by Elizabeth Etzel

Created on: February 10, 2010

The Joys of IKEA

Does the thought of going to IKEA thoroughly excite you, or make you want to vomit? Unfortunately, many people suffer from both of these “conditions,” myself included. So what makes IKEA so exciting to some and so foul to others? The following scenario is typical…

Remember when you got your first apartment or bought your first house? Maybe you didn’t have enough furniture to fill up your house or you realized you were missing some key items. At that time when you’ve just purchased a home or just threw down two months security for an apartment, you probably didn’t have loads of extra cash to throw down on expensive furniture. Therefore instead of going to K-Mart, IKEA always seems like a better and classier option.

So you find yourself trekking off to IKEA with high hopes of finding some great new pieces. Granted, IKEA does have a fabulous selection of miscellaneous items so you wind up with everything you need and then some.

Once back at home, you’re eager and excited to organize and arrange your furniture/ odds and ends in your new pad. At that point, you’re so satisfied with yourself and your experience in general; you decide that you want to throw a party to celebrate (especially if you’re that new home owner).

That lovely idea soon turns quite annoying once your company starts arriving and not because they forgot to take off their shoes and walked all over your white carpet. As soon as the first person arrives, they immediately squeal with delight, “OMG… is that from IKEA?” First, they obviously already know it is because even if you’ve only been to IKEA once, their styles rarely change and their “modern flair” is remembered by all.  

Well at first, you’re delighted that someone actually noticed your new stuff but when the second and third person comment on all of your IKEA furnishings, it becomes quite irritating to say the least. Sometimes it’s so bad that you can even hear a sneer in their voice and a sense of great satisfaction that they have completely just itemized your entire home and picked out every single piece of IKEA furniture to the point where you basically feel violated!

Once everyone leaves and you regain your composure you somewhat forget about the situation altogether and try to believe that your furniture is not that identifiable!  A few weeks later, it happens again and thus continues until you pawn it off to someone or give it away on craigslist.

Flash forward a few years after you no longer shop at IKEA for furniture and you wind up in someone's house who just happens to have everything and the kitchen sink bought from IKEA. It goes without saying that you are going to ask them, “Did you get that from IKEA?”  You may even find yourself thinking, "HA, I am so good; I can totally pick out the IKEA stuff."  Suddenly you’re able to decipher exactly what type of person they are just because you identified where they shop! Eventually you’ll remember you were once that person too and kindly take pity on them.

Now, I’m not saying that IKEA furniture is ugly or cheap I like it too! It’s just so damn identifiable! So to conclude, there is absolutely nothing wrong with shopping at IKEA...that is if you like the fact that everyone will be constantly asking you that dreaded question, “Is that from IKEA?”

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