6 Best Kept IKEA Secrets

Today I want to share a few things I love about IKEA and and why you shouldn’t just think about it as a place for students and apartment dwellers. It’s so much more than just Billy book cases.

I’m going to give you some of the best kept secrets that I don’t hear most people talk about. But, it’s why I keep going back to IKEA every year.

Idea Generation

First, even if you don’t buy anything at IKEA, it is so much fun to go walk around. They have some of the most amazing and creative designers.

And if you’ve never been to IKEA, it’s completely worth it. And if you haven’t been in a while, they update all the little rooms that you walk around regularly. If you haven’t been in six months, you could go and it could all be completely different.

I love to go, even if I’m not going to buy anything, just to walk around those rooms because there are so many different creative ideas, beyond how to living in a small space.

Sit Stand Desks

I recently bought a standing desk from IKEA. I’ve bought many sit, stand desks in the past. And this one is so much better design.

The system for cord organization is this mesh thing under the desk, which is a game changer for organizing cords.

For a gaming computer which has a lot of cords, or a work desk where you have printers and other corded devices the mesh is so much better than having a tube under the desk. And the mechanics of the desk are unbelievable.

Cheap Delivery

IKEA offers delivery. If you find something there that you really like but you can’t get to a store, you can have it shipped.

If you spend over $300, you can get it delivered for free for the the big stuff if you are part of the IKEA Family (this is not always offered, but it is one of the benefits). You can also get 5% off when you buy in-store with the IKEA family.

They also have a lot of housewares, smaller light fixtures, textiles baskets, art and so much more. Those can be delivered for only $6.

Slipcovered Sofas/Chairs

Four, they have a lot of sofas that have slipcovers. And slipcovers are not just a thing for people who like the shabby chic design.

Slipcovers are a practical thing to have in your home if you have pets or children because they can be washed and they can really extend the life of your sofa. They have a brand new sofa called the HylTarp. It’s very classic lines for a sofa. At IKEA it comes in eight different fabrics.

On ETSY you can get slipcovers made for this sofa that only cost $200 in probably one hundred different fabrics. You can really customize it to your color palette. My sister has bought two of them and they’re a great deal and high quality. Really great if you have a lot of pets.

I use affiliate links so I can afford to keep doing this. Hope it saves you time. See my disclosure policy.

PAX Closet Systems

I really like to get the PAX closet systems. I live in an old house that had nothing but rods in the closets. You can put in a PAX organization system in your closet for a lot less money than what you would find at a Container Store or California Closets.

I’ve also tried the Home Depot storage. Pax is more expensive than Home Depot, but the quality is a lot higher and the options are vast in comparison.

Free Kitchen Designer

Another thing that’s great about IKEA is their kitchen planning. If you’re planning to do a kitchen remodel, the cabinets are not the cheapest. But they have so many customization options. And if you know the dimensions of your kitchen, you can get a free designer to help you arrange all of the cabinets.

They can suggest all kinds of things that you may not have thought of, and you can design it on their custom planning tool and take it into the designer. And they will tell you the problems with your design and make suggestions to improve it.

You don’t have to use their electronic design, but I tested it when I helped someone who was redesigning an old kitchen. She wanted to put in IKEA cabinets. Their service and suggestions were unbelievably helpful.

Design Styles For Everyone

The last thing I’m going to say about IKEA is that The variety of pieces at IKEA is surprising. Every time I go there, there are so many new things. And they have every style. They have mid century modern. They have more traditional pieces, modern, boho.

So you can really find a little bit of something for everyone.

Not everything is a bargain. There are some pieces at IKEA that are not more cost effective than buying them at other places. So you really should still shop around a little. If you want to learn more about how to find your style, check out this post.

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