Thursday, September 17, 2009

I'm in Love

This story brought to you by...
PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and Izzy 'N Emmy


Move over Papi...
Well lucky for him IKEA isn't a man or he'd be in trouble. My Enigma begged me to take her to IKEA before she goes back to school so we finally went. It might seem shocking that I've never been there before, but I don't go shopping if I can help it, and going shopping somewhere that's about 1/2 hour away or more is,well, not likely to happen at all unless I'm inspired by a more human cause like bonding with my offspring (Of course, usually I don't choose to bond with them in stores. I usually try not to commit infanticide in stores is all.)
Oh, but people, IKEA is a soothing balm to the harried disorganized disheveled mess of a housewife whose house is all full of holes in the wall and really wants to find balance and harmony in home organization and practical beauty. It is AWESOME! It is full of little organizing things that truly work for the right brained mind. It is so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Plus, kid play place if you have them along, cinnamon bun bar, restaurant and awesome showrooms, and stuff for a myriad of budgets, plus fun stuff like Swedish groceries and as my brother pointed out, you could live there. It has bathrooms, beds, sofas, kitchens, food, and so on. Now my brother and I will have a bonding tie between our two opposite existences-Beaver Cleaver vs. Dennis the Menace. Super Ultra Conservative vs. Artsy Nonconformist. Now we can stop trying to come to an agreement on politics that always leads right back into the conclusion that everyone should be responsible and BOY DE WE NEED CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM, bad enough that I think he should take my side on that one. But now, now I might just turn into a materialistic puppet who forgets all hope of world peace and end to hunger everywhere in exchange for the peace of a redecorated reorganized home.

WOW! We spent almost 2 hours in that store and I could have easily spent another hour at least in there. This is coming from the one who can't stand to spend more than an hour in any store on earth without feeling ill.

I am in love, love, love! Now I just need to find a way to earn enough money to get some things we could really truly use badly! Like entertainment center storage and wardrobe storage. Meanwhile, we settled for some little stuff. Remember the magnet thing I did? Oh there are so many magnetic options in that store, it would make your head spin. Here's what I got. This first one has no magnets, that was just to confuse you. Now I have a place to keep those pesky potholders, dishrags, pens, sponges, etc. Next I got this magnetic strip and some containers, but I did a switcheroo with the office containers because they have a few spice openings on the lids.See? No you don't need glasses, I need photography school.
Now the office supply corner looks like this:And just below that I have a new little table to go over my file box and to hold my cubbies. I realize this looks messy to most, but for me, it's nearly tidy. If I can just learn to file now, we will be in business.
So all this stuff was under $9 each and some stuff was less than a dollar, but it's sorta like Walmart, it adds up. I built the table and hung the stuff in the kitchen myself. The table was a breeze but I'm a klutz with tools. It was scary, but I got the job done because Papi is jealous. Just kidding! He's too busy working and when he ever gets a free moment, he has to hang up the other thing I got called....rings! I think that's what they're called. Like they hang on ropes and you swing on them or do awesome gymnastics, or destroy your house, but that's happening anyways, so why not invest some of that destructive energy in a step towards a world class gymnastics career? Or the ER...Some moms never learn. But it was just made for my boys. It seemed safer than the swing... and the chair that hangs from the ceiling was out of stock...or temporarily understocked as they say in Swedish.

P.S. This is not an infomercial. I'm really just in love. No one paid me to post this, but I think it would be awesome if IKEA rewarded me with free stuff for the free advertising. IKEA on the other hand, probably figures that since I'm the last one in all capitalist countries to walk into their stores, they didn't need the advertising. Too bad for me. Maybe it will happen in a dream someday. I'm dreaming of Swedish Meatballs....with this song in the background

19 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I Love IKEA...my kids LOVE Ikea.
I have MANY fun things...and used to own one of their couches.
Glad you discovered the fun of Sweedish Capitalism! Pax!

Anonymous said...

