degree is required.

 

[Whisper9999]

The "assembly" required on many pieces is simple.  Don't worry no engineering degree is required.

This was actually one of my other q's. I've had some miserable experiences with assembling furniture. Does IKEA have this down to a science.

If I have one more time of a missing bolt or slots that don't line up or directions that are incomprehensible, I'm going to go postal!

 

[Jane]

I bought stuff from Ikea (3 bookshelves, light fixtures, a sofa and coffee table) 2 years ago. Agree with Hyper that you have to be selective with what you buy there.

For me, I like their style and price. If you like traditional-style furniture and would like to leave your furniture as a family heirloom, then forget IKEA. Their style is simple, modern and well, Swedish. I visited many furniture places trying to find a sofa that fit my budget and style for a couple of months, and finally I found one at IKEA.

I assembled all the furniture I bought myself and it was piece of cake. Whether or not they will last me for years, we'll see. So far I haven't seen any noticeable rot/scratch/tear on any of my IKEA stuff.

Jane

 

[Whisper9999]

I bought stuff from Ikea (3 bookshelves, light fixtures, a sofa and coffee table) 2 years ago. Agree with Hyper that you have to be selective with what you buy there.

So you had to assemble a sofa?? I can't imagine that. Or do the sofas come ready to go?

 

[bruce1]

MY 2C

I dont like IKEA's furniture but then I hate particle board and being an amateur carpenter I can build better than they sell. Most of my furniture is either made by me or 100 years old. (except couch and mattress)

Some of their knick nack stuff is OK

Bruce

 

[Berkshire_Bull]

whats the difference between IKEA and bed bath and beyond? ive never been in any of them, but i owned shares in BBBY so ive seen pictures in their annual. people kinda go wild on our furnature from wal-mart too, we sell a lot out of that little department, i think when i get a home, i'll furnish it for the first few years with some used stuff, people around here throw out really nice stuff, like the hottub i snagged from my buddies parents that they were going to throw out on the bulovard works fine, just had some cracked PVC which i'm replacing, so should be pretty nice when i'm done with it, and you know what i mean when i say drunken college girls just LOVE hottubs

 

[Whisper9999]

whats the difference between IKEA and bed bath and beyond?  ive never been in any of them, but i owned shares in BBBY so ive seen pictures in their annual.  people kinda go wild on our furnature from wal-mart too, we sell a lot out of that little department, i think when i get a home, i'll furnish it for the first few years with some used stuff, people around here throw out really nice stuff, like the hottub i snagged from my buddies parents that they were going to throw out on the bulovard    works fine, just had some cracked PVC which i'm replacing, so should be pretty nice when i'm done with it, and you know what i mean when i say drunken college girls just LOVE hottubs  

IKEA is mostly furniture from what I've heard but also includes kitchen stuff, wall hangings, lamps, knick knacks, etc.

If you own even one share of Berkshire, I'm impressed altho I heard it took quite a hit due to the hurricanes. Nice work on the hot tub, but sorry drunken college girls sounds too dangerous to me. But BBBY - oo la la! - still sexy and much safer. One of the elite, say 120 NASDAQ stocks. It's still delivering 20-30 % rev and earnings growth...

 

[Tommy_Dolitte]

The IKEA here in Minneapolis is said to be the largest in the world.

While in college (University of Chicago), I would find nice rugs for $19 that always seemed to "wow" visitors...

Otherwise....the only other thing there worth looking at are some of the lamps...and the cinnamon rolls---it's something about that weird taste that I love!

: )

 

[Berkshire_Bull]

i used to own a baby berkshire share, but i sold it a few years back after a runup in the stock, i'm better off with the selections i've made since i sold the berkshire. i think i may buy another baby berk though since i can contribute $4k to my IRA this year and i feel it will beat the averages.

 

[Whisper9999]

i used to own a baby berkshire share, but i sold it a few years back after a runup in the stock, i'm better off with the selections i've made since i sold the berkshire.  i think i may buy another baby berk though since i can contribute $4k to my IRA this year and i feel it will beat the averages.

I heard he's gambling against the dollar. Probably a good bet...

 

[Nords]

Don't get me wrong, IKEA does have some stuff that is decent quality, and even a bargain as compared to other stores.  For example, if you're looking for cheap kitchen stuff, IKEA always has knives, cutting boards, and even pots and pans for cheap.  Likewise, you can find rugs, pillows and lamps for decent prices as well.

So does Goodwill.  And spouse picked up six pairs of shorts today for $16.

i used to own a baby berkshire share, but i sold it a few years back after a runup in the stock, i'm better off with the selections i've made since i sold the berkshire.  i think i may buy another baby berk though since i can contribute $4k to my IRA this year and i feel it will beat the averages.

Hey, Bull, BRK has been stuck around $2800 for several months now.  About $250M of hurricane reinsurance losses but $38B in cash and another $20B shorting the dollar.  Keep an eye on it and think about a $2700 buy... or try to catch it on the way back up around $2900.

As for BBBY, I still can't decide if they're another Starbucks or a Krispy Kreme.  

 

[John Galt]

Yep, a large percentage of our non-food store
purchases
come from Goodwill, resale shops, garage sales, and The Dollar store (in my former life it was Lord and Taylor, LL Bean and Saks).
But, what I like even better than "for cheap" is free.
It is amazing what folks throw out or give away.
In the past year I have been given (or plucked off the curb) an extension ladder, rototiller, 27" color TV,
entertainment center, a clothes dryer, refrigerator, a set
of rustic tables, a lawn mower, and
an antique desk with brass caps on the legs.
The latest is a huge custom built dog house (we have 3 dogs). All this stuff was functional with no work needed
whatsoever. I kept what we could use and sold the rest.
Man, I love free stuff!

John Galt

 

[Jane]

So you had to assemble a sofa??  I can't imagine that. Or do the sofas come ready to go?

The frame came assembled (and I got all my purchases delivered for $45 since I bought them all in one day). All I had to do was to put the slipcover on the sofa.

Jane

 

[Whisper9999]

As for BBBY, I still can't decide if they're another Starbucks or a Krispy Kreme.  

That's the million dollar question, eh?

 

[Whisper9999]

Yep, a large percentage of our non-food store
purchases
come from Goodwill, resale shops, garage sales, and The Dollar store (in my former life it was Lord and Taylor, LL Bean and Saks).
But, what I like even better than "for cheap" is free.
It is amazing what folks throw out or give away.
In the past year I have been given (or plucked off the curb) an extension ladder, rototiller, 27" color TV,
entertainment center, a clothes dryer, refrigerator,  a set
of rustic tables, a lawn mower, and
an antique desk with brass caps on the legs.
The latest is a huge custom built dog house (we have 3 dogs).  All this stuff was functional with no work needed
whatsoever.  I kept what we could use and sold the rest.
Man, I love free stuff!

John Galt

How'd you find a free 27 inch TV?? In fact, how'd you come across all that stuff??

 

[bruce1]

How'd you find a free 27 inch TV??  In fact, how'd you come across all that stuff??

Keep your eyes and ears open, have a truck for easy transport and you'll be suprised what you can get free or at least real cheap from people who have upgraded and don't have room for the old stuff.

 

[KB]

There is a website (Freecycle.org) where you can join and give away stuff you don't want. Also you can get stuff that other people don't want. I've given away a number of large items through Freecycle.

Check and see if there is one in your area, there are many through out the US. People give away lots of things, I gave away mostly furniture.