So this weekend I have been in Bristol visting family and generaly having a mini break in the South West as you do. Picture the scene, It's a Saturday night I was all dressed up and looking for somewhere to go. How about IKEA? says my brother. Well I dont have a IKEA near me, so will take any oppurtunity to take in this Swedish flat pack experience, even if, being rubbish at DIY, I would have to employ a builder to put it together when I got home.
So off we all go, arriving at 20.00, an hour before closing time. You can't just "pop in" to IKEA. You have to treck round the trail and take in bed room, living rooms and Bathrooms full of insirational storage and general living ideas. I normally go round; "borrow" a dozen pencils which I will then "forget" to return. I may also come away with some ideas for my own flat. Last time I went to IKEA was in Conentry where I ended up wondering around for hours, getting lost in the lifts, losing the car in the car park, and only emerging with a 40p pasta server for my efforts. today's trip was a bit less manic, but I did see lots of kids playing on displays, and couples with tape measures. Not quite sure what the lady was measuring but I don't think It was attatched to her partner.
I don't know about you, but I always find I get caught short and need the loo as I walk through the endless bathroom displays full of loos I can't use as they arent plumbed in.
Anyway; target purchase today was a triviet to put hot pans on. My brother has one and I was admiring it. I now own one of my own for £4! By this time it was 10 mins to close so we decided to find the tills and pay for various bits and bobs. On route to the tills I saw an amazing space saving table and four chairs. The chairs tuck into the table and I thought I could use this in my flat, and thought "that can go on my ideas for the future list" (a list I don't technicly have but it made me sound orgainised). As we progress through the till at 20.55 I see "Bargain Corner", and spot two of these tables one for £70 and one for £55 (original price £110). I hadnt planned to buy a table but could'nt resist. The £55 had big chips out of it and was badly damaged. The £70 one just had a few cosmetic damages and, as a bonus both were already assembled. I decided I had to have the £70 table as it was in better nick. . I ushered my brother over with a trolley and we got it to the tills just as the shutters were coming down. True James Bond style right there,( thats if Mr Bongmd would wonder round IKEA on a Saturday night). The chairs just fitted on the trolley and the table I had to carry. Then after paying, I carried the table out to the car, squeezed it all in with all of us and me tucked inbetween random chair legs in the back of a Skoda. My brother drove back to his and then we unloaded from his Skoda into my Ford Focus, my new car, so first time the seats had been put down. We just managed this before it got dark., dodging various busses that thundered down the road. Thanks to my brothers boy scout style packing we got it all in. And it will all be coming back down the M4 to Surrey. The fastest table in the south West!
I love IKEA designs as they cater for those who don't have much space. I can now dispose (on Free Cycle) of my drop leaf table and the chairs that are engulfing my bathroom cupboard, and now I can eat at a table not on a lap tray. Oh to be so sophisticated. The first meal on my new table? Meatballs I think.
Have you ever made a large purchase like this on impulse? To start with I was thinking of sleeping on it (not acually sleeping on the table, but you get my point right?) returning to the store the next day after I had time to think. But I saw various people looking at this table so decided I was gonna go for it. The man in the yellow uniform offered to "un assemble" it for me. Seriously I did not want that being a DIY Dunce.
Tell me your stories of impulse purchases. Have you later regretted it? The number of times I've gone to Tescos late at night and brought random T shirts that I wake up the next day thinking why did I buy that. But sometimes impulse can be good right? Now with my £40 saving I might buy loads of meatballs and have a bath in them.. Then again.......that will just make you wash and go..
So off we all go, arriving at 20.00, an hour before closing time. You can't just "pop in" to IKEA. You have to treck round the trail and take in bed room, living rooms and Bathrooms full of insirational storage and general living ideas. I normally go round; "borrow" a dozen pencils which I will then "forget" to return. I may also come away with some ideas for my own flat. Last time I went to IKEA was in Conentry where I ended up wondering around for hours, getting lost in the lifts, losing the car in the car park, and only emerging with a 40p pasta server for my efforts. today's trip was a bit less manic, but I did see lots of kids playing on displays, and couples with tape measures. Not quite sure what the lady was measuring but I don't think It was attatched to her partner.
I don't know about you, but I always find I get caught short and need the loo as I walk through the endless bathroom displays full of loos I can't use as they arent plumbed in.
Anyway; target purchase today was a triviet to put hot pans on. My brother has one and I was admiring it. I now own one of my own for £4! By this time it was 10 mins to close so we decided to find the tills and pay for various bits and bobs. On route to the tills I saw an amazing space saving table and four chairs. The chairs tuck into the table and I thought I could use this in my flat, and thought "that can go on my ideas for the future list" (a list I don't technicly have but it made me sound orgainised). As we progress through the till at 20.55 I see "Bargain Corner", and spot two of these tables one for £70 and one for £55 (original price £110). I hadnt planned to buy a table but could'nt resist. The £55 had big chips out of it and was badly damaged. The £70 one just had a few cosmetic damages and, as a bonus both were already assembled. I decided I had to have the £70 table as it was in better nick. . I ushered my brother over with a trolley and we got it to the tills just as the shutters were coming down. True James Bond style right there,( thats if Mr Bongmd would wonder round IKEA on a Saturday night). The chairs just fitted on the trolley and the table I had to carry. Then after paying, I carried the table out to the car, squeezed it all in with all of us and me tucked inbetween random chair legs in the back of a Skoda. My brother drove back to his and then we unloaded from his Skoda into my Ford Focus, my new car, so first time the seats had been put down. We just managed this before it got dark., dodging various busses that thundered down the road. Thanks to my brothers boy scout style packing we got it all in. And it will all be coming back down the M4 to Surrey. The fastest table in the south West!
I love IKEA designs as they cater for those who don't have much space. I can now dispose (on Free Cycle) of my drop leaf table and the chairs that are engulfing my bathroom cupboard, and now I can eat at a table not on a lap tray. Oh to be so sophisticated. The first meal on my new table? Meatballs I think.
Have you ever made a large purchase like this on impulse? To start with I was thinking of sleeping on it (not acually sleeping on the table, but you get my point right?) returning to the store the next day after I had time to think. But I saw various people looking at this table so decided I was gonna go for it. The man in the yellow uniform offered to "un assemble" it for me. Seriously I did not want that being a DIY Dunce.
Tell me your stories of impulse purchases. Have you later regretted it? The number of times I've gone to Tescos late at night and brought random T shirts that I wake up the next day thinking why did I buy that. But sometimes impulse can be good right? Now with my £40 saving I might buy loads of meatballs and have a bath in them.. Then again.......that will just make you wash and go..