Great job with all the organizing! I have been dying to visit an Ikea, but there's not one super close to me. I'm always seeing someone post something about some awesome find they have from Ikea. Jealous!

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment!

Maggie May said...

I love Ikea and all the stuff that you can get there. Good value for money, I think.

mommeeof10 said...

There is an Ikkea about 75 miles from my house. I've only been there twice, in 16 years. It's just too far to drive and it's in Potomac Mills mall, which is very large and too easy to get lost in.

The Cranes said...

Shellie, there was an IKEA in the valley in Arizona for many years about 1/2 hour from my house and I never went there. Now that I am here in Utah, the IKEA is only 20 minutes away and I still haven't ever been there. So you are NOT the last person in a capitalist country to visit an IKEA. I probably will be. I didn't get the shopping gene, either--maybe it's not in our gene pool at all? Shopping is a necessary evil to me.

4boyzmdmom said...

Hee, hee...the shopping gene is definitely not in our gene pool, Amy! Because I have never been to IKEA, either! I have been wanting to go there for years; I know it will be right up my alley, but the closest one to me is in Baltimore (about an hour away) so yeah...haven't made it there yet. I do have their catalog, though, and I drool over a lot of things in there, but bottom line is...I want to see it in person before I buy it!

Burgh Baby said...

The really scary thing about IKEA is that no matter how often you go, you will always discover things you didn't notice before. It's a giant vacuum of money suck there!

Patty O. said...

I love IKEA, too. I just wish we had one closer, and i hate to shop, too! One great thing about IKEA, along with all the ones you mentioned is they have really cool toys for kids, including many that my son's OT recommends for his therapy. And they are so much cheaper than the therapy catalogs.

Jaina said...

Isn't Ikea amazing? It's one of those stores that when you finally go to it, you wonder how it was possible that you'd never been and how you possibly survived without it.

Honey Mommy said...

I love IKEA. I would love to redo my closets with some of their stuff... and organize my craftroom... and redo my kitchen... and remodel the bathroom.... *sigh*

Elsie Button said...

i am plucking up the courage to drive the 4 hour round trip to visit our 'local' ikea with baby dolly and todder in tow eeek. i do love ikea

Jen said...

Oh man, as a true organization freak, I love that store! Warning: It is addictive!

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hope you and your family are doing well.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Glad that you found a few things that have helped you out. Like the kitchen stuff.
We happened to be down your way in July and we made our first stop at IKEA. We had the meatballs ...... yum and bought a few small things for the twins birthday.... someday I'll do a little more exploring when we make it back down there.

RAQ said...

I love IKEA too and have been there too many times because it is actually the ONLY store Tim likes--the Pew gene! I actually went to IKEA the last time we went to Disneyland before we had one here. I had seen the catalog and wanted to get stuff for our house. But alas it was the family or furniture and the kids won out but my patience paid off I have an Ikea 20 minutes away!

Gerb said...

I also LOVE Ikea! Not only the perfect little containers and awesome toy section but the FOOD!

Jennifer @ Fruit of My Hands said...

IKEA....I think I need a tour guide in that store. I just get so overwhelmed I can't find anything. I need you to show me how to work that store or something. Other people find such cool stuff there, and I just find a headache.

The play place for kids is nice though.

caramama said...

I have never been to an IKEA before, either! I keep wanting to go, but just not making the 40 minute trip to the closest one.

But this week, I am planning to go to The Container Store. If you have one near you, I highly recommend it. Organization Heaven!!!

Your organizing looks great! Kudos on your purchases and putting them together/up yourself!

Momisodes said...

Ikea is pretty awesome. It's far from us too but it's worth the hike sometimes. Not to mention they have childcare and decent swedish meatballs :)

Erick said...

I, like Amy and Annette, belong to the "never been to Ikea" club. However, apparently Liz and Erin went there last weekend when they were down in Utah. I also belong to the shopping gene deprived club, but my kids definitely do not (unfortunately).