Hello my name is Allie and I am addicted to IKEA

Having an IKEA located not too far from where I live has been bad. Very bad. Granted we are going to be furnishing a new place (hopefully) soon but let´s be honest, when I go there I always end up buying more than what I planned on getting. For me it has become the European version of Target (which is a black hole for money). Last night we went because as members of the IKEA family club Jose received a coupon in the mail for 9 euros off a 90 euro purchase. We went for a rug (which we had seen before and planned on getting) and not much else. But they are smart merchandisers there at IKEA. If you have never been know that you have to walk through the whole store like a maze to get to the check-out. It is IMPOSSIBLE not to find something on the way that you absolutely need (or are able to talk yourself into). Yesterday we ended up with some Christmas serving bowls (since we have none), wrapping supplies (which we will use this year) and some things I rummaged out of the "opportunities" section where they always have great deals on things people have returned or that were out on display. Let´s just say that we made it to our 90 euros and added another 10.

Though I have this love/hate relationship with IKEA I know that with the store´s help I will be able to furnish my new apartment on the budget we have and that it will look good. I find that I am able to get a lot of inspiration just walking through the store and seeing their displays and their website has even more ideas. I like that they have a whole gamma of price points and that you can get what you need without breaking the bank. Admittedly some things just scream dorm room but there are other pieces that are really beautiful.

One thing that we know we will buy for our apartment from IKEA are wardrobes and closets. Built-in closets are NOT common here in Spain. I never appreciated how nice having a real closet was until I moved here (not to mention the dream of having a walk-in closet, one day, one day). Instead people have wardrobes and stand alone closets. IKEA is great for these. You can design not only how they will look on the outside but also what accessories they will have on the inside. Jose and I have a lot of clothes so we will have to be smart about how we utilize this space. We will need to maximize each inch (which will be a theme throughout our apartment). IKEA is very good at doing this. Their designers have some great ideas about how to take advantage of small spaces throughout your home.

Our visit this week was a pretty short trip, only 2 hours. I find that people become zombie-like while walking through there. They are unable to pay attention to where they are going or what is going on around them. With Jose´s help I am able to be focused. He even missed most of his team´s soccer game to go with me! What a guy! I can´t wait to go back again, this time hopefully to make some BIG purchases. As my dad would say, "Poor Jose."

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