Ikea Inspires

I don't usually go in for retail therapy.  I would normally do pretty much anything to get out of going to the shops.  Today I found it therapeutic.

I had decided earlier in the week that today would be a lazy home day, so we could all have a bit of a relax after our busy week last week, but as we ended up doing that on Tuesday, I wasn't too upset when my Mum rang to ask us to meet her for a coffee.

So we decided on Ikea which is roughly in between our two homes.  It was an unexpected bonus to have an opportunity to 'window shop' instead of rushing into the place with a mission and battling trolleys through those ridiculous self service checkouts (don't get me started on those...), I was inspired.  Now I am determined to sort out those niggling things around the house that are driving me mad.

I am going to replace the kitchen table and chairs.  We bought our current table from Oz Design as a space saving option in a previous house.  It is round and has two drop down sides.  One is completely buggered and the other has a slant which is getting worse by the day.  Also it is a 90cm circle.  We definitely need a bigger one these days.  The chairs we are using at the moment are from Ikea and cost me $15 each 6 or 7 years ago.  They were my student chairs in my bead shop and have seen a lot of butt time!  They are now at the point where two of them cannot be tightened with the allen key, so when you make the mistake of choosing one of these little beauties, you take the risk of it falling apart but at the very least get a little sea sick...

It looks something like this:

Truly uninspiring ugliness...

We test ran these potential replacements today:

Urban - It stacks, it's solid and it is an indoor/outdoor chair

Urban Junior - This little beauty is also available & both boys want one!

This is the table.  I'm not sold on it.  I would prefer not to have the pedestal as it means the chairs are out a little further than I would like.

Docksta Dining Table

They do have a glass table which is cheap and I love it, but I'm so nervous about glass around my boys and believe me, that includes the Workaholic!!

I also spotted a desk that I would like for my use only.  You see we have a perfectly good sized office.  I was really enjoying using it up until June when the Workaholic moved all of his paperwork and office equipment, including 3 massive office chairs, in when he shut down his office.  He then proceeded to spend his month off muttering about My clutter and refiling MY things and reducing MY desk space and MY cupboard space.  The cupboard space is so annoying.  I had spread myself out in a very organised manner (so I could find things) in one of the three stationery style cupboards we have in there.  He has reduced me to one shelf!!  I moved most of my things out the other day and they are now located in boxes on top of my bedroom dresser.  They need a home and since I removed the crib from my bedroom, I have the perfect spot for this:

Micke Workstation

It has pretty much the storage I need (I really don't need much) and it fits in my space perfectly.

I also discovered some yummy shoe storage that I really, really need.  I'm pretty sure every woman needs shoe storage...

Skubb - $19.95 for a four pack, hmmm how many packs do I need...

Our impromptu coffee morning yielded another non ikea result.  My Mum had asked me several weeks ago what to get the boys for their birthdays.  The Munchkin was easy, I allocated her the balance bike (the same one his brother has in a different colour) we had decided to get him.  I opened the website and she purchased it on the spot (as well as several other things that she just had to get for my niece!).  They have great little retro things and deliver very quickly.  Here's the link, check it out - www.hipkids.com.au

This is what he is getting, the Little Man's is pale blue.

Gift ideas for the the Little Man is a bit harder.  I am struggling with the idea of MORE toys in my house, so I am trying to come up with ideas that I can live with and he will like.  He's not helping at all.  I have not been able to pinpoint one thing that he truly wants or needs.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, today we sorted out a birthday present for him.  He ran up to the window of Adair Kids outside Ikea and practically salivated over a Mickey Mouse mobile.  It sounds crazy but he was in love with it.  He's been in love with Mickey pretty much since birth.  We all went in and looked through the other Mickey items.  He scored big time, let me tell you.  They had a good sale on these items so he got the mobile, a comforter, a sheet set and some new wall stickers, all Mickey.  The best bit is he somehow missed the entire transaction and will be surprised when his birthday comes.  He is truly going to love this.

Mickey Stuff...

Anyway, I had a very cheap, productive and unexpected morning out.  I didn't spend a cent, Mum even bought the coffees.   Since I've been home I've been action woman, deciding on changes, jotting down notes and mentally reorganising pretty much the entire house.  I've already changed a few small things...

Ikea does this to me.

Ikea?