I had fun on my mission today, but I also feel like I wasted a whole day!!
IKEA is fun, but it’s also very cave-like. You just get sucked in. There are no windows. It could be tornado-ing outside and you wouldn’t know. Winter or summer.
I ate half of my snack-lunch at noon right when I was arriving and by 3pm I had just finished part I – the small wares (I didn’t get too much stuff, but I wanted to scope it all out). Part II involved collecting all the giant pieces for our PAX closet and Billy Bookcases.
You’d think going on a Monday would be good, but there were so few people to help me that at one point I literally was alone in an aisle with a shelf I could not reach yelling [politely] “helllllppp!”
[Love this giant floor light for only $50!]
Bookcase inspiration:
Future Home Neat Closet! I cannot wait to play with the pullout drawers!
Thankfully I found a few people to help – although pushing/pulling 2 massive carts simultaneously from one end of the warehouse to the other was the hardest part of the day! Chest workout!!
That or the killer traffic on I-95 🙁 I scarfed down my ice cream and ate my egg + pear on the drive back, which actually flew by despite the traffic.
And of course, I already realized I made a mistake with the cabinet lights – forgot the cord. So it looks like I’ll be back with a return between now and December 18!
Matt and I arrived home at the same time and while I unloaded, he made a simple dinner. We were going to have burgers, but the new brand I bought needed thawing and I forgot to thaw it, so we made something else – Tomato Melts on some of Matt’s Aunt Donna’s bagels from Oak Ridge, TN!
Topped with tomato, cheddar and some bleu cheese Matt brought home from the bakery – all broiled on a sun-dried tomato Hot Bagel Co. Bagel
Side salad –
Simple. Filled us up.
For someone as organized as I normally am, you would not believe the pile of papers I have accumulated during our move while the filing cabinet was hidden. I just spent an hour sorting through them and figuring out which needed attention. We still have so, so much to do on this house!
But we can do that tomorrow. Because tomorrow is another day.
[email protected] says
Can’t believe you drove all the way up here for IKEA and have to go back again! I could’ve met you there to help!!
KathEats says
GAH forgot that you live so close!!
Christine @ BookishlyB says
I was just at IKEA yesterday picking up some more Billy bookcases (not to tout my blog, but I just did a post on my new “library” featuring these)! I agree- you could spend hours in there. Have you seen the movie 500 Days of Summer where they play “house” inside?
KathEats says
Can’t wait to check out your post!
Christine @ BookishlyB says
Thanks 🙂 Simple but functional. I guess that’s pretty much everything at IKEA! Ooooh and affordable. And now I sound like a marketing campaign.
Jen says
Nice first shot of your meal in that setting.
Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama says
I have lived in my cuurent space for 4 months and STILL have so much to do. You’re doing great!
Susan says
We have that giant floor lamp. You won’t be disappointed. It gives off really great, soft lighting!
KathEats says
Awww I didn’t get it but I wish I had!
Lauren @ Lawfully Wedded Wife says
It’s so true, Ikea is literally a day trip to a faraway land. I get lost in there. And sometimes a little overwhelmed! But it’s awesome, it can’t be beat with it’s prices and the ridiculous selection.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I feel the same way about IKEA. I love it, but it can feel very cave like! Sounds like you had a good day overall. Have a great night Kath!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
I think I may have cried trying to push those carts across the store. Sounds like quite a day!
Sweet and Savvy says
I am in love with those book cases!
Kori says
Kaci & I need to pick up some Hot Bagel Co. bagels soon! I’m really excited to see your house come together! 🙂
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes says
IKEA can be really time consuming! I love looking at their displays though 🙂
Jeannie says
How did you get those boxes home?! Do you drive a tractor trailer?!
KathEats says
I had to pay for delivery 🙁
KathEats says
(Which is actually pretty reasonable considering the 2 hour drive and the amount of stuff I got – it’s a flat rate so you can buy the whole store and it’s the same price)
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio says
hahaha! That’s what I was thinking. Too funny!
Cait's Plate says
I give you credit for coming out of IKEA alive at all!! I can’t even imagine how exhausted you must be – enjoy the rest of your evening because you’re 100% right, tomorrow is another day and those papers will always be there for you 🙂
Deva @ Deva by Definition says
I can’t wait to see what you assemble when you get everything all set up. I love IKEA. Our closest is about 40 mins away. We’ve only been once, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be back once we buy a house.
