IKEA Quick Tip - Paper or Plastic? How about neither...

The first time I went to IKEA, I found these beautiful, big, blue bags. IKEA eliminated plastic and paper bags from their check-out, so I happily clunked down my $0.59 for the shopping bag and was on my way. Of all the things I bought that day, I think this ended up being my favorite.

The FRAKTA shopping bag has become my laundry basket when I travel, my towel bag when the family heads to the pool, a recycling bag when we're at a picnic, the bag I throw my BBBS or Goodwill donations into...you get the idea. It's huge, has two different size handles, which for some reason makes me happy, it folds flat, and it's easy to wipe down and clean. Don't forget to grab a few extra on your next trip to IKEA.

IKEA Quick Tip - Dude, where's my car?

You're finally going to IKEA!!! You have your list ready, you're ready for a cinnamon roll, you're ready to start!

The beginning of your experience starts with parking. It can take a few minutes to park, but don't panic. Plan on spending 10 minutes cruising around, but there are plenty of parking spaces.  

Once you've parked, STOP and take a picture of where you parked. You are going to be in IKEA for an average of 3 hours, taking in room after room of sensory stimulation...with a lot of people. Once you've picked and paid for your goods, you're going to forget where you parked. Take my word for it. But you took a picture of your parking location, and now you can find your car so you can go home and unpack your loot.

IKEA Quick Tip - Registering for IKEA Family

Have you heard about IKEA Family? It's your basic store loyalty program where you scan your card and get a discount on selected items. There are some seriously good discounts that come with this, not to mention free coffee or tea, and an extra 30 minutes for the kids in Småland. What is Småland? It's a free child watch service you can use while picking your IKEA merchandise. Brilliant, huh? 

When you enter IKEA, there will be an IKEA family kiosk at the bottom of the escalator, and another at the top outside of the restaurant. You can register and get your IKEA family card at the kiosk, but save yourself some time in line and register on-line. When you get to the store, you just punch in your e-mail address, and the card prints in seconds. Click HERE to register from the comfort of your home, or office, or wherever you're reading this from. 

Welcome to the family!