Common Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes When Shopping At Ikea

Ikea is one of the most popular furniture and retail brands worldwide, and even though some people love to hate the brand, it's still one of the first shops many think of when they want to buy a new piece of furniture. That's because it's one of the places where you can get affordable, high-quality products that are worth buying. Whether you're furnishing a new home that you just built or renovated, or you're moving into a bare apartment and need some affordable furnishings so that you don't eat and sleep on the floor, one of the first things that you might do is head to a nearby Ikea.

However, Ikea isn't just any big-box store where you can walk in for a few minutes and leave with everything you need. Instead, it's known for its labyrinth-like showroom floor, often with a cafeteria in the middle, where you'll likely spend hours browsing everything it offers. And when you walk out, you'll discover that the sun has already set and you've spent more than you meant to.

This goes to show that one does not simply walk into Ikea. Even if you already have a shopping list of everything that you need, you still need to avoid these mistakes when stepping foot inside the Swedish maze.

One of the biggest mistakes many people make is assuming a visit to Ikea is a one-shot deal. If you're visiting the retailer for the first time, it's wise to walk through the entire store with an open mind to see what they have on offer. After all, you might be overwhelmed by the sprawl and the over 5,000 unique items each location keeps in stock.

Reviewing the options Ikea offers before committing to a purchase will help you plan your purchases, especially if you're starting with a clean slate. More than that, it gives you an idea of the price range for the items you want, helping you prepare your wallet.

This is exactly what happened to me when I moved to a new, bare home. I visited Ikea with friends some eight months before I signed the contract for my new place, so I already knew what the store had on offer. Because of that, I already know which pieces I will get from the store and which ones I'll buy elsewhere, like these Ikea tech items you should steer clear of.

You should also not ignore the "As-Is" section, which is Ikea's discount section where you'll find deals on discontinued items, former showroom displays, and "gently used" items. This is a good spot to pass by before heading to the checkout lanes, as you might be able to find a more affordable alternative to some of the items in your cart, saving you money.

Furniture shopping can get expensive, so it's essential that you have a shopping list on hand when it's actually time to spend some money at Ikea. That way, you don't buy something you don't actually need, waste time and effort on returns, or forget to purchase an item, necessitating a second trip.

However, once you're inside the store, you might feel compelled to buy everything you see. If you follow your impulses, you might end up buying so much more than you intend, even if you already have a list. That's why it's important to stay disciplined and stick to your list, especially if you're on a budget.

Aside from the big-ticket items like sofas and cabinets, Ikea also carries a lot of smaller items, like these kitchen gadgets and storage options you didn't realize existed. This is where you'll see the adage "it's the little things that add up" come true. Because if you keep adding the seemingly small and insignificant items that you dropped into your cart, you might be surprised by how much you'll have to pay when you get to the counters.

When you go through Ikea's displays, you might think the price tag includes everything in the area. However, that is not always the case, so you should carefully inspect each tag, which lists everything included in the price. That way, you avoid surprises and disappointment when you learn that the sofa bed with the $450 price tag does not include the leather cover you liked (which is actually a $200 add-on).

Ikea does this because of the modularity of its items, meaning you can get the spec and price of the item that you're buying to exactly fit your needs. So, if you're unsure and the price tag details are missing or unclear, it's best to ask an Ikea associate to confirm exactly what's included.

Nevertheless, the retail store does offer some furniture sets, making it more convenient to shop. You can see this in some displays, where each piece of furniture is priced and listed, so you know the total cost if you purchase all of them. Note that it usually still doesn't include accessories and small items, such as these Ikea tech pieces for your home office, so it's important to add them to your list and add them to your cart as you go through the Marketplace section of the store.

One thing many miss is the free planning service available at many Ikea stores. The Ikea Planning Studio can help you design a room, especially if you have an empty space. This section is staffed by planning specialists who will help achieve your vision, whether big or small. More than that, the 3D models that they'll build for you will help you imagine what the real thing will look like even before you buy and assemble the furniture.

While it's not exactly a full interior design service, it will help you get the most out of your Ikea shopping experience. For this reason, it's recommended to bring a dimensioned floor plan of your room (or your entire home if you're starting from scratch) so the specialists can ensure every item they recommend will fit within your space.

Another advantage of using the planning service instead of going it alone is that you can see how much your entire build will cost as you go. That way, it helps you stay within your budget, and you can remove non-essential add-ons or choose cheaper options if the running total exceeds your limit.

When you're buying furniture, it's crucial to measure the space you're placing it in — length, width, and height — to ensure it fits as intended. But unless you're getting these Ikea finds and putting them in your garage with direct access to your driveway, you should measure everything else you'll have to go through to get them where they need to go.

That's because Ikea furniture is sold in flat packs, meaning you'll have to transport and assemble it yourself. This includes everything from your car to the doors and corridors that you might have to go through. You probably don't have to worry about this if you're getting small or medium-sized items, like a utility cart or a drawer. But if you bought a floor-to-ceiling cabinet with the corresponding doors, you have to ensure they fit through all the spaces they need to pass through to reach their final destination.

I actually ran into this problem with my Pax/Forsand wardrobe combination — it definitely wouldn't fit in my car, so I had to pay extra for a third-party delivery service to bring the bulky items to my home. And once the items arrived, I discovered that some were too large to fit through the narrow stairs in my home. Thankfully, my balcony has external stairs, allowing me to bring up the huge items I bought that way. Otherwise, I would have needed to rent scaffolding and hire a couple of others to help me lift the rather heavy items up to the second floor of my house.