Went to one of my favorite (bargain) stores this week on a twice-yearly pilgramage with my daughter A.J. Ikea! I first heard about the arrival of the "Swedish" store at a kid's party where some of the mothers were raving about the affordability and quality of the furniture. "Lasts longer than the stuff I bought at Pottery Barn," said one of the mothers who had lived near an Ikea in another state. Getting there is a project, since it's about 45 minutes away from Miami. It helps to know what you want before you go, so you can make the best use of your time. You can pre-shop online, or look through a catalogue and mark items you're interested in. I was going to get stuff for my 12 year old step daughter's birthday, to replace a broken bathroom tumbler and for the meatballs. Ikea makes it easy for you to be organized in your shopping, with a map of the store, shopping list, pencil, and paper measuring tape provided when you walk in. We walked past cute, multi-colored Parsons tables on sale for $7.99! The tutoring company I worked for had these for the kids and they were sturdy and durable- perfect for kids and play rooms. Free samples of Ikea's famous Swedish meatballs were handed out, along with a coupon for a free drink at the cafe at the entrance. Score! Ikea is known for its cheap furniture, but they also have great deals on paper goods (50 large napkins for $1.99) and I love their glassware and vases. If you're looking to get organized, this is a great place to find stuff and much cheaper than the Container Store. Just make sure you have all the necessary pieces for your items in the box before you leave. We shopped around, got a headache, and took a break for lunch. The store can definitely be overwhelming, even if you've been before. At the cafe, you can get 15 Swedish meatballs in sauce, with lingon berry jelly and mashed potatoes for $4.99. Yummy! After getting a second wind, we finished our shopping. They had a deal going on the Swedish Meatballs. I got a bag of frozen meatballs, a bag of gratin potatoes and two packets of sauce all for $10.00. I also got the Ligon jelly for $1.99 to go with the meatballs. Although I didn't feel I got that much, I managed to spend 84 bucks. So here's another Ikea tip: scan your basket before you leave to decide what you really want/need. Even the little stuff adds up. I was rushed to leave and didn't do this and literally exhausted when we arrived at our car. My daughter, who claimed to have quit smoking, smoked two cigarettes on the way home and we ended up getting lost. Some more Ikea tips: wear comfortable shoes, go mid-week or in the evening (avoid Saturdays like the plague), bring a large car or truck if you're going to buy big items. Oh! And one more thing- bring your energy. You're going to need it.
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