I went to IKEA the other day just to get inspiration and possibly a new duvet for our bed. It's also a fun experience for the kids since Noah is big enough to spend an hour in their playland while I shop in peace (sort of) with PK in tow. After furnishing half our apartment with IKEA stuff, I am coming to the conclusion that IKEA is only great for certain household items. Other things from IKEA just do not last! Here is my list of DO's and DON'Ts from IKEA.
DO's:
shower curtain: cheapo and thin, but does the trick and you can't find cool patterns like this for such low prices.
bedding!: I was so happy with my kids' bedding. The thread count on their textiles have to be super low, but after a few washes, they are real soft and have kept my kiddos very warm through this nasty winter.
Beds: My kids' bunk bed is super sturdy and has literally really taken a beating. The mattresses are another story. I am so uncomfortable on those, but maybe for lighter bodies they're okay.
wall art: They ARE on the pricey end for IKEA, but they totally do the trick. They fill up a sad, blank wall and they have a pretty good selection.
rugs: Cute patterns and colors and when they get dirty, they wash real well in the laundry.
frames: they are a little flimsy, but if you hang them with a good nail and hanger hook, they do great. Soooo cheap you don't feel guilty about painting them.
MIXED FEELINGS:
storage units: I love how organized these have kept us and they look great, but we had to buy our own hardware to keep them sturdy and from tipping on our kiddos.
DON'T:
Anything metal that goes in the shower WILL RUST after a few months. I am just waiting for this to fall apart completely on us.
coffee tables: maybe this is just the mega cheap one, but we had to get our own extra braces for the table legs to hold it steady. It was a really low proce so you get what you pay for.
bookcases: we have the simple version like this. I am curious about the large wall units, though. Ours fell apart within a day. It is still usable, but we have thrown pieces away that have fallen off of it! We had one from Wal-mart like this once that was the exact same quality.
floor lamps: I have never seen ours stand up completely straight! It is pretty flimsy and doesn't give off enough light. It also has a part that falls off all the time.
storage boxes: maybe it's just beacuse I have kids tearing throught my house getting in and out of these boxes, but I have already lost a few screws that go into my larger of these boxes. I still kind of like them, though.
DO's:
shower curtain: cheapo and thin, but does the trick and you can't find cool patterns like this for such low prices.
bedding!: I was so happy with my kids' bedding. The thread count on their textiles have to be super low, but after a few washes, they are real soft and have kept my kiddos very warm through this nasty winter.Beds: My kids' bunk bed is super sturdy and has literally really taken a beating. The mattresses are another story. I am so uncomfortable on those, but maybe for lighter bodies they're okay.
wall art: They ARE on the pricey end for IKEA, but they totally do the trick. They fill up a sad, blank wall and they have a pretty good selection.
rugs: Cute patterns and colors and when they get dirty, they wash real well in the laundry.
frames: they are a little flimsy, but if you hang them with a good nail and hanger hook, they do great. Soooo cheap you don't feel guilty about painting them.MIXED FEELINGS:
storage units: I love how organized these have kept us and they look great, but we had to buy our own hardware to keep them sturdy and from tipping on our kiddos.DON'T:
Anything metal that goes in the shower WILL RUST after a few months. I am just waiting for this to fall apart completely on us.
coffee tables: maybe this is just the mega cheap one, but we had to get our own extra braces for the table legs to hold it steady. It was a really low proce so you get what you pay for.
bookcases: we have the simple version like this. I am curious about the large wall units, though. Ours fell apart within a day. It is still usable, but we have thrown pieces away that have fallen off of it! We had one from Wal-mart like this once that was the exact same quality.floor lamps: I have never seen ours stand up completely straight! It is pretty flimsy and doesn't give off enough light. It also has a part that falls off all the time.storage boxes: maybe it's just beacuse I have kids tearing throught my house getting in and out of these boxes, but I have already lost a few screws that go into my larger of these boxes. I still kind of like them, though.There you have it! I hope this was helpful. This post has been in my mind for so long, I had to get it out today.
