Planning An Ikea Pilgrimage

That’s right, Brad and I (let’s be honest– it’s all me) are planning an Ikea pilgrimage next week. I’d like to say he’s as excited as me, but shopping doesn’t really get Brad fired up. He’s going based on the promise that we’ll stop and pick up a couple cases of Yuengling, which unfortunately, isn’t sold in the Indianapolis area. Yes, I bribe my husband with beer. Doesn’t every wife?

The last time we made a big trip like this to the Cincinnati Ikea was two years ago. So it’s about time we make the 4 hour round-trip drive again.

But before I go, I always have to map out my plan of attack. I need a plan or else I hurriedly walk around talking to myself like a deranged person. So I go on Ikea’s website and browse around in the weeks leading up to our big adventure and make a list of things I want or want to check out.

Today I’m going to share some of the treasures I’ve come across while developing my action plan. Note: Not all all of these items are my shopping list, but I kind of wish they were.

Ikea has awesome prices– especially on pillow cases. I love this $4 striped pillow cover and $7 cotton velvet pillow cover.

And whenever I go to Ikea, I have to stock up on picture frames. Ribba and Virserum are my favorites. I’ve used them in the gallery wall in my home office, our living room picture ledges, and the mini gallery wall in our entryway. I even broke them out for the nug’s gender reveal party. The prices are too good to pass up and hoard away for when I’ll need them.

ikea pillows and frames

Did you know Ikea discontinued the Expedit line? I have a 5×5 Expedit work station in my home office, and I love it like no other. But rest assured, my friends, Ikea replaced the Expedit with a nearly identical line called Kallax. What’s even better is that they’ve decreased the amount of wood used in each piece. Did you know Ikea uses 1% of the lumbar in the world? That’s a whole lotta wood.

I love all of these other pieces. They’re simple, but can be given spice with new hardware and baskets. I’m resisting the urge to add the sofa table to my list.

ikea furniture

Ikea always has awesome, reasonably priced fabric too. I want to buy all of these and add them to my fabric hoarding collection.

ikea fabric

Sigh. If we only had a deck.

My plan is to show Brad all the amazing outdoor furniture to get him excited about building us a deck. There’s a 46% chance it’ll work.

ikea outdoor furniture

And I can’t go anywhere these days without looking at the baby stuff. Ikea will be no different. The nug will most definitely get a souvenir to commemorate his maiden voyage (in utero) to Ikea.

ikea baby toys

Ikea people, if you’re reading this, please build an Ikea in Indianapolis. K, thanks. Love you.

Are you a lucky devil who lives within 50 miles of an Ikea?
Or are you like me and have to strategically plan out your yearly trip?

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34 Comments

  1. Yayyyy Ikea!! I was just there on Monday, and I’m already planning my return trip cause I definitely did not buy enough. I’m not sure I can ever say that has happened before.

    I’m going to a wedding in July that’s only 45 minutes from an Ikea, so I’ve already informed my husband we will probably be taking a trip.

    I’m obsessed with that white Hemnes dresser you posted, but have absolutely no need for it. Still want it though!

    I went with a couple of girlfriends and next time I swear we’re renting a Uhaul for our entire load.

  2. You guys are going to have so much fun! I did hit the jackpot on a husband who loves to shop. We live 15 minutes away from Ikea and it is the source of many date nights. They have such great/cheap food too!

    We want to move back to Indianapolis soon but I can’t help but get sad when I think about not having an Ikea. They have got to bring one closer!!! I hope you guys have a blast this weekend!

    1. I live on the northside of Indy, and I’m so bummed (and confused!) we don’t have one here yet. I know it would do really well here…maybe we can start a petition! Four of my girlfriends and I are planning a trip to the Cincy store…I love getting lost in the magical world of Ikea. 🙂

  3. Love all of your finds! Try not to hate me but… I live FIVE miles from Ikea. Which means I can go on weekdays when it is WAY less busy. I know, I’m spoiled!

  4. Congratulations on your future addition! I have a 3 year old boy & an 11 month old boy…they’re fun! I LOVE IKEA, and I can recommend the Hemnes chest of drawers as an excellent piece in a kids room. We have one in each boys’ room and use the top as a change table with a change pad on top – perfect.
    My eldest also has the truck/crane with magnetic shapes you featured….it’s so cheap & he loves it. Great for motor skills…in fact this morning his wee brother amused me by slowly but purposefully manouvering his playpen over and finally reaching through bars to steal a shape! His big bro was so focused on playing with it, he didn’t see it coming 😉

  5. When I make the trip to that Cincinnati IKEA I always shop at Jungle Jim’s just down the road too. It’s a foodie paradise and just as much fun as IKEA! Be sure to use their faux port-a-pottie bathrooms :).

  6. Oh my gosh, you HAVE to go to Jungle Jim’s if you have time. http://www.junglejims.com/ I live about 45 minutes from the Cincy IKEA, and I go there waaaay too much.

  7. LOVE Ikea! Have fun!!! The closest store to me is about 2 hours away, so I have to plan in advance too! How far are you from the Canton, MI store???? I would totally meet you there!

  8. I’d be so sad if I lived 2 hours away from an Ikea. I can go to one in Maryland and it’d probably take about that amount of time (probably less) or I can go to the one about a half hour from our house, LOL. 😉 Obviously we know which is my preference but it’s nice to have Ikea options. I used to live in the town where the Ikea was that’s 30 minutes away, lol. That was sweet.

  9. Oh, I need that drawer-less dresser type table to put my laundry baskets in! I’m going to have to check that out next time I’m at IKEA – which is about 2 hours from here.