Mandy @ The Fat Girl's Guide to Life says
Exciting! I love shopping at Ikea. I’m dreading having to move, but shopping for new furniture makes it worth it. Good luck with decorating and all. Can’t wait to see pics of the set up when you’ve finished.
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
I have been working on our house for 10 months and am still working- Girl, you are knocking it out of the park!!! 🙂
Immy says
This is the only way to go to Ikea from Charlottesville. It says it is 20 minutes longer than 95, but no matter what time you go, you will always hit traffic on I-95. This is mostly two lane roads, but far more pleasant.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Charlottesville,+VA&daddr=38.541494,-77.8125801+to:2901+Potomac+Mills+Circle,+Woodbridge,+VA+22192+(Ikea+Woodbridge)&hl=en&sll=38.32844,-77.88034&sspn=1.38324,2.117615&geocode=FfpHRAIdeopS-ymPpFDqLYaziTH8dIvDlvCGkA%3BFbYYTAIdnKxc-ymdi1BC64S2iTGSUDeuz8Us3A%3BFQynTQIdtKpk-yHiz0xbOP-lVg&vpsrc=0&gl=us&mra=ls&t=m&z=9&via=1
KathEats says
Oh good – I will take that next time!! The way I went yesterday (20 to 15 to 3 to 95) was really really nice for 80% of it.
J3nn(Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
Oooooh, I like that giant floor lamp! So cool.
Your bagel melt looks deeeeeelish!! Yum.
Katie @ Peace Love and Oats says
sounds like quite a trip! Ikea can really get you – thankfully when I went my dad was with me, so he dealt with all the heavy stuff, and kept me moving!
Kaila @healthyhelperblog! says
MMMMM grilled cheese and tomato sounds delicious!!!
Ali @ Peaches and Football says
How fun to get the new house all organized and set up. I LOVE designing and setting things up. Can’t wait to do it myself one day.
Trying overnight oats cold for breakfast tomorrow. I’ve waited long enough. Time to see what all the fuss is about. 🙂
lynn @ the actor's diet says
i’ve got the pizza bagel song in my head again…
Holly @ The Runny Egg says
I never go to Ikea alone — I need someone to push the cart while I look at things!
ann says
Yes Scarlet!
Kristin @ eat healthy. be happy. live well. says
At least you had a filing cabinet to begin with!!! My honey and I just got one…for the longest time we just had piles and piles of important papers, but we could never find the one we were looking for! Here’s to getting organized! Enjoy setting up the rest of the house.
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio says
Y’alls dinner look amazing. I love how y’all just create meals with what you have. It’s awesome.
I can’t wait to see what you bought today. Too fun!
Liz @ Southern Charm says
The simplicity of your dinner is so appealing. Is it weird that it’s making my drool?? haha!
Lu @ A Mix of it All says
Congrats on a mission accomplished! Your dinner looks amazing. Nothing is better that tomatoes and blue cheese. Not to mention that there was a bagel under it all. Yum!
Laughter-Loving Stacy says
Ahhh, whenever i go to ikea, i just want to say: “Can I please have everything in this section? and someone to style my house for me?” haha! 🙂
ashley says
Ugh, I always have IKEA envy when I see bloggers go there – the nearest Swedish Mecca is outside of Chicago, which is a 5 hour drive from St. Louis. There are a few services that will drive up there, buy your stuff, and deliver it (for a fee cheaper than IKEA delivery), but I’m a toucher – I can’t buy sight unseen. I think I’m going to drag my boyfriend up for a roadtrip (with a Uhaul trailer) sometime soon, though – we need some furniture at rock-bottom prices.
Namaste Gurl says
Ikea really is so overwhelming. I can’t go in there without getting lost and zooming the whole place. It only takes me one million hours as well 🙂 Good luck on continuing to find what you need!
Tomato and cheddar is the best! I’m going to try fig and white cheddar broiled sandwich soon!
Mama Pea says
I call Costco “The $100 Store” (because you can’t get out without spending $100). I call IKEA “The Three Hour Store” (because three hours just disappear from your day). Glad you made it out alive!
