Ikea ... Lovely Ikea!

It was no good, I couldn't put it off any longer. Today, I finally had to face one of my fears .. Yes, I went to Ikea!

Finally deciding that I needed a new bookcase (although not so much for Books, more to hold those pesky plastic boxes containing DVDs), I took a couple of Anadin to prepare myself before setting off the journey up the motorway to the nearest store.

Problem number one - I arrived to face the car park! Now, I don't know how wide the cars are that they drive in native Sweden, but here in blighty, we like to fit two people side by side in our cars, so when I did eventually find a space to squeeze into, I couldn't open my door .. or the passenger door .. and as I don't have a sunroof, I couldn't crawl out of that either - so I abandoned that space, drove round in circles for ten more minutes before giving up and parking in a collection bay instead! (Curiously, none of the cars that followed me in seemed to have a problem finding somewhere to park - either that or they all gave up and went home!)

Problem number two - Their crazy 'one way' system once you get in the store. Arrows pointing you everywhere telling you where to walk. Now, no one likes to break a system, so you go along with it and kind of get ushered along by hoards of other people, often being unable to stop and have a look at something, as you'd get trampled on!

Anyway, I eventually found the section I wanted and was able to step out the way of the stampede for a moment to have a browse. Spotted something that I thought would look nice, then realised I'd left the house without my measurements (Doh!) so had to play it by ear, trying to visualise it in the space. So having decided on that, I picked up an Ikea pencil (well, actually I grabbed a handful and put them in my pocket as they'll come in handy around the house!) and wrote down the details of where I'd be able to find the flat pack. Zone number, shelf number, item number and so on. Before jumping back onto the arrow bandwagon and getting ushered along to the warehouse ...

Problem number three - When I did get to the warehouse and navigate myself to the right aisle and to the right shelf .. it was empty! ARGGHH. I just couldn't face going back in and looking for an alternative as I'd already sprouted half a dozen new grey hairs (I could feel them!)

.. so I came home and tried to order it off the internet on their website instead! Only to find that you can't do that. Still, they do allow you to check stock at your store, so I'll do that next time before setting out! Frankly, I can't think why I never did that in the first place, but that wouldn't have made a good blog post :)

Don't even get me started on the weird product names, which I'm sure they make up .. I mean, who want's a "Gorm Clip on Basket". What's a "Desk Jerker" (though that could provide some light relief in a stressful office at times!). The "Nick Chair", no, I'd rather pay for it! A "Klang Wall Shelf", mine usually does make a clang - when it's fallen off after I've tried to put it up!

Despite all this, I do actually like Ikea - they do some cracking stuff for the price, it's just the whole store experience that fills me with a cold fear at the thought :)