Do you like IKEA or do you love it? Wait. Do you say you hate it? Sounds like you are among the many people out there who have a love-hate relationship with the store. Everyone enjoys how easy it is to find affordable, trendy things for the house there. But, no one loves having to trek to the megastore on the weekend to shuffle through the aisles with the rest of the world in tow.
Yet there are ways to make a trip to IKEA stress-free. All you need to do is follow some tips from a few shopping insiders. Make a plan, and bring a list. There are literally thousands of items to choose from in hundreds of categories at IKEA, but you must learn how to narrow your choices own. Look at the website before you go to the store especially when you are shopping for large furnishings. The IKEA website lets you see inspirational photos of various products and these can make it easier to see them in your mind’s eye as having a place in your house.
Our Best Interior Designer IKEA Shopping Tips
1. You can make your own list as well as use the shopping list feature on the IKEA website. This feature tells you where each item is located and lets you check off items as you shop so that you never miss anything. When you make a shopping list you can also see the availability of items before you go to the store. Tip number one is to never leave home without your IKEA shopping list.
2. It is easy to get around the store. Use the available maps and follow the blue signs. These tell you where to go and where you have come from. Use the arrows on the floor as well to keep from getting lost.
3. IKEA gets hundreds of new products every few months. Follow up with new stock by visiting the news page online. You will also see NEW tags on items in the store.
4. Use your phone to take photos of items you see in the store for future reference. Make sure to include the product number and its location in your photo. You can also use the barcode feature on the IKEA app to scan items and make a digital shopping list. This lets you keep a shopping list right in your pocket at all times, ready to update on the fly.
5. It is wise to measure your space or your furnishings before you leave home for the store. You do not want to fall in love with something only to find out that it will not fit through your front door.
6. If you want to buy something specific, use the website to view the dimensions of the package. This way you know it will fit in your car for the ride home.
7. Do not forget to stock up on things like batteries, lightbulbs, napkins, candles and other staples while at the store. You will never have to worry about doing without that IKEA lamp until you can get back to the store when the next bulb on it burns out.
Tired of shopping at Ikea? See our recommendations on our top shops for interior design in the Montreal area: https://northinteriordesign.com/decorating-staging-montreal/