I Got it at Ikea!

by Myscha Theriault on 19 January 2008 17 comments

Some stores are just loaded with deals. If you’ve never heard of Swedish giant Ikea, you’re missing out. Bonus? They have numerous store locations right here in the U.S. While it’s definitely one of those places you’ll need to “keep yourself in check” for, there really are some great deals to be had. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. Those giant bags of tea lights.

With five hundred in a package, the price has varied around the world. However, I don’t ever remember paying over the 5-6 dollar range. That being said, I haven’t had a chance to shop at Ikea since leaving Arizona. Prices may have shifted slightly, but I can’t imagine these still wouldn’t be a killer deal.

2. Stainless steel pots and cooking utensils.

Man, they have some super strong, quality pieces there. I’ve had my stuff for over 8 years and it’s still going strong. If you caught the post on dirt cheap gourmet kitchen design, Ikea is a great resource for getting started with some cooking infrastructure on the cheap.

3. Dirt cheap coffee mugs.

I know loads of these things abound from frugal holiday gifts and thrift stores, to trip souvenirs from a well meaning relative. But if you want to pick up a few that actually match, and don’t want to pay a bunch for them, Ikea has some simple designs for not a lot of money. The two times I’ve had to buy them from there were in Kuwait and Italy. Both times I paid roughly the equivalent of 50 cents USD.

4. High reaching grab hooks on sticks. OK, so I have absolutely no idea what these things are really called. Here’s what they are: An every day version of those things the store clerks use in retail clothing stores to get down hangars placed high up. I’ve never seen any other department store carry them. These are great for living in small spaces where you have to store things up high to save on floor space. While I don’t remember exactly what I paid for it, I’m pretty sure it couldn’t have been over twenty dollars. Girlfriend’s too cheap.

5. Mosquito nets.

Great for a beach yurt or rainforest getaway. Under ten dollars.

6. Magnetic knife bars.

Another batch of cool things we bought and then handed over to the movers. Can’t wait to get those bad boys back.

7. Under the cupboard rods and s-hooks.

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This is another strategy I mentioned in the small spaces article. Various kinds available here for fledgling tightwad.

8. Lighting.

Lots of cheap options for various tastes are available. We are thinking of trying out those sliding miniature spot lights on the parallel cables that stretch across a room when we put up the new pad. Really low on floor space loss, and you don’t have to move them out of the way to clean. Score!

9. Pot lid racks.

They have a nice vertical one that screws to the wall. It’s under the ten dollar mark too, or was when I bought mine.

10. Slippers.

For two or three bucks they have them by the bin in multiple colors. One size fits all. Great for guests who may have forgotten theirs, they have skid proof rubber bottoms. Can you say spa day, anyone?

11. Clip frames.

Love these! Dirt cheap, and available in multiple sizes. Can you say loft decorating? They are also great for trip photos or any cool pics of your own that you might want to display and protect.

If you live with limited square footage and need to move from dumpy to divine on minimal dinars, this store is a killer resource. I know there are loads of other deals there. These are just some of my favorites in the “cheaper than dirt” category. Feel free to post your favorite Ikea bargain below.

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20 Jan. 2008 | 7:37 AM Michelle

Ikea has a huge and cheap selection of fabric curtains. Prices range from $5 to $50 with a good portion in the $10 to $20 range. The best part about these curtains are they are super long leaving you with extra fabric for scraps and make them ideal for other projects. I turned $5 curtain into an awesome headboard.

Also, the clearance section. It's by the registers at the ikea near me. It usually has partial pieces, and goods with some damage, but for a handy and/or creative person it is full of great bargains.

20 Jan. 2008 | 8:46 AM Myscha Theriault

Thanks, Michelle for the curtain reminder. You're right. They have a cool selection, and on the hardware too. It really is a cool store. I miss having access to one. But for those who do, I think knowing what you can find for cheap there is helpful. Particularly since it's an overwhelming store to shop at with so many options available.

Oh, and P.S? Congrats on getting the headboard material. Score!

20 Jan. 2008 | 3:27 PM Diane

Ikea's really good for pencils and paper tapemeasures too!

The kitchenware section is fantastic for bargains if you're careful and resist all the pretty things!

