smittenbyu (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
smittenbyu) wrote2013-07-11 10:33 am
smittenbyu) wrote2013-07-11 10:33 am
Entry tags:
so we are waiting.... our last IKEA purchase
When we were shopping for a cabinet to put our TV & stereo and books and other stuff, we had decided it wasn't going to be from IKEA. We were over the whole craze of it. Our rest of our apartment is from IKEA. Mostly because we do like their designs. I am sure any decent carpenter will cringe at their workmanship. But hey, we were not very attracted to the country style of bulky furniture that was in our budget (kind of) and the "lightweight/streamlined" furniture were just way beyond our budget. And that's where IKEA I guess fills in the gap.
We have enjoyed putting things together. It helped with "team building" exercise for the two of us new in the relationship. It did help us understand how each other comes to major decisions.
However, maybe we have matured, although with the newer models of furniture, we have seen improvements, we began questioning whether sinking in all that money in something that will not last 20 years is worth the penny. Yes, we are one of those people who want things to last forever. I don't mind sinking money into that kind of quality.
So, the rubbermaid "shelf" that has been holding up all our fancy clothes from collecting dust finally gave in after 8 years. It was/is still usable but the cloth on the sides were tearing apart. I was in no rush to replace it. I had suggested on Saturday we go look for TENTS, since we want to try out camping this year and the next.
Am not sure what got into N as it's very unlike him, he suggested we go to IKEA and get a wardrobe. He never makes such conclusions without thinking it through for weeks. So, figured he must have done that and so I didn't question him really. We went. With the plan that we go to IKEA, REI, and a few other sporting goods places to look for tent and some grocery shopping.
Well, we found the wardrobe we liked within 40 minutes of being there!! We just wanted the wardrobe in brown/black with frosted doors since that's the color of other furniture in the room). And hubby also said let them pick up stuff for us, deliver, and assembly. I was in complete shock as this was/is very unlike him! It would be something I would have suggested and he would go through the whole decision making process and take time to come to a decision. I questioned him here. After all we have a big car now. We can finally take things home without having it delivered. But he just had me picturing all the help D would want to do while through the whole process. I reminded him as he always reminds me, and I hate it at that moment in time, that many others do it! :) What a role reversal this whole thing was for us.
So, we found a staff member to help us. It happened to be her first day on the job! I gently asked her if she could do the process from start to finish as we needed pickup, delivery & assembly, so that half way through we are not sent somewhere else. She took a moment to reflect and she said that the folks at the other station will be better since she has never done the delivery process. So, we saved some time, what foresight, we thought! ha! Should have just ran, right then!
The folks at the other station helped us out. Gave us our printout to take to cashier. Whoa...an hour and we were all done! That was a first for us! Well, detailed oriented hubby (thank goodness) saw that they were giving us a shelf with 4 doors (instead of 2). hmmm...so I went back. Got it corrected. Another 10 minutes in that.
Then we saw that few more items were added to the list than anticipated. huh?! Another 15 minutes gone. The same staff member corrected it and got a fresh printout. Well, something else was amiss. So back again, this time we had to wait as the staff were helping other customers. So, almost half hour went.
This time he did the whole order again and I watched him (as he requested) type in the items and quantity numbers. Printout came out fine! So we thought! N again found that one item was right but the dimensions were wrong. So, back we went. The newbie helped redo the whole thing. We were completely annoyed. I gave up and hubby took over.
So, all resolved, a thousand apologies and 2-2.5 hours later, we were off. We paid at the cashier. And went to delivery arrangement window. Where the guy running through our list casually (with a puzzled look on his face) asked if we were buying 4 wardrobes? (in my head I thought: #@!$@#!@^%@$#!#) My actual reply was calmer, no. Somewhere between our walking away to reaching the cashier, the order changed. On paper we had was right. So, he called up his colleague/supervisor to go through and correct the whole thing. We were given it seems enough material for 3.5 wardrobes! So, some refunds were needed to be done and we were on our way.
We were scheduled for thursday to be the day for delivery and assembly between 9am - 1pm. Thursday morning came and sharp 9am we got an automated call that the truck is leaving the place and should reach in 40-50 minutes. We were pleasantly surprised. 15 minutes later we get a call that the driver had a personal emergency (parent in hospital) and so we had to reschedule! HOw do you argue with them on that point? sigh.
So, we are now waiting. It's 10:30am, not a peak from them. I think we will get a call at 12:45pm asking to reschedule! sigh.
Clearly, this has sealed the decision of never going back. We were just hoping that our final trip to IKEA be a pleasant one. Maybe this will keep us from changing our minds. I should have been more suspicious of my hubby's unusual behavior. And of course, as we emptied out the Rubbermaid wardrobe and cleared the room, we also question if we really needed to get such a big wardrobe to begin with!
We have enjoyed putting things together. It helped with "team building" exercise for the two of us new in the relationship. It did help us understand how each other comes to major decisions.
However, maybe we have matured, although with the newer models of furniture, we have seen improvements, we began questioning whether sinking in all that money in something that will not last 20 years is worth the penny. Yes, we are one of those people who want things to last forever. I don't mind sinking money into that kind of quality.
So, the rubbermaid "shelf" that has been holding up all our fancy clothes from collecting dust finally gave in after 8 years. It was/is still usable but the cloth on the sides were tearing apart. I was in no rush to replace it. I had suggested on Saturday we go look for TENTS, since we want to try out camping this year and the next.
Am not sure what got into N as it's very unlike him, he suggested we go to IKEA and get a wardrobe. He never makes such conclusions without thinking it through for weeks. So, figured he must have done that and so I didn't question him really. We went. With the plan that we go to IKEA, REI, and a few other sporting goods places to look for tent and some grocery shopping.
