Anonymous wrote:Meatballs are great if you like horse meat.

IKEA meatballs are not made of horse meat (at least not in the US), but actually yes, I do like horse meat.

I posted before, but want to add, regarding the quality of the furniture, that the best items are of the Hemnes solid wood line. Even then, the backing of some drawers and bookcases are not solid wood.

However, again, the entire concept is to have affordability. Quality is there in the sense that they have much stricter pollution and off-gassing norms than American furniture makers, so at least there's that. And personally, I have found that the price;quality ratio is much better than at Pottery Barn or similar!

I like it.

Yes, it is predominantly cheap throw-away furniture. But there are a number of decent products in there. I have a futon couch/bed that is over 20 years old from there. I have a Poang chair that is about 25 years old. I have a Malm dresser that is about 20 years old. My dining room chairs are a little over 15 years old. Yes, I have had a bunch of stuff that was just used a few years and tossed, but some of the pieces have lasted a long time.

It's a great place to take the kids on rainy days. Fortunately we live 10 minutes away and can go easily. Sometimes the kids play in the Smaland playroom. Other times they come and wander the maze with me when I'm looking for something. They enjoy exploring the furniture, looking at decorations, and playing. They try out chairs and couches and beds. They like the food. I like it that we can get a meal pretty cheap. And we park ourselves near the play area in the cafeteria and they can eat quickly and then go to play and I (or my wife and I) can take a little more time without having to entertain them after they've finished eating. They like exploring the children's area and now that they can read, they can help me shop and look for things by reading the tags and signs. We usually get them out of the house daily to a playground or somewhere they can burn off a bunch of energy. Rainy days are hard. They are a bit old for Chick-Fil-A now, but we can go and burn off energy at Ikea pretty easily. I also like that on rainy days we don't have to worry about coats. We get in the car in the garage and we can park in the underground parking at Ikea and never have to go out in the rain.

Meatballs are great if you like horse meat.

I LOVE it. It gives me a nostalgic feeling akin to Christmas. Usually because any time I've shopped there it's been due to an exciting event - new home, new baby, preparing a guest room for visitors...alas my DH does not share the joy and knows it's best to send me there alone to fulfill my visions in (relative) peace. And I always get a treat on the way out.

I love it, DH hates it.

Anonymous wrote:I cannot stand it because of everything everyone else has already mentioned: too big, too bright, too overwhelming, where is everything, nothing makes sense.

However, I will say this: I read once that the founder was dyslexic, and he is considered an example of a dyslexic success and role model, and I have a dyslexic daughter as well. And the way I feel so disorganized and discombobulated in IKEA almost exactly mirrors the way I feel when I try to understand how her brain works. It seems cockamamie to me! So, maybe some people's brains just work differently. And the way the IKEA guy's does and the way he chose to set up his store, just does NOT work for my brain! But I am glad it is there for others.

My DD is dyslexic too and I love this information. Thank you for sharing.

I cannot stand it because of everything everyone else has already mentioned: too big, too bright, too overwhelming, where is everything, nothing makes sense.

However, I will say this: I read once that the founder was dyslexic, and he is considered an example of a dyslexic success and role model, and I have a dyslexic daughter as well. And the way I feel so disorganized and discombobulated in IKEA almost exactly mirrors the way I feel when I try to understand how her brain works. It seems cockamamie to me! So, maybe some people's brains just work differently. And the way the IKEA guy's does and the way he chose to set up his store, just does NOT work for my brain! But I am glad it is there for others.

I love it because it's bright and has something new at every turn and the food is great for the price! It is a half day activity that can tire my kids out!

One word. MEATBALLS!

Anonymous wrote:I like the space and they offerings. I do not like the employees who are probably underpaid and overworked and easily stressed out and given to angry lashing out at customers

Wow, that has not been my experience. I've always found them to be super helpful. Once, DD13 got her period while there, and I told a female employee. She immediately radioed to get permission to leave her section, went into the employee lounge/locker room, and came back with a tampon for DD and passed it off to her like a master drug dealer in front of One PP. DD and I were super grateful.

Anonymous wrote:IKEA is overwhelming and horrible. The last time I went was last year and before that was twenty years ago. I won’t go for another twenty years. I can’t imagine getting trapped in that maze of a store if a fire ever broke out.

We have that eventuality covered: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/341576.page#4266964

I hate it. It's throw away furniture.

My husband was so anti-IKEA when we got married, lol. In the course of talking him into getting a few things there, I discovered he'd never even been! I took him the next weekend and it was, of course, magical. We go there on dates.

I hate IKEA. Especially those shopping carts with the sh*tty wheels that spin all over the place. Way to make life more difficult!