not just for swedish meatballs...

ikea is awesome. maybe a little overwhelming sometimes, but still awesome.
i have this thing where when i move into a new place, i don't feel totally comfortable or settled until i have places to put everything. for some reason the stuff i have already is never sufficient. i usually look around at walmart or target or maybe even the DI, but inevitably they don't have what i need. this means we need to plan...an IKEA TRIP! because you kind of have to make an event of it. you don't just run into ikea for one or two things and then run back out.
anyway, when i moved into a new apartment about a month ago, i went through this cycle once more. don't have enough storage capability, try target and DI, fail to find what i'm looking for, remember that ikea is the furniture and storage mecca, make plans for a day trip to the draper store.
this time, i wanted to find some taller bookshelves to fit in a narrow space, a light fixture to go by my bed, and a little set of storage drawers to go under the desk in my room, which oddly has no such storage. and, i hit paydirt. i found exactly what i wanted, with the added benefit of style. ikea is all about style and functionality, which is something that i can appreciate. i love love love buying things from ikea because i know i will be thoroughly satisfied with them. my little bedside lamp is beautiful, and both sets of shelves were easy to assemble and work perfectly for what i needed to stow somewhere. and further proof that the geniuses at ikea think of everything: when i was putting together the bookshelf that now resides next to my bed, i realized that there was a piece cut out at the base to fit over the baseboard so the shelf can rest flush with the wall. no risk of a top heavy bookcase falling over on you! so great!
and i even found this great set of tupperware that was like a million pieces for about three bucks. and i got another cool desk lamp that was relatively inexpensive. and really pretty napkins.
so, i consider my lesson learned. when it comes to my home furnishing and decorganization needs, i shouldn't fool around with amateurs. just go straight to ikea, where you not only get what you're looking for, you get an experience. and you can even get lunch.