Let's see:

Have lunch if possible. If you drink coffee -- the cafe usually serves a wonderful cup of coffee! And a danish!

If you eat meatballs -- pick up a package of their frozen Swedish meatballs -- I usually do a basic dark gravy with them and serve them over thick noodles. Other folks like the traditional white sauce!

Pick up packages of their napkins. Pick up basic white candles. Pick up wonderful nifty votives for their tiny white votive-style candles. I always pick up their stacks of cork hot-plate hotpads/trivets. And a stack of their white plastic cutting boards. Check out the kitchen section!

Remember that you have to pick up a "ticket" at the site of the chair. THEN after you have explored the store -- and are ready to go -- you go down to the warehouse section of the store -- and get the chair (you'll need help!) -- load it up on a large cart -- and take it through check out. Then you drive your car up to the checkout section to carry it out.

Check out their "Ooops" section -- always fun!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Scooby - am I remembering that you are also in TN? I've been thinking of a trip to Ikea also and have looked at that very same chair to go in our sunroom. I toyed with the idea a long time of the Ektorp sofa or loveseat but finally bought new dark colored wicker loveseat and chair and had the cushions slipcovered in cream (ala a recent pottery barn pic). I'm thinking the above chair might look good in there also, but it may be too small. I'd be replacing a chair that hubby uses. Will be interested to hear how you like it and what all you find.

That said, I really hate going to the Atlanta area (explains why I haven't been to Ikea yet LOL). The traffic literally gives me a headache! Scotts is wonderful though - too bad it is not open. Definitely Pheobe Howard and if you are like me, the other stores you mentioned as well as we don't have them here. Although I personally would be hitting the antique stores, looking for fab fabric places, etc. I'm more of the unique find type.

When are you going? Have fun!!

tina

Ive' only been to Ikea twice--I recently moved to an area where Ikea is only an hour away, as opposed to 4 hours.

They have a small pamphlet that has a map of the store, which is very useful. There's also space to write down names/item numbers of things you are interested in. Grab one as you enter.

At my store (and I think most of the stores) there are two floors. The top floor is mostly display furniture, with a few of the smaller items out on display/for purchase. There are a lot of room mock-ups, showing how you can use the various things they sell in living rooms, dining rooms, etc. The floor plan is not intuitive--this is where the map comes in handy. You can test-sit the chairs and couches, and open drawers in the dressers and see all the colors that things are offered in. The restaurant is on this floor and it's worth a stop if you are hungry.

The lower floor has two sections. First, is the store part. Here is where all the little things, like candles and curtains and glassware and picture frames and rugs are displayed. You can pick things up and put them in your shopping cart.

The second area looks like a warehouse. Here is where you pick up your furniture, having noted the location number upstairs when you decided what to get. They have large flat carts for this, similar to the ones you see at Lowes or Home Depot.

Then there's the cash registers. They don't have shopping bags--you can bring your own or buy a big blue reusable one there.

Outside the cash registers, at least at my store, there's a place where you can buy some of their frozen foods.

I've only been on a weekday. I hear from experienced shoppers that the weekends are very, very crowded.

Hope this helps!

Gird your loins, darling!

Actually, I love going to Ikea, although I am not allowed to go alone, now that our storage space is so limited. (I'm not allowed to go to Costco by myself, either, but I digress...)

Our nearest one is outside Washington, DC, so I sympathize with the traffic issues in Atlanta. The stores are laid out to make browsing a pleasure. Think of it like going to the museum, or to the zoo. Wander around in a sort of methodical way, which is great fun. You might also look for table setting things, if you want or need some. Lots of good simple inexpensive stuff in that department.

Have meatballs for lunch, and also take home some jars of lingonberries, if you don't have them in your grocery. Tart and fabulous on pancakes, and any other jam use that doesn't call for too much sweetness. Lovely as a glaze for pork loin, too.

I have been to the Atlanta ikea twice and believe each time I thoroughly looked at most everything (poor dh, he was with me).
Honestly, there was not one thing I wanted to buy each visit.
So, I guess I'm not a fan but I had fun.

Yes, wear very comfy shoes!

Too bad you're not in my neck of the woods--I would offer to escort you to the one in Northern Virginia. Much like what happened the time I introduced a friend to the Container Store, I would love to see the expressions on your face! (Good, bad, whatever!)

Be sure to bring any room measurements with you.

One thing I have found: The actual furniture tends to look bigger to me in the room photos on the website and in the print catalog. I've not looked at the chair you pictured, but for example, the Tullsta chair looks cute, but it's tight.

Cinnamon rolls and soft ice cream await just beyond the cash registers, if you make it through!

I'm loving that chair. Is the stripe blue or teal or...?

I may have to make a two-hour trek to my nearest Ikea to check it out... and have some meatballs. SIGH. Gotta have meatballs. LOL I'll leave Hubby behind. A trip to Ikea is an outing, not a quick shopping trip.

...Pam

Scooby, I am waiting with a lot of anticipation to hear about your trip to IKEA Atlanta. The store is the closest one to us, and we are in Mobile. I am interested in what you find out about the kind of things they keep IN THE STORE, ready to pick up, or maybe to ship.

I was thinking of flying up there, making my order, then taking a UHaul truck home with my goodies. That would work if I knew they would have the stuff in stock.

So any FULL description....the FULLER THE BETTER...would be read closely you betcha.

Good luck in finding your chair. I like smaller chairs too, and the one you show has lovely lines.

