How to Shop at IKEA

Planning Your Trip Beforehand

Go early on a weekday. Avoiding crowds can make shopping easier for you. To avoid the crowds, head to IKEA early in the week and early in the day. They are typically less busy around 10:00 in the morning on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. It's especially important to do any returns earlier in the day. Avoid shopping at IKEA in July and August.

Pick one room to shop for. You'll go crazy trying to furnish your whole house in one trip to IKEA. Instead, pick one room that needs furnishing the most, and plan to buy only what you need for that room.

Visit IKEA'S website to collect some necessary information. You can really get a leg up on your shopping experience by just visiting IKEA's website. There, you can browse different products, jot down the names of your favorites, find different item measurements, and see if certain pieces are in stock at your nearest location.

Measure your room and vehicle. You don't want to end up buying furniture that you can't fit in your car and take home. Before going to IKEA, use measuring tape to figure out the dimensions of your trunk and also the area of the room that you wish to furnish.

Invite a buddy. Shopping can often be easier and more fun with a sidekick. Whether you pick a friend or your spouse, make sure you invite someone who you enjoy doing other kinds of shopping with as well.

Navigating the Store

Eat a meal in the cafeteria. In addition to the bistro at the exit, every IKEA has a big cafeteria where you can choose from a variety of affordable meals, snacks, desserts and drinks. Stop here to get something to eat before really diving into the shopping experience. Shopping at IKEA is a marathon, not a sprint, so you'll want to be fueled up. Kids eat free on Tuesdays.

Drop the kids off at Småland. Småland, which means “small land,” is the daycare center at IKEA. Especially if your kids are younger, it's easier to navigate the store in a reasonable amount of time if trained childcare staff are taking care of your kids. Keep your kids there for up to an hour while you shop. Your children must be potty trained and between 37 and 54 inches (94-137.2 cm) tall in order to go to Småland.

Take a photo of the map. In order to shop efficiently, you need to know where you're going. As soon as you see the blue map of the building, get your phone out and take a photo of it. This is especially useful if you're trying to get all shopping done while your kids are in Småland for the hour limit. You can also get a hard copy of the map near the IKEA entrance.

Split tasks with your buddy. Dividing and conquering will keep you from dragging big items around the building and also help you get your shopping done quickly. This is especially useful if you are shopping for new items but also need to return an item. Ask the friend or spouse you brought along to head to the returns area while you head to the warehouse to grab the items in the showroom that you liked.

Save time with the short cuts. One of the most useful aspects of having a map is to know where all of the shortcuts are. The show room can seem to go on forever and ever, and you probably don't want or need to see all of it. Use the shortcuts to skip the parts of the showroom that you know you won't be buying anything from.

Take photos of the item tags. Since you aren't going to pick up items as you shop, it's a good idea to take a photo of the tag of each item that you're considering purchasing. The tags contain the article, aisle, and bin numbers that you'll need in order to find the products for purchase in the self-serving warehouse. IKEA provides small pencils and scrap paper for recording these details. If you'd prefer to keep track of items this way, be sure to grab these materials near the entrance.

Get your items from the warehouse. Get a cart and head into the self-serving warehouse. For the most part, like furniture is kept in the same general area. Look on your item tag to see which aisles your items are on. Once you've found your boxed items, place them on your cart. You may find that one or more of your items aren't available in the self-serving area. If this is the case, see an employee. They will give you a print out of the item description that has a barcode on it.

Check out with a cashier. Head to the checkout line to buy the items you've decided on. You can pick up a few more knickknacks while waiting in line as well if you want to. You'll pay for any boxed items you have as well as any items that were unavailable in the self-serving area. Give the paper with the barcode on it to the cashier to purchase the item and then pick it up at Furniture Pick-up right after checking out.

Ask an employee for help. If you get lost or are confused while shopping, take a quick look around for a yellow-shirted employee. They will be able to help you navigate the store and can also find other information that you may need, such as which other nearby locations have a specific item in stock.

Taking Advantage of the Deals

Don't skip the “as-is” area. The as-is area is full of discounted items that are located near the registers. These items have been marked down significantly because they've been damaged, returned, or were originally on display.

Join IKEA FAMILY. There are many benefits to registering for the IKEA FAMILY rewards program. You'll get a monthly email that highlights all current deals and get other perks such as free coffee or tea, member only deals on items, and extra time (30 Minutes) allowed in Småland. IKEA FAMILY is free to join.

Look for the “last chance” tags. Items that have been discontinued will have a yellow tag that says “last chance” on it. These items are nearly always discounted at least some, but exactly how much varies by location. Most are discounted 15-50%.