Contrary to popular belief IKEA isn’t just a place where couples go to fight and eat Swedish meatballs. It’s not just a place with cheap flat pack furniture that you then get to assemble like a grown up version of Lego. It’s much more than that. In fact there’s a lot of things that you can get in IKEA that will cheaper than in other stores yet the quality will remain good. So in case you’re looking for quality bargains here’s a list of 12 things you should definitely be buying in IKEA.
1. Area Rugs
Have you ever wanted to buy a decently sized rug for your living room? Then you know that those can cost you an arm and a leg. However in IKEA you can find decent looking rugs for under 100$. In fact some of them are just $50 and they’ll definitely last you a couple of years. It’s a perfect solution for those who want to spruce up a room yet not feel too bad if they spill something on the carpet.
2. Throw Pillows
If you’re the kind of person who likes to have a bunch of throw pillows and cushions on your couch to make yourself feel super cosy while watching Netflix – IKEA is a goldmine for you. They have throw cushions starting at only $2.50. What a bargain!
3. Blankets and Throws
While I see how people can get weird about bedding and linens (that thread count does matter), when it comes to blankets and throws – there really is no need to be a snob about it. You can get very decent throws and blankets here without overpaying.
4. Shower Curtains
I love having many shower curtains. Firstly cause they get weird and icky at the bottom pretty quick and you wanna switch them out and wash them, and secondly cause it’s fun changing up the patterns once in a while. It changes the whole look of your bathroom. At IKEA you can get cool patterned ones for pretty cheap.
5. Door Hangers
When you’re renting you’re not always allowed to make holes in the walls or drill anything into the walls. And plastic stick on hooks can look pretty cheap and ugly. In IKEA you can get stainless steel door hangers for your towels and bathrobes or any other things for under $10. It’s brilliant you get to hang stuff up without having to drill or damage anything in the apartment.
6. Storage Basket
Whether you need one to keep your magazines, extra blankets or just some random crap that you want to hide, storage baskets are your best bet. They look way cuter than those ugly plastic storage bins and you can get pretty cool ones in IKEA for just a couple of bucks.
7. Lighting
Whether you want a table lamp, a floor lamp or a bunch of smart lighting kits – you can get all of this in IKEA for a fraction of price. And I gotta say, when it comes to floor lamps – they’ve got pretty snazzy looking ones.
8. Edison Bulbs
I know you’ve always wanted to have some of those cool looking Edison bulbs purely for decoration. They look cool but usually they’re at least $20 per bulb. Well in IKEA you can get big ones for $12 and they’re actually LED, so even though they look old-school they’re energy saving. It’s a win-win.
9. Frames
You can get whole sets of picture frames in IKEA for like $10. Think about it, your gallery wall will basically build itself. And you know that all of their frames will go well together, look cool and minimalistic and make decorating your place way easier.
10. Bowls and Mugs
Swedish minimalist chic is all the rage now. All those cool minimalist mugs you’re seeing online in various blogs – yeah, there’s a very good chance there are very similar ones in IKEA. So don’t deny yourself the pleasure of having as many of those as you want. They tend to be dirt cheap and they’ll look amazing on your Instagram too.
11. Food Containers
IKEA is a goldmine of good quality food containers that are super cheap. You can get amazing glass jars for grains and pasta for just a couple of bucks. And if you need Tupperware sets of all shapes and sizes that are sinfully cheap.
12. Artificial Plants and Pots
If you’re anything like me you probably can’t keep a plant alive. But at the same time you want your apartment to look cool and having plants is very “in” these days. Here’s my secret – just get fake plants in cool pots from IKEA. No one will know or care.