10 Must Haves from Ikea

I still remember the first time I went to an Ikea when I was 14 years old. I went with my mom for a project she was working on. I remember thinking it was a magical place and left with a beach chair that lived in my room for years. Fast forward to today. Ikea is still a great place to find storage solutions and everyday necessities. Sure, they get knocked for their lack of quality, but if you shop smart there, you can get some really great things for great prices. 

We have probably owned something from every department in Ikea over our 14 years of marriage. Over that time, I've learned what to buy and not to buy from there. I've also learned not to fill my home with all things Ikea, to keep it from looking like it is straight out of the catalog! These days, I tend to stick with smaller items from Ikea, though furniture does make its way home with me from time to time still. We don't live close to Ikea, so maybe go once or so a year. When we go, I usually have a list of my favorite items to get. Here are some of my must haves from Ikea:

1. Spice racks - I've used them as book shelves, I've used them over changing tables to hold necessities. They are the perfect size and an amazing price. 
2. Laundry bag - This holds its shape well. It is cheap and holds a ton. Not only does it work great for laundry, it also works great as a toy or stuffed animal bag. 
3. Throw blankets - Lets be honest, when kids live at home, throw blankets get trashed. They get used to build forts, as a picnic blanket, to cuddle up with and more. These blankets are cheap ($3.99!!!) and hold up great with numerous washings. I personally buy them in grey so they don't show dirt! Though, this blanket caught my eye and will probably be going home with me on my next trip to Ikea. 
4. Bath mats - These bathmats are a generous size, soft, hold up well and, most importantly, are cheap...which, I was actually shocked about how expensive bath mats are when I went shopping for them last. Even at Target, they all are around $20 a piece. 
5. Wash cloths - This package of wash cloths from the kids department is an amazing value. I keep them in my kitchen and use them to clean up kids, to wipe the dining room table, or even on the kitchen counters. 
6. Bookshelf - We actually own three of these bookshelves. They are workhorses, I tell you. They hold tons of books. Put bins in them and they hold tons of toys. I even turned one into a bench, as seen above. 
7. Batteries - I know batteries aren't what comes to mind when one thinks of Ikea, but at $1.99 for a 10 pack of aa or aaa batteries, these batteries are a steal. I always stock up every time we go to Ikea.
8. Indoor plants and accessories - They don't have exotics, but they are cheap and healthy and they have many stands, pots and accessories for cheap too. 
9. Play kitchen and accessories - We bought this play kitchen for the kids five years ago and it still looks great. And you really can't beat the price for a wood play kitchen. Also, the accessories can really be used. We've used the cookie cutters and tray to make sugar cookies before. 
10. Picture frames - I love things to look uniform, so I love the fact that you can get practically any size ribba frame from Ikea. Plus, they come with mats and I just love mats. And, they are cheaper than mostly anywhere, so yeah. 

What about you, do you enjoy going to Ikea? What items can you not pass up on when you go?

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