Well, we found the wardrobe we liked within 40 minutes of being there!! We just wanted the wardrobe in brown/black with frosted doors since that's the color of other furniture in the room). And hubby also said let them pick up stuff for us, deliver, and assembly. I was in complete shock as this was/is very unlike him! It would be something I would have suggested and he would go through the whole decision making process and take time to come to a decision. I questioned him here. After all we have a big car now. We can finally take things home without having it delivered. But he just had me picturing all the help D would want to do while through the whole process. I reminded him as he always reminds me, and I hate it at that moment in time, that many others do it! :) What a role reversal this whole thing was for us.
So, we found a staff member to help us. It happened to be her first day on the job! I gently asked her if she could do the process from start to finish as we needed pickup, delivery & assembly, so that half way through we are not sent somewhere else. She took a moment to reflect and she said that the folks at the other station will be better since she has never done the delivery process. So, we saved some time, what foresight, we thought! ha! Should have just ran, right then!
The folks at the other station helped us out. Gave us our printout to take to cashier. Whoa...an hour and we were all done! That was a first for us! Well, detailed oriented hubby (thank goodness) saw that they were giving us a shelf with 4 doors (instead of 2). hmmm...so I went back. Got it corrected. Another 10 minutes in that.
Then we saw that few more items were added to the list than anticipated. huh?! Another 15 minutes gone. The same staff member corrected it and got a fresh printout. Well, something else was amiss. So back again, this time we had to wait as the staff were helping other customers. So, almost half hour went.
This time he did the whole order again and I watched him (as he requested) type in the items and quantity numbers. Printout came out fine! So we thought! N again found that one item was right but the dimensions were wrong. So, back we went. The newbie helped redo the whole thing. We were completely annoyed. I gave up and hubby took over.
So, all resolved, a thousand apologies and 2-2.5 hours later, we were off. We paid at the cashier. And went to delivery arrangement window. Where the guy running through our list casually (with a puzzled look on his face) asked if we were buying 4 wardrobes? (in my head I thought: #@!$@#!@^%@$#!#) My actual reply was calmer, no. Somewhere between our walking away to reaching the cashier, the order changed. On paper we had was right. So, he called up his colleague/supervisor to go through and correct the whole thing. We were given it seems enough material for 3.5 wardrobes! So, some refunds were needed to be done and we were on our way.
We were scheduled for thursday to be the day for delivery and assembly between 9am - 1pm. Thursday morning came and sharp 9am we got an automated call that the truck is leaving the place and should reach in 40-50 minutes. We were pleasantly surprised. 15 minutes later we get a call that the driver had a personal emergency (parent in hospital) and so we had to reschedule! HOw do you argue with them on that point? sigh.
So, we are now waiting. It's 10:30am, not a peak from them. I think we will get a call at 12:45pm asking to reschedule! sigh.
Clearly, this has sealed the decision of never going back. We were just hoping that our final trip to IKEA be a pleasant one. Maybe this will keep us from changing our minds. I should have been more suspicious of my hubby's unusual behavior. And of course, as we emptied out the Rubbermaid wardrobe and cleared the room, we also question if we really needed to get such a big wardrobe to begin with!
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We've never had trouble with IKEA because we've always just transported and assembled our own furniture, but quality's definitely mediocre if not dismal. Our pull-out sofa bed is from IKEA. We still use it, but it's for sure our last piece of IKEA furniture because like you said, it's better to pay a bit more to have something that lasts forever. I've heard that it might be worth checking out estate sales, but we might just keep our eye on Costco since it sometimes has furniture in styles and prices we like.
Speaking of which, still recommending checking Costco for tents because REI *is* overpriced unless you get lucky with a sale item!
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I have to give IKEA some credit though. Our apartment in KL caught fire and the lamp (not wood), desk (not wood), and computer side cart (which was wood) survived the fire even though they were right where it started!!! :) That side cart was doused in whatever varnish, the ash didn't even stick to it! It got me worried though what they used!!!
We don't have a costco membership!! hahah! We tried BJ's and found whatever savings we had, was going into the annual fees. I think it will prove more useful when we get a place bigger than a 1000 sq ft! ;)
We are planning to borrow our neighbour's tent (whom we finally met up with over cheese and drinks at home after 2 years of planning! yay!). So, that solves that. Otherwise I was thinking to get some cheap one from amazon. Maybe later if we get serious about it and need it get a better one!
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Yeah, unless you're a serious camper, you really don't need to spend too much on a tent. We usually camp several times a year and one thing we did splurge on is a propane tree so we can attach a propane lamp and stove to it. Oh, and a couple of fold-out mattresses for sleeping on (the only drawback is that they're the bulkiest camping items we have, but J is a really light sleeper and needs something comfy).
That is scary, a wooden cart that survives fire. But hey, it survived and you can still use it! I didn't know your apt had caught fire though -- did the lamp overheat something?
I keep wondering about whether or not Costco membership is really worth it, but we do regularly save on certain staples there (bread, milk, eggs, toilet paper, etc. ... and gas is always cheapest there), and we enjoy grazing their "sample-tizers" :-)
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The wardrobe back is that flimsy "wood" cover, which is bound to loosen in a few years, especially with the humidity! :( So, yeah...quality is not the best, but love their designs too!!
And they don't seem to survive moves as well! But we had IKEA items that survived fires!
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As for beds for adults... unless you move around a lot and ditch your old furniture all the time, you probably want to invest in a good-quality, non-IKEA one since you spend ~1/3 of your life on one :-)