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IKEA: A Few of My Favorite Things

September 8, 2014 By Johnna 12 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure for more information.

Ikea A Few of My Favorite Things

It’s just two days until an IKEA opens near where I live.  I’m so excited to have IKEA’s 40th U.S. store just across the city from me in Merriam, Kansas.  Instead of explaining why I didn’t wait until IKEA opened a store near me to install our new kitchen, I thought today I would share with you a list of goodies beyond kitchen cabinets that I enjoy buying.  I present to you IKEA: A Few of My Favorite Things.

Over the weekend I did a little sneak preview shopping at IKEA and snapped a few pics of items I’ve purchased in the past along with a few new finds.  I’m also including a few photos of how I put these to use.

First up on my list, the Vurm wine rack.  I know at least one of you sweet readers said to yourself,  “She’s never had a bottle of wine last long enough in the house to need a storage rack.”  Not true! But…I don’t use this wine rack for wine. I use it for towels!  Here’s what it looks like in the store:

Vurm Wine Rack

And here’s what it looks like on the back of my bathroom door:

Wine Rack with Towels

This is two wine racks, stacked one atop the other.  So a total of eight large bath towels stowed neatly on $20 of wine racks. Towels get folded in half here and then loosely rolled.  Roll them too tight and they don’t smoosh into the wine holder.  This is a great solution for a bathroom with limited storage!

Polarvide Blanket

Second on my list, the Polarvide blanket/throw.  It’s fleece, it’ll cost you just four bucks and it comes in a variety of colors.  Over the weekend I spotted it in white, red and eggplant purple.  I have had it in lime green, orange, light blue and probably several colors I’ve forgotten, as I’ve passed a few of these along to others.*  This $4 blanket is often with me on an airplane.  See how it comes rolled up at the store?

Polarvide Blanket

That roll-up fits perfectly into a loop on the exterior of my backpack. No more being cold on an airplane.  Or if I’m not cold, I can roll it up for a pillow.  I’ve also used this for a travel dog bed in a pinch and keep one stashed in just about every room of our house to keep the chilly drafts at bay.  These machine wash well and just get softer and softer.  Nothing fancy about it, not a stitch on the blanket.  Perhaps those cute scalloped edges are laser cut. I don’t know. What I do know is that it’s worth $4.  Go buy a bunch!  *For $4, if I see someone who is having a tougher go of it than me, I can leave the blanket with them.  I’ve also bought these to donate to winter blanket drives. Not a heavy blanket, but warm.

Polarvide Blanket

Next on my list, the Fargrik coffee cup.  It’s a dollar and comes in a bunch of colors.  I think I counted six colors in the store.  I like the little handle on this mug and I like that they are nesting mugs, which saves space in my cabinets.  My fella is not a fan of smaller coffee cups (these are just 8 ounces), but I find that’s about all the coffee I drink before it’s cold anyway.  I’ve also been known to use these for cute little flower arrangements at each place setting (doubling as a party favor) and as storage containers for small items.

Polarvide Blanket

There’s one on my kitchen counter full of mismatched spoons I’ve collected to use for tasting while cooking.

Fargrik Coffee Mug

My last item is something new I spotted.  It’s a thermal travel mug, not so different than the ones you see lots of places.  The key difference was this was around $5 and easily as nice as those I’ve paid over $10 for in other stores.  I also liked the color assortment: red, blue, purple and lime.  I couldn’t find it on the website, but think it is called Hallbart. Here’s why I’m sharing a thermal travel mug find with you:  these make terrific gifts.

Travel Mug

If you have a vinyl cutter, like a Silhouette, you can personalize this style of mug with a name, logo, fun design of your choice.  Then you can stuff the inside full of the person’s favorite goodies or a small packet of locally roasted coffee.  I made these for the folks I’m working with this week.  (Shhh! Don’t tell them, it’s supposed to be a surprise!)

Travel Mug Goodies

Alright, now it’s your turn!  I want to hear in the comments below what your favorite things are at IKEA.  And….GO!

 

 

 

Filed Under: In the Kitchen Tagged With: ikea, ikea favorite things, ikea kansas city, ikea merriam

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Comments

  1. robert ballard says

    September 8, 2014 at 9:33 AM

    You once stated you didn’t have much taste for wine… or something like that. If that’s what you’re drinking I can see why… Gads… I should send you a list….Snicker…;-)

    Haven’t been to an Ikea in maybe 10 years but we are thinking of ditching the soft country/eclectic look so maybe a visit is in store.

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      September 8, 2014 at 11:17 AM

      I probably said something along the lines of I don’t know much about wine. I enjoy drinking wine, but am certainly no connoisseur. Probably why wine racks get relegated to the bathroom here. ๐Ÿ˜‰

      I think IKEA has a nice selection of decor styles these days. Our home is eclectic/bohemian/coastal/retro and I always find something that will work there. I haven’t yet discovered any textile patterns that work in our home, but plenty of other finds. Report back if you visit, would love to hear your thoughts!

      Reply
      • robert ballard says

        September 8, 2014 at 12:22 PM

        wine in the crapper… now that’s a new one on me…;-)

        Reply
  2. robert ballard says

    September 9, 2014 at 4:01 PM

    i think you’ve invented a new category… Crapper Vino…

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      September 20, 2014 at 10:29 AM

      I think that category already existed, just not in quite the same context. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  3. Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says

    September 9, 2014 at 4:18 PM

    I love the wine rack idea! Even though my bathroom has plenty of room for towel storage. I like things to be accessible! ๐Ÿ™‚ Those blankets look awesome, too, and I keep forgetting about your tasting spoon idea. I use the spoons. I just don’t have them in a cute mug nearby. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Have fun at Ikea!
    Shirley

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      September 20, 2014 at 10:28 AM

      Thanks, Shirley! I am with you on accessibility. Our linen closet is at the end of the hall, so I would have to remember to take a towel out of the closet before getting in the shower. Now, with the wine rack, that’s not a concern. My only concern is that I like how the rack looks when completely full with towels, not with an empty space or two. Makes me want to do laundry more often!

      Reply
  4. Fawn @ Missouri Women Bloggers says

    September 15, 2014 at 9:24 PM

    I was in KC a couple weekends ago and was so excited to see the store almost ready. It’s still a 3 hour trip for me from Springfield, but it’s the closest I’ve ever been to an IKEA. I don’t actually own any of their products, but I have a few on my wish list! Anyhow, I actually stopped by to invite you to come and join the Missouri Women Bloggers network. It is free to join. Our goal is to gather, grow, and connect MO bloggers to empower all of us. In the coming months we will be offering our members meetups, a conference, and compensated writing and blogging opportunities. Just Google Missouri Women Bloggers to find our website where you can learn more about us and join in.

    Reply
    • Johnna says

      September 20, 2014 at 10:25 AM

      Thanks for dropping by, Fawn. I’ll be sure to check it out!

      Reply

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sidebarWelcome! I'm Johnna and this is my kitchen... You'll find gluten-free food, fun and travel here, from original recipes to travel and dining recommendations along with tips on simply having fun. Pull up a chair, join me at my kitchen table! Read More

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