4.23.2012

Our Second Pilgrimage to IKEA

When you are flying out of Pittsburgh to go on your Caribbean cruise, what is the logical thing to do?

Stop at IKEA Pittsburgh, naturally.

Stop at IKEA, naturally, and meet the IKEA Easter bunny who has unnaturally vacant predator eyes. By a show of hands, who wants him coming to hide plastic eggs around their house while they sleep? Anyone?

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You also treat your family to a free lunch with your $100+ purchase. Swedish Fish for all!

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Unlike the first time we went there, I was prepared with a list that I had compiled before leaving home in the interest of not succumbing to the gigantic shopping mecca of Swedishness that is IKEA. So my items of interest this time were strictly things that I had a specific plan for, namely 120 wooden hangers for our closet and two 72” floating shelves for above the couch.

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We also purchased a step stool for our closet…

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faux sheepskin throw rugs for next to our bed…

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…this blanket for our bedroom…

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…and a little $5 moveable statue man, who I named Bjorn after my family laughed at me for buying such a stupid item, and then they laughed at me some more for naming him at all, let alone naming him Bjorn.

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Bjorn traveled with us through much of our trip. Here he is saying “Ahoy mate!” as we board the ship.

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And here he is comforting our towel elephant after I beheaded it.

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To be honest, I’m not sure why I bought Bjorn, because he most definitely was not on my list of “things to buy,” and he’s not particularly cute. He’s cheap and quirky, though, and I like cheap and quirky. He also comes with a range of attitudes and abilities.

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Useful, no?

So that about sums up our annual trek to IKEA. (We don’t live near one, otherwise it probably wouldn’t be such a big deal that we went.)

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How often do you go to IKEA? Do you make a list before you go? Who wants to take Bjorn on their next family trip?

30 comments :

  1. 1. I love the Easter Bunny photo.
    2. I'm drooling over your hangers. I really want wooden hangers for our closet but Nate tells me it's ridiculous to spend money to replace perfectly good hangers. Boys.
    3. I also love that blanket. Good choices.
    4. I may be with your family on Bjorn.

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    1. Well, the way I figured it with the new hangers is that right now, we just have enough hangers for us. Someday, we would have had to buy more hangers anyway. (No, I’m not pregnant. Just sayin’.) And with our closet doubling as a stairway, I wanted something that would make it look a little more pulled together. Now, our future kiddos, whose closets will be tucked away and not on display, can have the plastic hangers.

      So: another reason for you to have kids? ;)

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  2. I've been to Ikea once (last year) and I'm dying to go back. We have to make a trip in the next 2 months because we're buying our countertops from there. Thankfully, they dont sell the countertops online so we have to make a trip. I've been making a list for a while... it includes lighting, one of those natural woven rugs, countertops, sink, and random kitchy items like Bjorn.

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  3. I may or may not have considered buying that artist from IKEA (spoiler alert, I may have). What did you do with all of those hangers and everything you bought. Did they go on the ship, too?

    Love what you bought. I need to go to IKEA soon but every time we do, I come out poor. Maybe when they release their 2013 collection!

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    Replies
    1. We actually drove to Pittsburgh and then flew out of Pittsburgh to Florida, so our stash stayed in the van in Pittsburgh. Bjorn was the only lucky one. ;)

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  4. I try to go to IKEA every time I'm near one. Our closest one is 3 hours away. The hubs tries to steer me away from IKEA anytime we're in a city with one. And after several hours, he usually has to remind me that we need to fit the kids in the van for the trip home, too. ;-) Love the faux sheepskin throws!

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  5. I happen to love Bjorn! I want a Bjorn of my very own now.

    I don't live anywhere near an Ikea, which pains me, because you cleaned UP and it makes me jealous.

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  6. I've never been to IKEA!..I know I'm crazy, but we don't have one! Talk to the hand could be useful for sure ;)

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    1. I'm with Amy- I happen to love Bjorn too and would like one for myself as well. He's quirky and fun and he is quite flexible. Plus- it's a great accessory that starts people talking.

      You certainly did well at Ikea. I too make a list or I get waaaay too distracted by all the goodies. We are about 2 and a half hours from one so we only make it there every year or year and a half as well but man do I love going!