Billy bookselves are pretty well priced compared to most high street stores too.

20 Jan. 2008 | 3:47 PM Ange

I ALWAYS stop by the as-is section of ikea before i leave. Usually the as-is section is near the checkouts. I got a great TV unit there for about half off just because it was a floor model. I've also gotten dirt-cheap curtains and lamps from there as well!

20 Jan. 2008 | 7:05 PM Jen

I also look at IKEA for housewares and linens first. My Stainless cookware is going strong after years of use and it looks great, too. The pans heat very evenly. I used to have expensive Williams Sonoma white restaurant dinnerware (before I became sensible). Guess what? It breaks and costs a fortune to replace! Now I use IKEA's 365+ ware, which costs a dollar or two to replace. It is classic and stylish and makes food look great. Also, my kids are happy when I don't yell at them over a $15 plate. Wine glasses are simply designed and costs about .50 apiece. Serving pieces are wonderful. Lamps! Shelving! Office organizers! All stylish and cheap. If you are looking for furniture, there are great pieces to be had, but shop carefully. Sometimes inexpensive material and flimsy construction add up to poor durability and are not always worth the savings. If you don't live near an IKEA, you can now order many things online, although I'm sure shipping lowers savings. Thanks for bringing up this great tip. IKEA is a boon for thrifties and foodies!

21 Jan. 2008 | 5:30 AM plonkee

I was at Ikea the other week and got tealight holders half price on sale - which meant they were 9p ($0.18) each. Actually nearly all their candle holders are bargains, as are towels, wastepaper bins and candles (as mentioned).

21 Jan. 2008 | 6:40 AM Kathryn

Shouldn't the question be: what can you NOT get at IKEA for a really decent price? (It's a pretty short list--Clothes? Power tools? Jewelry?) But on the list of things you wouldn't necessarily think about: inexpensive CD wallets. I've pitched all my jewel boxes and DVD boxes and store all my music, software, and movies in a bunch of IKEA 64-CD wallets at $5.00/each.

And $0.99 breakfast.

21 Jan. 2008 | 7:40 AM Myscha Theriault

And glad to hear I'm not alone on the loving of their stainless steel cookware. In a way, I'm almost sad I wrote this piece because I'm bummed I don't have quick drive-to access to one anymore. But, I'm psyched for the rest of you who do! Happy shopping and saving.

21 Jan. 2008 | 8:25 AM Sean

Furniture! I have heard some disparaging remarks from some people about the furniture, but when we bought a house in Oct, we almost completely furnished it from IKEA. All the stuff looks good an seems to be holding up reasonably well. Plus the couches alone were worth the trip.

Renting a van and driving 3 hours was totally worth it when you figure we furnished most of the house for at least half of what it would have cost to buy comparable stuff around town. Plus I loves me my Poang Chair!

21 Jan. 2008 | 9:21 AM Myscha Theriault

Thanks for chiming in. I've heard mixed things about their furniture too, but their kitchen line of cupboards looks fantastic, and they have a black iron daybed I've had my eye on for a few years now. Nice to hear others are having luck.

22 Jan. 2008 | 8:45 AM Guest

4. High reaching grab hooks on sticks. OK, so I have absolutely no idea what these things are really called. Here’s what they are: An every day version of those things the store clerks use in retail clothing stores to get down hangars placed high up.

These are called "sky hooks". They are really handy!!

22 Jan. 2008 | 11:06 AM Myscha Theriault

Sky hooks . . . who knew? The name suits them, though. And yes, they ARE super handy! One of the best purchases we ever made. No buyer's remorse here, that's for sure.

22 Jan. 2008 | 3:31 PM Jul

I must own at least half of the exact items on your list (including the sky hook - great for our tall wardrobes!). Ikea is our first big trip after each international move (indeed, we spent all day Saturday there).

22 Jan. 2008 | 4:16 PM Myscha Theriault

It is a full day. At least. Once I found out you could get in before they actually open if you are hitting the cafe for breakfast, my husband and I came up with the following system:

Hit the cafe for coffee and a little something to get revved up for a day on our feet (and remember great walking shoes from the start). Then, instead of being out in the huge line with everybody else, we miss the rush and can hit the shopping route ahead of all the others. We do the first half of the store which takes the first half of the day and the way the stores are designed usually puts you right back at the cafe. Then, we grab lunch and another round of caffeine before hitting the second half of the store, which takes the rest of the day. After check out, there's the snack bar for another coffee or espresso. Then, it's usually a drive to get back home again, so we pull ourselves up by the bootstraps for that.