Hey moccasin - I'm thinking on their website you can look at items (at least furniture) and it will show if it is available in a certain store. Seems like I did that when thinking about purchasing the sofa/loveseat.

tina

Oh Yay!! I am so excited. I am not an Atlanta girl myself - DH does alot of business in N. Atlanta & I always stay home(just not that interested.) This weekend we p/u my DS from his first year at camp in Mentone, AL so I have a good reason to go to Atlanta this week.

Teacats =- great idea about stocking up on the basics - my poor candles in lanterns outside have literally dripped to the ground!
Tina - I am in W. Tn. Your sunroom sounds lovely (Im thinkin your in E. TN (the pretty part?!)
How sweet, Pammyfay, to offer to escort! I would love to go with a friend. I get so sidetracked just in life in general much less with a lot of visual overload!! (maybe I should take an add pill!!)

Okay, so meatballs are a MUST!! The lingonberries sound wonderful - esp. over pork, yum.

Bumblebeez - I am the same way with PB outlet here in town. I go and very rarely see anything I want. Decent bedding & towels but the furniture is crappy (sorry) but they sure do have pretty magazines!! Wm. Sonoma outlet, on the other hand......pretty good stuff in there!

Moccasinlanding - I was just in Mobile leaving for a cruise. We have a very good friend on Dauphin Island - DH & DS have been to see him but I had to stay home. I will let you know how it goes.

Camlan - thanks for the description of the store & reminder to bring a reuseable bag.

Prairiedawnpam - I'll let you know what color...Im hoping it is more of a sagey green.

I;'ll have my laptop with me at the hotel so I'll give everyone an update.

Thanks so much!
Smiles:)

My Ikea is two hours away, so it is a "big" trip for me. I like to go alone but will never forget the time I bought a ton of stuff for our summer house and was dragging a big cart and pulling a flatbed whatever-it-is simultaneously. Having someone to help with the big stuff can be a saving grace.

Before I go, I usually go through the website and make a list for myself. The site has a list-making function, but I don't think I've used it before. But, after a couple of hours, I start to stumble around and forget why I am there. :-) Having that list to go back to helps keep me from discovering I forgot something on the way home.

Do be prepared to be completely overwhelmed. It is just too much. Even after having been there a dozen or more times in the last twenty years, I still get overwhelmed. Lately, I have been going through the lower floor first. That's the area which requires more concentration for me, unless I am in serious buying mode upstairs in the furniture department.

Actually, I only go when I am seriously looking for something big. All the little fun stuff downstairs is just that -- fun. Oh, except for lighting. I think the lighting department is full of exceptional values if you like the styles.

Have a great time!

So jealous of those who live close to IKEA! The closest IKEA to me is 4 hours away, but I have been to the IKEAS in San Diego (my "virgin" IKEA visit!), Burbank, SF bay area, Seattle and Vancouver BC area. I've never really bought much because I am usually traveling. I just love looking through all the room vignettes.

Oh my goodness, I apologize for the delay in responding to this post. I did not get to go when originally planned. My Dh went with me a few weeks ago.

Overwhelmed, oh yeah!! We both loved it! We had the meatballs(yum) and these wonderful potatoes with broccoli and cheese (if I remember correctly.) I did bring home the ligonberries:) Atlanta sounds like it is set up like you all said. I was "toast" by the time we got out of there. I wanted to go back the next day but we did get to hit Scott's Antique Market (yay!) and DH actually went with me and enjoyed that, too. Again, overwhelmed with Scott's!

I thought I would go crazy shopping in the downstairs but really just bought a few things. Here is my loot (minus the cheezit & chips on the counter)....

The cheese grater has plastic containers to catch the cheese! Love the tea towels - especially at 25 cents! Storage containers for 2.99! Oh, and the cookies were good!

I did get the chairs, too. The fabric is tan/ black & white - there is no blue or sage like the photo looks. They were much more comfortable in the store....I'm assuming from having lots of butts in them!! haha The ones at home are a little stiff but okay.

Thanks for all your advice.
Smiles:)

Scooby,

I have those package clips...I've turned everyone around me onto them and have strict orders to pick up more every time I get to Ikea. Ikea recently came out with new storage containers I like even better. The new ones come in several sizes - they come with a 'measuring cup'. And the cookies really are delicious!

Helene

We love the Lemon Lime cookies! And I love the chocolate!

That is the best grater. We use it all of the time and it's still very sharp. And the best thing is you can store the grated cheese in it also.

If this thread was new and you hadn't gone yet I was going to say to get a map. Then when you realize you do want something you saw an hour ago, the map shows the shortcuts from one department to the other. The shortcuts are very helpful. :)

Another tip, if you buy a bed, don't forget all of the pieces. Like the slats. I really think their computers should warn you when you buy all the components of a bed except for ___ (fill in the blank).

SOLD! I'm getting the grater this week!

I hope you did not miss the cinnamon buns!
We love our IKEA and the boys love the play place (1 hour is too short for them or for me, lol).

I can't wait to get the closet organizers for our new mstr bdrm closet! Oh yeah.. and our kitchen cabs will be from IKEA.

Their cutting boards are the best (the 3 pack, plastic ones). I also love their simple white china. It is classic and goes with any style.

I am lucky in that ours is approx 1/2 hours away. Just close enough to be handy and yet not too close to wear out the thrill ;)

scoobyruby - could tell me more about those chairs? I looked on ikea's website but did not see them. They may be just right to replace what we have in our family room1!