Khushboo says
Wow go you- i don’t think I could handle Ikea on my own…..both choice-wise and lifting wise!
Shaya (Eye Girl Eats) says
Haha sad day, yelling for help in an empty area of Ikea!! Thankfully I’m all of 5’9″, and I’m usually a shelf-helper not a shelf-reacher.
Brave of you to go there alone, by the way. I am not a fan of the windowless vortex of time and space that is Ikea. My Hubs likes it much more than I do in there 😉
Lucinda says
What kind of cheese it that? I ask as we don’t have anything like that in NZ or Australia, unless it is smoked…then we do!
KathEats says
A local cheddar
Kathy W. says
You & Rhett have a lot of assembling to do.
Notyet100 says
Even I liuv ikea nd ur so right it’s like a cave
nichole (eat & be pretty) says
i get lost in IKEA for hours on end! that lunch looks delicious, i’m going to make some type of variation of it for dinner tonight 🙂
Cait @ Beyond Bananas says
I can never make a “short” trip to IKEA> You are so right… there is way to much to look at..and I do too much daydreaming about what I can do with some of the rooms in my place!!!
Debbi says
A trip to IKEA for me is four hours one direction, five in another. I guess that would be a two-day trip. The joy of living in the Middle of Nowhere is learning what you can live without! Heh.
Simply Life says
what a great spur-of-the-moment dinner!
M says
Kath everyone I know takes at least a couple of months to
even make a dent on their move into a new house 🙂
Patience -and just think how very lucky you are to own such a lovely home
as so many of us are renting apartments and will never be able to afford
a house ever in our lifetime.It is a privilege!
Molly @ RDexposed says
There’s gotta be a time when a homeless person tried to live in an Ikea.
KathEats says
Actually the toilet in one of the sample bathrooms had a clear DO NOT USE cover on it – which means people have tried them out!!
Hillary says
This is so dorky to admit, but those bookcases are making me swoon. I need a full wall bookcase with a ladder, just like in Beauty and the Beast, and I can die happy ; )
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
Wow, I need to go to IKEA, we have one in San Francisco, I don’t know why I never go? That store is amazing, you can spend the whole day there! However, I could also get into allot of trouble spending money there. he he Thats probably why I don’t go. 🙂 Your tomato melt sandwich looks good!!!
Karen says
Yep…Ikea is one of those stores that I want to love (the low prices, the simple style, the functionality) but am so often disappointed (the non existent service at a store level, the massive DIY projects, the hit-or-miss often flimsy quality.) That bookcase looks lovely, but as tempted as I am to check it out, I’m just not sure it’s worth the inevitable disappointment that another IKEA experience will likely bring, but will eagerly stay tuned for your review…
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
I don’t think I could ever tackle IKEA alone – I always drag my mom along with me! 😛
Hope @ With A Side Of Hope says
I love walking around IKEA. It’s the best place to go for home decorating ideas. 🙂
Jennifer says
We have never been to IKEA but I want to go now. 🙂
Is the tv stand in your first picture from IKEA? I love it! I love all of your furniture. It’s so pretty.
KathEats says
yeah, that whole room is!
Leslie says
Wonder if there is a way to rig that floor lamp and have it over a dining room table? We have no ceiling lights in that room and I am always looking for something. It might be a little awkward, but I guess it would depend on where the base is. I might check it out. Luckily, our Ikea is about 25 min away (we used to have to drive 3 hours).
KathEats says
That’s where I wanted it! Matt vetoed
Leslie says
Well, maybe I should buy it and try it out (since it’s a lot easier for me to get to Ikea). If I do, I’ll send you a photo so you can see how it looks.
Angel7 says
I really like the giant floor lamp, plus the price is great!!! The curtains in the room, with the giant floor lamp, are cool as well!
That closet is sooo cool!
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Amy says
I live in Knoxville and can tell you that Hot Bagel in Oak Ridge bakes the best bagels in the area. I used to eat lunch there every day when I worked in Oak Ridge. Donna is quite a character 🙂 Please ask her to start making their jalapeno bagels again!
KathEats says
Awesome!!! I will tell her 🙂
Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats says
Bookcase inspiration=amazing. Love it!