Worth it though. You really do get great ideas from their floor displays. And their organizational stuff is so cheap!

24 Feb. 2008 | 3:45 PM Kimberly

Ikea is not so great. Actually, it's pretty horrible. See this excerpt from longer article linked below:

"Or take Ikea's Jokkmokk dining set: made in China, of course, by people working for pennies. On the way to becoming the world's largest producer of furniture, China learned a hard lesson about deforestation. In 1998 a flood on erosion-prone land destroyed 5 million homes. "As a result," writes Jacques Leslie in our cover story, "China declared a logging ban on what little remained of its old-growth forests. Most environmentalists applauded the ban until they grasped its corollary: Chinese companies began harvesting other countries' trees on an even grander scale." Today, Thailand and the Philippines have been stripped of most of their forests; those of Indonesia, Burma, and even Siberia will be gone in less than 20 years. Enter Ikea: Most of its Chinese-manufactured "Swedish" furniture is made from Russian pine, often logged illegally, and sometimes culled in the wake of arson fires set to exploit the salvage market. In 2003, North Dakota-sized fires in Siberia drove ozone levels above epa limits in Seattle, 5,000 miles away. And fewer trees not only means less carbon is sequestered, but (thanks in part to fires) deforestation accounts for one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than all the world's trucks and cars and planes combined."

http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/ednote/2008/01/editors-note.html

For some reason a lot of us (self included) were somehow swayed to think that Ikea was really eco friendly. How wrong. (Was it the sleek design? Was it the Swedish thing?) Also, please see this video which talks about "planned obsolescence." HELLO, IKEA! http://www.storyofstuff.com/

A friend turned me on to both of these links. They really made me stop and think.

Myscha, I really liked your article(s) on the solid soaps and I love how you noted how they are great because of the less packaging, less fuel to ship, etc. Thought you should see these things.

25 Feb. 2008 | 6:25 AM Myscha Theriault

Hi Kimberly.

Thanks for stopping by. I'd never seen the info you mention. You know, one thing I'm learning as I research various products is that it certainly is a full time job to be a completely informed consumer.

For the purposes of this particular shopping piece, my focus was more on the sturdier home items that are seriously functional. I'm the first to admit there are certain items on their sales floor that don't look like they would hold up. But if you cruise the aisles wisely, there are some sturdy items to be had for a good price.

But I thank you for the input, as I'm clearly in the middle of researching various consumer issues related to product quality and responsibility. Glad you liked the soap articles. Who knew those options were even out there?

8 Nov. 2011 | 10:03 PM AshATL

I am usually a very eco-minded person. But I have a dirty little secret. I replace my toilet brushes about twice a year. They are so grody, and they are only about a dollar or two at Ikea, which only encourages me to toss those things out every 6 months.

Another thing Ikea is good for? The big blue bags! I love those things. 59 cents! I fill one up at work with recyclables that our building doesn't recycle, such as plastic bags. They are also great for hauling laundry. I put a paper box top in one and used it to carry dishes to a family event. I also keep one handy to toss things destined for goodwill.

I used their tealights and holders for my wedding reception. Great prices.

Ikea also has great deals on plants and plant pots. The plants live in a windowless warehouse, so I figured they may have a chance surviving the neglect at my house. So far, so good!

I also purchased a great recycling bin from them. It has a stand to keep it off the floor and three bags for sorting. The bags can detach for the walk to the curb. I love that thing.

Storage boxes! Those things are so pricey elsewhere, and even though you have to put them together, the Ikea ones look great and are not too spendy.

Picture frames. They come with mats! And they are cheap and good looking.

I have purchased some things (ahem, coffee table) that fell apart, but other items have stood the test of time. The trick is to not get the cheapest things. Our dining room chairs were about $60 or $70 each, and they are fabulous, but I think the $20 chairs would have fallen apart by now. Like a certain coffee table. You just have to assess the item before you buy.

I Got it at Ikea!

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