  10. We just made a 5+ hour trip one way to Ikea last weekend b/c we don’t have one even in our province. We went specifically for the Hemnes large dresser and wanted it in white stain. We went to get it from the warehouse & they had sold out & we’re discontinuing the finish ! Thankfully we bought in in gray-brown and didn’t come home empty handed. I plan on going back with my mom before our baby comes in October b/c my husband says no to everything I liked, and when I go with mom, she likes everything I like :)) I also plan on picking up the Kallax shelving unit in white to use as a bookcase in the nursery.

  11. Renee Johnson says:

    I live 2 minutes from an ikea 😉 The best part? Craigslist is flooded with half-off, gently used idea merchandise! We bout the outdoor table set you’ve listed and ABSOLUTELY love it! We got cushions from target to make it extra comfy. It’ll definitely swoon your husband!

  12. We have the ikea high chair for our 6 month old son (Lucie’s list recommended!…if you haven’t discovered Lucie’s List then you’re welcome, but I’m sure you have). We love it, $20 for the chair, $5 for the tray and we sprung for the little pillow thingie (also $5), really broke the bank at $30! We also ended up buying the changing table from there too. I know that we won’t use it for years to come since it’s a changing table, but it was inexpensive so that doesn’t bother me. So many great things, we live near the Cinci Ikea and now I want to go:)

  13. Thanks for your post. I live in Kansas City and we are getting a store set to open up in late summer or fall. Can’t wait. The only stores close to us are Dallas or Minneapolis both are 8 hrs one way, so needless to say that I am over the moon excited about it coming. Have fun on your trip.

  14. I live about 10 min away from the Schaumburg store so I can hop in anytime I want however we always avoid it on the weekends, going there during the week is so much better! Have fun and bring me back a case of Yuengling please!

  15. 4 hours?! holy bejeezus. I live about a 2minute drive around the corner from an IKEA here in the UK. It’s a tad dangerous on the plastic in my wallet…

  16. Oh man, I couldn’t imagine living that far from an ikea, but I would probably save a boatload of money. We just gutted and redid the kitchen in our condo and ikea cabinets were our choice. It was really nice being only 20 miles from the store to be able to pop in and return something or get an extra whatever. Good luck on your pilgrimage! Their kid stuff is too cute!! I’m currently obsessed with their kitchen carts..

  17. Getting an Ikea in Kansas City in just a few months! We are less than 5 minutes away! Can’t wait! I’ve only been once to the one in Minneapolis.

  18. ahh i also make the ikea trip only once a year. Closest to us is Boilingbrook which is about 3 hours one way! SOON they are building one in STL so I can get my hands on Ikea goodies in just a 1 hour drive. Thank the IKEA GODS!

    Good luck!

    (also, I bribe my husband with beer too, they don’t sell yeungling here in southern Illinois either!)

  19. I can totally relate. Just last week I made the trip to Ikea (2 hours each way) to stock up. I didn’t bribe my husband with beer but instead I left him at home. I do the same and spend time planning my shopping online. The only thing I dislike is when I love something on the website and then it’s so different in person.

  20. I pass an Imea every day on the way to and from work. It’s a daily lesson in will power.

  21. Oh my! Four hours? My husband would never go for that! I am spoiled with one 25 minutes away, and I think I want to go now after this post!

  22. The expedit is better in my opinion. The Kallak look thinner and less sturdy

  23. Shirley Lupton says:

    I too have to travel 2 hours and it is a bummer. I have never been there but must make a plan to go.

  24. kate batchler says:

    I live close to the Cincy IKEA and definitely do not take advantage of going to it as often as I should. I too stock up on Ribba frames whenever I go and I LOVE our Hemnes and Expedit items. Have a great time!

    Tip: if you have additional time, there’s a huge Front Gate outlet right down the street from Cincy IKEA. You can score great deals 50-75% off top quality merchandise, including outdoor furniture. Address is 8939 Union Centre Blvd, West Chester, OH. Like a 5 minute drive from IKEA. Totally worth the trip! You’ll love it!

  25. Ooh love IKEA! When we day dream about places we’d like to live, we always talk about how close they are to IKEA!

  26. I don’t know what I’d do if I were still in IN and had to go ALL the way to Cincy for Ikea! Of course, you can always throw in a stop at Jungle Jims and Skyline, so that helps make the trip more worthwhile! 🙂

  27. I am due Septermber 1st, so we are making the trip from STL to Chicago in 9 days to outfit the nursery! I am ok with it being further away cause I put a lot of thought into what we get from there, but I will also be really happy when we get our own in 2015!!!!

  28. I feel your pain! We live just south of Nashville. We plan our vacations around IKEA locations. If there’s a Great Wolf Lodge too… Well, that’s a winner!

  29. Ikea is wonderful! I live in Columbus, Ohio, so I’ve made the hike out to the Ikea in Cincinnati twice. It’s extremely magical. I would buy everything in a heartbeat if I could, so maybe it’s a good thing my car isn’t that big and that I don’t live that close hah! 🙂

  30. We live in Alaska. We need: Ikea, a dollar store, big lots, and a Children’s place. Our shopping choices are very limited….sigh.

  31. Julie Spear says:

    I know this is an older post, but I just saw this and had to comment, because and I ALSO live in Indianapolis, and I CANNOT understand for the life of me why a city our size doesn’t have IKEA, let me know when you start the petition…I am IN!!!I want me some IKEA too! Guess I need to round up friends, U-Haul (love that suggestion), and plan a pilgrimage myself….sigh.

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