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  7. I'm woefully behind on your blog! What an amazing trip you had, and the raspberry pie looks very yum. (I would never say that in real life, BTW)

    At first I thought, THAT was on her list?! But after I see all the fun Bjorn can be, I think he was an excellent value! And sometimes 'cute' is in the character. ;)

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  8. I LOVE Ikea! We went 2 weeks ago and I bought a bunch of frames and curtains. We are about 2 hours away from Ikea so we only go every few months, but it's nice that it's a short road trip away when I really really want something!

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  9. Wooden hangers!!! Love!!!!!
    Love IKEA too. There's one about 20 min away. I know, tough life.

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  10. I am so tempted to rush out to IKEA this very minute and acquire a Bjorn of my very own ...

    Though, after the unspeakable things my husband did with the kid's Barbie's and Ken, I can only imagine poor Bjorns fate ...

    :)

    Linda

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  11. I like ballerina bjorn the best!! I love ikea and we do not live very close to one either. My parents live within an hour of one, so when the house is close to finished this year we will be making a trip there. Now I am going to dream of a closet of wooden hangers. Is it dumb to ask for wooden hangers as a birthday gift?....hmmm

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  12. awww i love the sheepskin throw rugs and the striped blanket! we also bought plenty of those wooden hangers. great deals! we go to IKEA all the time because our new place is only 10 min from one :)

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  13. I think I need that sheepskin rug. And the blanket. And possibly the hangers. By the way, did you cut your hair? I like it. And now I feel sort of stalkerish.

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  14. I love IKEA! I have one about 45 minutes away. I get in lots of trouble there. Spend way too much money. Your little man is cute too ;-) XoXo

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  15. Too funny, Erin. I feel the same way about Ikea -never really lived close to one, so a visit is a big deal!! Always buy Swedish fish when I'm there too.

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  16. IKEA! Those wooden hangers are a big draw. We got suckered, I mean the hubs bought a boatload of those things a couple years back. HIS end of the closet is neatly hung, while my tiny corner is a mashup of cheapo Target plastics & WalMart blue tubular ones...

    We actually went to IKEA last Sunday (we were on that side of town early for a movie: "October Baby"...) and it took so long to navigate into a parking spot then wend our way past the baby-sitting area; we only blew through the store & I bought nothing. (check-out lines were w-a-y too long) But, I returned home & got out my catalog & folded down quite a few corners for NEXT TRIP!

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    1. OK -- all that & I didn't say how awesome your pics are! The bunny is quite freakish; but I must say the fave was the be-heading of your cruise-towel elephant...

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  17. Rachel4/24/2012

    Soooo.....is Bjorn the adult version of Chloe? :-p

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  18. Oh my, your face in the picture with the predator bunny is HILARIOUS! I laughed out loud.

    I think Bjorn was well worth the $5..Bjorn the Ballerina? Oh yeah, well worth the $5.

    I've never been to an IKEA, but it's def. on my to-do list!

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  19. Omg, you are hilarious. So is Bjorn.

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  20. Bjorn is such a friendly, happy little soul! How can anyone not understand that he had to be purchased?! I think you should take him on all your vacations and let him see the world.

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  21. Seeing your Ikea trip reminds me how much I need to go.Love everything you bought especially sweet Bjorn :)

    Mandy

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  22. I realize I am probably late to the party, but did I miss the post about YOUR HAIR CUT?! I just went to IKEA today! I spent $17. Did not purchase Bjorn...but...I saw him there!

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  23. Definitely quirky! I make a list to shop at IKEA and the closest one is about 3 hours from us in Schaumburg, IL. We go there about once every year or so. I have a list ready for my next trip there! I looked them up online and the drawers I want to get at $119.99 but the shipping would be $349.00. Crazy and not happening...so I added them to my list for our next trip there. My husband says I need to take it easy on him because everything I buy from IKEA is so heavy and definitely involves a lengthy project of putting it together. Poor guy!

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  24. I love your Bjorn posing - so hilarious! When it comes to Ikea, I always make a list otherwise I become overwhelmed and completely forget the real reason I'm there. :)

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  25. You are my favorite.

    That is all.

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