I went to IKEA...and bought a lint roller

I was in Pittsburgh this weekend for the sole purpose of going to IKEA. No, Cleveland doesn't have one and it's a bit of a running joke that Cleveland will never have one. I do not profess to being a fan of IKEA furniture, but I am a huge fan of their 'little things.' Things like mirrors, end tables, cute vases and jars, baskets, and every other little thing you can think of that makes up a room. What is more fun than walking through simulated homes, hand picking each and every detail you want, and being able to afford taking them home with you? Nothing. Unless one could afford to do the same thing with diamonds. That might be more fun.

After securing one of their signature big yellow bags, I began my trek, thoroughly examining every fixture and frill of every room. (My friend K, who was the brainchild behind the trip in the first place, probably realized instantly that getting through the store would take much longer than she had thought). I had seen several rooms and had found nothing particularly striking, and the ridiculousness is not lost on me that the first thing I put in my bag was a lint roller. I needed one, and there they were. Although I did make K promise that if we got to the end of the store and the lint roller was the only thing in my bag, we were going through again.

Luckily the bag did fill up. And then some. Baskets for my DVDs, an adorable breakfast table (along with some seat cushions and placemats), a decorative jar for said table, a tin lantern and a candle to go inside, more lanterns, a lamp, a timer for the lamp, a step stool, a few baby things for E and Co.'s impending visit, a mirror, etc. As it was being rung up, I told myself I'd be happy if the total was under $300. It was $236. And that is why I love IKEA. Well, that and the strange sense of envy slash enjoyment that comes from looking at all the setups and wishing some of them (read: all of them) were mine. Even the mock ups of the tiny apartments that flow from bedroom to baby's bedroom to bathroom to kitchen to living room, all with no doors, and all the combined size of my master bedroom. I know I would hate living in such a space, yet I walk through the mock ups and want nothing more than to move in. Immediately.

Putting together the table was a bit of a challenge. For me. No one else I know struggles as much as I do when trying to interpret directions comprised entirely of pictures or make sense of a thousand billion random screws. The table and chairs did eventually get put together, although two screws on each of the chairs do not fit. They simply will not go in. And this of course is the downside--not only of furniture you have to assemble yourself, but also of buying something from a store that is two and a half hours away should you need to return. Moral of the story: You will always find something you want at IKEA. And it will always be a pain to put together. (And sit with caution when at my breakfast table)